NJDuck Moderator No. 1 Share Posted March 7 Earlier this week, The Athletic came out with their annual head coaching rankings for college football, ordering who they believe are the best 25 guys in the nation going into the new season. The rankings were released by well-respected journalists Stewart Mandel and Bruce Feldman. Surely, Dan Lanning, the rising coaching star who was considered one of the top names to take over for Nick Saban at Alabama this past year, would be ranked prominently, right? He’s 22-5 in his two years leading the Oregon Ducks, with a pair of top-10 recruiting classes and a handful of dominant wins in his short career as a head coach. Is Dan Lanning being underrated as a head coach going into 2024? DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning is not viewed as a top-25 coach in 2024 per the latest rankings from The Athletic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDuck No. 2 Share Posted March 7 Gotta beat the UW's, DeBoer's... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 3 Share Posted March 7 It does seem rather absurd that the team has a pre-season rank as high as #3, and the coach is #25, or not even on a list. I guess the players recruit and coach themselves. All part of the list of things to ignore this time of year. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 4 Share Posted March 7 I don't know if he's underrated so much as he's underestimated. College football fans that don't pay close attention to the Oregon program generally only focus on his losses to DeBoer and neglect to notice what he's done overall in his 2 years as a HC. Not only that, they usually don't notice the constant, gradual cycle of improvement we see DL and his staff going through from game to game. DeBoer is an excellent game coach but you can definitely argue he was in the right situation at the right time and lightning struck. If he stayed another year at UW you'd see them as a shell of themselves, similar to TCU after they made their CFP run. 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 5 Share Posted March 8 You guys have heard me talk about Lanning on several occasions and probably remember that I have always been high on the guy (though not always with some of his in-game decisions--new coaches always have some growing pains). He has a bright future indeed, but the simple truth is that he has yet to achieve a program defining big win. Let him win a B1G title and/or a few games in the expanded playoffs and watch him shoot up the rankings. I've also said before that Lanning hasn't had the roster depth to compete for Nattys. This is even more important in the age where a team might have to win 3-4 postseason games to grab the brass ring. The good news here IMHO is that the Oregon roster is starting to look like the kind of roster that belongs in the struggles that will come in the years ahead. I hope I am wrong here but I wouldn't get super excited about 2024. But keep building a quality roster with ample depth and we Duck fans could have something to shout about in 25 or shortly thereafter. 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 6 Share Posted March 8 On 3/7/2024 at 10:14 PM, Nevada Dawg said: I hope I am wrong here but I wouldn't get super excited about 2024 Not sure anyone here communicated to you that this is our year to win a championship? The Ducks are replacing key offensive and defensive linemen. There are also questions about our defensive backfield. We have used the transfer portal to address some of our needs, but nobody knows how well they will gel with existing players. Even with those questions, I am excited to go to Eugene and watch Oregon play football. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCDuck1 No. 7 Share Posted March 9 Drake, As you noted with the challenges you ID'd, every year is different. To date, this HC, the Asst coaching staff, and the analysts have been markedly better every year, and I expect it to continue on that upward trajectory this year, too. That is based on the HC, the Standard he has set, and the Asst coaches and their stability. But, didn't we lose "Meat"? I believe we will be markedly better. I believe we recruited the right players 15 and three months ago, and that together all the DL and Edge players we have will give us the three -to -four echelons on the DL the HC requires. The competition will do nothing but make all the players work harder to be better. The best part is they will make the OL, TEs, and RBs better, too. The DL must improve focus on hand placement. Our new LBs working with those we have are going to make the TEs, RBs, and Receivers better. The other echelon we don't talk enough about are how the DBs, and the STAR fit together with the LBs and the DL, respectively to create a defensive system. We will have an even more effective system this coming year. Now, if we can just produce a consistent threat to attack KO and punt returns for 6 points or exceptional field position, and upgrade our KO Return coverage. UW found that seam in the PAC-12 Champs. But, we are starting to get close. Have a great series of games at Eugene/Autzen this next Fall. Best regards and VR, KCDuck1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 8 Share Posted March 9 On 3/8/2024 at 1:30 PM, Drake said: Not sure anyone here communicated to you that this is our year to win a championship? The Ducks are replacing key offensive and defensive linemen. There are also questions about our defensive backfield. We have used the transfer portal to address some of our needs, but nobody knows how well they will gel with existing players. Even with those questions, I am excited to go to Eugene and watch Oregon play football. As high on the Ducks title chances as OBD members are for 2024, next season Oregon does not play Michigan and does not play Ohio State in the regular season. All of the 3 OOC games will be played in Autzen including the OK State and OR State games. In 2025, Oregon will play 7 home games. In 2025, Ohio State's opening game is vs. Texas in Columbus. Michigan's 2nd week game is against Oklahoma in Norman. 2025 road games against Iowa, Penn State (White Out!), and UW look to be the most difficult. Oregon will also play NW and Rutgers on the road. Oregon will play Indiana and Minnesota at home, as well as the two most difficult home games vs. USC and Wisconsin. Dates for the conference games have not been finalized. Hopefully, Oregon will trip to New Jersey and Pennsylvania before late November when games can be played in Mother Nature's White Out. In 2025, there will not be a stretch of 8 games in a row without an off week. In terms of a playoff-friendly schedule, 2025 is far more accommodating than 2024. The next season that Oregon will miss both Michigan and Ohio State will be in 2028. As to the top 25 coaches. It's 2 guy's opinions. A more meaningful poll would be one voted on by the coaches. How many coaches today want to play Oregon with Lanning at the helm? Darn few. However, in 2023/24 Oregon defeated two, and only two of the Committee's ultimate ranked top 25 teams, Oregon State and Liberty. That's it. So the record at 12-2 was great, the resume not so much. Dan's cream will rise to the top, and soon. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Ducker1 No. 9 Share Posted March 9 I thought Oregon does play Ohio State at Eugene Oct 12th? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 10 Share Posted March 9 On 3/9/2024 at 12:07 PM, 1Ducker1 said: I thought Oregon does play Ohio State at Eugene Oct 12th? Yes, in 2024, not 2025. Michigan and Ohio State are both on the 2024 schedule. Neither one is on the 2025 schedule. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 11 Share Posted March 12 I agree that the 25 schedule is more playoff friendly. Also, a year further down the road makes it more likely that the Ducks have the depth to weather a 3-4 game playoff grind more successfully than in 24. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Author Moderator No. 12 Share Posted March 12 On 3/9/2024 at 12:01 PM, Jon Joseph said: 2025 road games against Iowa, Penn State (White Out!), and UW look to be the most difficult. Oregon will also play NW and Rutgers on the road. Will be attending both Penn State and Rutgers games when Oregon comes knocking! Go Ducks!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
