NJDuck Moderator No. 1 Share Posted October 30, 2023 There were about two hours remaining until kickoff on Saturday in Salt Lake City. It was a bright and sunny morning, but the air was still crisp and cool in Rice-Eccles Stadium. While event staff milled about, preparing for a top-15 matchup between the Oregon Ducks and Utah Utes, Dan Lanning walked alone up and down the home team’s sideline. Still wearing the dark-blue sports jacket he donned on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ a couple of hours prior, the 37-year-old head coach was subdued. Ahead of him was among the biggest tests of his young head coaching career; a road matchup against a ranked opponent in a brutal environment — the type of game that Lanning has yet to win in his two years with the Ducks. After his quick field walk, Lanning went back into the locker room with his team. It would be several hours until he would walk back into that locker room again, high-fiving the Oregon faithful while carrying the biggest win of his coaching career in hand. 35-6 was the final score. It was a total annihilation, one that Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said was far more lopsided than the scoreboard would suggest. 35-6 was the final score, though Whittingham thinks even that is underselling the Oregon dominance. “The score wasn’t indicative – the game was a mismatch. It was worse than what the score indicated.” Column: Dan Lanning's vision is coming together in Eugene, earlier than some expected DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Dan Lanning and the Ducks are approaching their ceiling quicker than many expected them to in Eugene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 2 Share Posted October 30, 2023 I thought the defense was a three or four year rebuild, but I did not catch on to: 1) How good the portal transfers at defensive back were, and how they would allow great help by moving two safeties to ILB, and... 2) We had a blockbuster group return for a senior year that made all the difference this year. (Bo Nix, Steven Jones, Taki Taimani, Popo, Dorlus, Casey Rogers, etc.) Next year is a massive rebuild, thus it will take another two years, and then with all the recruiting classes stacked up--we will then be a consistent elite team, IMHO. So savor it all this year, as it could be the best since 2014! 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABNMoose No. 3 Share Posted October 30, 2023 To me, it seems the Defense is playing angry and focused. In both the fuskies game and Utah game, it seems that the defense never responded to any of the smack talk, things that would cause a personal foul and give the opposing team a first down. Just out there doing their jobs, very well, focused, looking to let their play make a statement. You can almost feel the level of hitting that has increased, the force of impact, and other teams are feeling it for most of the week after the game. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smith72 Moderator No. 4 Share Posted October 30, 2023 I'm not too worried about the future. Look at all the freshmen, RS Frosh, sophmores who are playing now and having an impact. Too many for me to list or try to spell. In addition we have the transfer portal which the coaching staff does a good job of evaluating. Then we also see the incoming committments from the HS recruiting. Coach Dan Lanning and staff will continue to create a complete elite team of Ducks! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck No. 5 Share Posted October 30, 2023 I am always worried, but share your confidence in the direction Lanning is headed. I will say there will be some hiccups, and hopefully we can all understand what we are seeing is a distant vision coming into focus very quickly, maybe too quickly. Right now I am just enjoying the distant vista gaining the clarity, and beauty, which just needs to be appreciated. Next season it will be the qb question, but I have a feeling Lanning has a plan, and it will surprise us all, once again! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Haulin No. 6 Share Posted October 30, 2023 This Oregon v. Oregon seems to have legs. Ducks went in a destroyed the Utes defense, a defense that ranks near the top of college football. I don't know if anyone would have beaten the Ducks Saturday. O was playing O at every level. Lanning talks about 1%. We have seen growth every week. The Ducks have gotten better week in week out. I have also heard Lanning talk about being elite. He talks about it in a way that transcends the whole of ones life. From parenting and being a husband to being academically elite. being an elite teammate and on and on. That is foundational. You can trace these attributes through all of Lannings life. Elite athletes will want to play for this man. Kids will be linning up to be a Duck. I won't be surprised if Oregon is playing as a top 5 team year after year. These are just my thoughts on what Lanning has transformed this Oregon progr'm into. He says he is a Duck for to years to come, I have no reason to question him. I truly believe Dan Lanning is the best young coach in college football. And Oregon will be playing for a trophy (top 5-10) every year. These are just one mans opinions. Right or wrong. 1 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Author Moderator No. 7 Share Posted October 30, 2023 Wow, great take from Joe Klatt. He's gushing over Oregon's team. Oregon dominates Utah in Salt Lake City | Joel Klatt Show Joel Klatt broke down No. 6 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 18 Utah Utes. He highlighted the strong team Dan Lanning has built, the versatile defense and Bo Nix’s powerful offense. Joel questioned if Oregon could be a favorite to win the Pac-12 despite their loss to Washington. Oregon dominates Utah in Salt Lake City | Joel Klatt Show WWW.FOXSPORTS.COM Joel Klatt broke down No. 6 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 18 Utah Utes. He highlighted the strong team Dan Lanning has built, the versatile defense and Bo Nix’s powerful offense. Joel questioned if Oregon could be a favorite to win the Pac-12 despite their loss to Washington. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck No. 8 Share Posted October 30, 2023 On 10/30/2023 at 8:35 AM, Log Haulin said: That is foundational. You can trace these attributes through all of Lannings life. Elite athletes will want to play for this man. Kids will be linning up to be a Duck. I won't be surprised if Oregon is playing as a top 5 team year after year. These are just my thoughts on what Lanning has transformed this Oregon progr'm into. He says he is a Duck for to years to come, I have no reason to question him. I truly believe Dan Lanning is the best young coach in college football. And Oregon will be playing for a trophy (top 5-10) every year. These are just one mans opinions. Right or wrong. I think another thing which is right is Lanning's ability to talk about hard issues, and take a stand. He speaks from the heart, often, and isn't afraid to say things which many would shy away from. Parents and student athletes see this and know he stands for something greater than football, the health and welfare of his players. He takes the blame, and he talks honestly from the heart, he is all Oregon, in my opinion! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Author Moderator No. 9 Share Posted October 30, 2023 On 10/30/2023 at 11:15 AM, Smith72 said: I'm not too worried about the future. Look at all the freshmen, RS Frosh, sophmores who are playing now and having an impact. Too many for me to list or try to spell. In addition we have the transfer portal which the coaching staff does a good job of evaluating. Then we also see the incoming committments from the HS recruiting. Coach Dan Lanning and staff will continue to create a complete elite team of Ducks! Agree! Dan Lanning and company are doing this correctly. Bringing in top higt school recruits, mixing in with the right amount top transfers. This is the correct way to do things in building, maintaining top caliber teams year in year out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
