The Lanning Effect: Best Off-Season for Oregon Fans Yet?

[FishDuck Article]

Originally, I did not want Mario Cristobal to leave. I wrote of how I admired so much of what he did for Oregon football in so many areas, yet his offensive philosophy was beginning to turn off large portions of Duck fans. The problem was–I could not possibly see a candidate to replace him that would be as good or ...

 

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[Principal Duck]

We're all familiar with the concept of risk versus reward. When I think back to what led to the most exciting time for me and Oregon football, it was the risk taken on hiring an unknown coach named Chip Kelly. Lots of reward came from that gamble. I am still uncertain about the risk taken here with many of the new coaching hires, but I am definitely thrilled about the reward that could be experienced and I believe it fits the fabric of what Oregon football is. I am excited to see what this coaching staff can do and I give them my support as the drama of this risk and potential reward plays out. Should be fun.

 

On a different note, I've been thinking about this idea of coaches being able to recruit players on one school's dime and then should they take a job somewhere else have those recruits follow them to their new school. That falls under the category of things that make you go hmmmmm.

[Quackanadian]

This coaching staff has all the tools do develop talent and recruit talent. All we need to see are some high octane x's & o's on the offense, and some "Georgia-like" aggression and schematics on D and the Ducks are Flying.

[Haywarduck]

I think it takes more than players and scheme. I wonder if Lanning and his team of coaches can create what is needed over time?

 

We had the game plan, and not enough players. Recently we had the players, but didn't have the strategy. Is there something else we also need to really get over the hump?

 

It is a complex dance a program must put together to win it all. 

 

I agree Lanning is a different candidate to move the program to the next level. The idea he has what it takes is a more multifaceted question than has been discussed so far. 

 

What are the elements, and what is most important? Is it just scheme and the top players we should be focusing on?

[Smith72]

"Over the past four years I was trying to convince people of the reality of what Cristobal intended over the long term with the Oregon offense, but the typical fan was unconvinced. "

 

Charles you were correct!  You can take comfort in knowing that a prophet is seldom honored in his home town.  You weren't alone in your evaluation of Cristo-ball.

 

This off season will be exciting with all the articles about the offense Dillingham will bring and the aggressive schemes of the Lanning defense. 

 

Spring practices will be exciting to see, read about, and find out how Exciting Duck football will look in 2022!

[Just Ducky]

I’m with you Charles. I too was holding back the scorn that could and should have been on allot of my posts about MC. 

 

Allot of us tried our our best not to incite a riot and stay positive during the last few years. 

 

It it was hard to watch an offense that was predicated on 2 yards and a cloud of dust and once again 3rd and long.

 

Well thank god that era has passed and now the gloves are off. MC beware.

 

May the booing stop and the cheering begin. 

 

Gos

[jrw]

Agreed, there are a lot reasons for excitement this off-season, stemming from the hiring of Lanning. I think he looks like the real deal.

 

But, Lanning has never been a HC before; being a good, effective boss can be difficult. He has to get an entire new group of assistants, many of whom are new to their jobs, working as a team (and some of these assistants have had - um - issues in previous jobs). 

 

He has a lot to learn, and so do a lot of his assistants. I would expect the occasional hiccup over the coming year, but more from an excess of energy and enthusiasm than from anything else. It will be much better than the dull, plodding, draft-horse style of the Cristobal administration.

 

Unleash the Kraken!

[Haywarduck]

The interesting thing about Mario is he wants to bring back the glory days of Miami, but his time at Miami was Dennis Erickson's time. That was a time of an over weighted passing attack. Mario isn't a Dennis Erickson disciple, at all.

 

Mario seems to relate to the old Alabama teams where the big RB's would pound the ball. If he can recruit a Derrick Henry type running back, with Kamara as the backup he just might be successful. I don't think that is what he sold Miami on, and it will be interesting to see how his vision of football unfolds for the hurricane faithful.

 

The other statistic about Mario that isn't analyzed is he took 6 years to get his bachelors degree. He wasn't the Josh Urschel (math genius) type of O-lineman. He was just the grinder who wasn't academically inclined, focused. Those two aspects didn't allow him to go too far in football. I think those two attributes have also, and will also hold him back in coaching.

 

There is a disconnect between what he says he wants to do. There is also a disconnect with what he is capable of doing and what is expected. He is a good guy, but the line between the greats and the also rans is defined by really having a genius type ability both on and off the field. Those who merely grind can get lucky every once in a while, but they won't develop a program we wanted, nor what Miami intends to have.

 

The question is will Lanning have that type of ability, a rare combination, stay tuned.

 

Lanning is being sold as a grinder, and an incredibly smart football mind. Merely hiring great assistants has been seen before. A program excited about what they think they will see on the field has been experienced before. It is an exciting time, but the data to substantiate the excitement is just trickling in. 

 

There is nothing more exciting than the unknown which isn't quite in focus. You can create whatever you want, and are easily swayed toward what you want. I think the excitement is warranted, but the Lanning Affect has to be turned into the Lanning Effect. An affect is what we feel is happening, the effect will be what we see, and the data we begin to analyze as a real impact on the program we all hold so dearly.

[30Duck]

What a bore this off season would have been if the Ducks had the DeBoer era to look forward to, or the Harsin or Wilcox? Instead there's an energy, and while there's a portion of every coaches Intro filled with what we want to hear, Lanning's had a palpable authenticity to it.

 

Washington was on the coaching hunt before Oregon, and for now I say, was happy to get the coach from Fresno State. Did you hear all the buzz and excitement that hire created? Meanwhile Oregon grabbed the DC of the team that set records, won the championship and plays the Ducks in the first game next season.

 

Lanning has us all checking the Portal, waiting for the Feb. Signing Day, and excited for the Spring game, and a glimpse of the new look offenses and defenses. A great time to be a Duck!

[Charles Fischer]

Yes, for Washington fans, the off-season is going to be "De-Bore!"

 

[Jon Joseph]

Thanks Charles. 62-60 Mario had to go MIA or anywhere else for that matter. As clueless a game day coach as I have ever witnessed. After 2 years of watching Mario's on-field 'efforts' I was done. And the 'Oregon Brand' was close to done. Why not take the fun out of football? Why not hold down Justin Herbert like Dean Smith held down Michael Jordan? 

 

Heyward's take on Mario's educational prowess reminds me of the line: 'Lots of people take 7 years to finish school!" [Response] 'Yeah, they're called Doctor.'

 

I too am fired up about the potential Lanning brings to the table. I am not a patient guy, but I urge patience with Lanning. I doubt if any new coach in CFB history has been handed a harder 1st year out of conference schedule than Dan Lanning? And the SEC did not prepare Dan for having to go on the road 6 times in a single season; how Oregon will be tripping in 2022.

 

Dan, about that 5th conference road game instead of playing Mercer at home? The gurus who run the Pac-12 , unlike the good folks in the SEC,  have yet to figure out that when you are competing for 4 playoff spots; well, Ls matter.

 

Dan, you are also going to have to adjust to many more kickoffs after the sun goes down. Not seeing Gary Danielson in the press box. Not seeing Tim Tebow and Paul Finebaum on the sideline, And playing in front of 'crowds' less than half the number of fans who turn out for the Dawgs spring game. 

 

Good luck Dan, and welcome to the twilight zone of CFB. Take heart and never forget, "Clemson and the ACC." 

 

What's that Dan? Yeah, I know, Clemson plays 8 conference games. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Jon Joseph

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/13/2022 at 5:05 AM, FishDuck Article said:

Originally, I did not want Mario Cristobal to leave. I wrote of how I admired so much of what he did for Oregon football in so many areas, yet his offensive philosophy was beginning to turn off large portions of Duck fans. The problem was–I could not possibly see a candidate to replace him that would be as good or ...

 

Read the full article here...

 

Great article. When does spring practice begin? 

[30Duck]

[SoCalDuck]

 Wow. Lots of great and deep thoughts and ideas presented above. I enjoyed reading all of them and they made be think back a bit. Thank you folks. 

My thoughts are a bit simpler as I am easily satisfied when it comes to Duck stuff.  I never expected for our beloved Ducks to be even spoken about being at an elite level. I was happy with our season when we defeated the Fuskies and the Nutria. Finishing high enough to make a bowl game was cause for great celebration then.  After peaking with Chip in command, the expectations zoomed upwards. 

 

The last couple of years tempered my expectations back down so I'm back to simple hopes.

Lanning does not have to be the miracle maker that many are hoping for (though that would be a very good thing). He just has to be  better than Cristobal in game management and keep recruiting capable as well as level headed players.

[Jon Joseph]

Just returned from a walk here in Aiken, SC. Aiken is about 70 miles from Title Town, Athens, Georgia.

 

Had my Ducks sweatshirt on a couple going the other way dressed in Georgia gear told me, besides the title which they witnessed in Indy, how happy they are for Coach Lanning getting the Ducks gig. They are UGA season ticket holders and (I imagine they are well heeled) visited often with the UGA coaches and told me what a great guy Lanning is and how much the kids love playing for him. They believe that we will do great in the Pac-10. (SIGH. But no surprise regarding a southerner's confusion.)

 

Said they were looking forward to visiting with him in Atlanta before the game on 9/3/22. Wished the Ducks good luck with the friendly caveat, "you're going to need it!"

 

I do plan to do my part and I will be in the ATL for coach Lanning's debut. 

[30Duck]

Great report, Jon I saw a couple a while ago wearing USC gear. I told them that Reggie Bush was great on the Wendy's commercials.

 

It is interesting that they had such nice things to say about Lanning.I don't know if many other fan bases would be as gracious towards a DC of a historically good defense leaving to be the coach of a team in the Pac-(?) You'll have to wave so we can you see you in the crowd at ATL.

[Haywarduck]

Knowing 'oregone is in the pac-10' is pretty good for the rest of college football. This may have been followed by the wife saying, 'don't they wear those cute uniforms?' An even more knowledgeable husband might have added, 'they used to be a pretty exciting team, I actually used to enjoy watching them.' I think most fans would ask, 'who decided to schedule Georgia in Georgia as your first game?' 

[30Duck]

[Steven A]

In the words of the immortal Duck prophet "The problem was–I could not possibly see a candidate to replace him that would be as good or better … until".

 

No truer words ever spoken.

 

MC was the Devil we knew.

[DanLduck]

Exactly!

This is the most jazzed I've ever been for an off season, because there are so many questions, and basically no answers. Yet.

Many good points have already been made, here are a few of mine:

 

Coach Lanning has great respect from his peers. He has gathered coaches from all over, and they want to work for him. That says alot. He has stated more than once that development is as important,  even more so, than recruiting. He says that was part of his choices in staff.

 

All his staff choices are great recruiters and most already have connections with the west coast, ie. CA & AZ. He isn't afraid to use the portal effectively. A DB, and a D lineman that could both start were great additions for areas of need.

 

And for me, everyone says he is a great person, that's big. I know at the end of the day W & L are what will matter, but in the mean time, developing boys to men is the key.

 

Finally, knowing we have so much to learn about our new defense and offense and special teams, etc, means we will have tons of new articles and diagnosis right here on Fishduck. I can hardly wait to read it all!

 

The next few years will be so much fun, and maybe we will even win a few games! The future is exciting. 

 

Let's go Ducks!!

[Jon Joseph]

On 1/13/2022 at 5:44 PM, 30Duck said:

Great report, Jon I saw a couple a while ago wearing USC gear. I told them that Reggie Bush was great on the Wendy's commercials.

 

It is interesting that they had such nice things to say about Lanning.I don't know if many other fan bases would be as gracious towards a DC of a historically good defense leaving to be the coach of a team in the Pac-(?) You'll have to wave so we can you see you in the crowd at ATL.

 

Being vertically challenged I'll have to be on stilts.