13 notable quotes from Dan Lanning as Oregon prepares to leave for Georgia
The Oregon Ducks will load up on a plane Thursday and head east towards Georiga. As they prep to get ready for the trip, there was a chance to nail down some of the final details in Wednesday’s practice and make sure everyone is ready to take on the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
After that last practice, head coach Dan Lanning met with media members one last time to discuss the preparation for the big game, and what the Ducks have left to do before kickoff.
Here are some of the best quotes from that final media availability:
Opening Statement
Lanning: “Really good day of prep for our guys, pleased with the progress as we get closer and closer to traveling. We’ll be out tomorrow after our practice in the morning. We’ll travel that way. You know, our guys have a great mindset right now. Again, I think I said it before, the hay is not in the barn. We got a lot of work to do. We’re gonna keep working until the balls kicked.”
Plan in Atlanta
Question: What is the plan for practice once you get to Atlanta?
Lanning: “Yeah, we’ll get a walkthrough, we’ll have an activation lift for our guys. We’ll use the Falcons facility a little bit we’ll use the stadium.”
Practice Squad Guys
Question: How have the guys on the practice squad done at giving you guys a good look for Georgia?
Lanning: “Phenomenal. I mean, I think every single day I’ve been… I’ll point out somebody different. That’s embracing the role for our team to be successful and that look ultimately is what’s gonna lead to our success. You know Z-Bo is a guy that’s really stuck out to me. He’s done a great job. You know, each day you know, I think we’ve gotten a really good look from the look-O and the look-D. Honestly, I couldn’t think about one guy.”
Terrell Tillmon/Brock Bowers
Question: How has Terrell done in that Brock Bowers role on the practice squad?
Lanning: “He’s done a great job. You know, Terrell’s pushed us every single day. You know, obviously, there’s several guys that have given us that look, we’ve had T-Ferg and Mo over there giving us those looks. I think it’s really important to you know, try to simulate some of that size and speed that they have at the tight end position.”
Non-Football Plans
Question: Do you guys have any non-football activities planned for your time in Atlanta?
Lanning: “No, we’re going there for work. We’ve got a job to do.”
Recruiting in Georgia
Question: Do you plan to do any recruiting in the southeast while you are down in Georgia?
Lanning: “Normally I’d say that’s probably something that we would look to do, but this early in the season that’s not our biggest concern. You know, first time traveling for me, I want to you know, everybody familiar with that process.”
Mindset Leaving Eugene
Question: How do you feel about the team’s preparedness and mindset leaving Eugene?
Lanning: “I think our players have really embraced the work, the extra work needed. That being said, I still think there’s opportunities for us to prepare and get ready and continue to improve between now and again, a lot of things that we can clean up and then I think it’s our job as coaches to simplify the game plan as we get closer to kickoff.”
Off-Field Preparedness
Question: What are some of the things you want your guys to be doing to prepare off of the field?
Lanning: “Mental prep, the way you hydrate. First games you see more guys cramp than any other game of the year. I think it’s really important that we take care of our bodies and we’re conscientious of you know, of that piece, the nutrition aspect, the extra film work so you know, we got a flight that we can watch a little film and while we’re on that trip, you also got to take a chance to check out a little bit for your players and given that opportunity.”
Veteran OL Experience
Question: How will a veteran and experienced OL help you guys against Georgia’s defensive line?
Lanning: “Yeah, I think we’ll see you know. Wait till the gameplay but obviously that experience is a big advantage for us. I think we will wait till the ball gets out there to see how it plays out.”
Recovery and Preparation
Question: You and some players have mentioned trying to recover from a taxing fall camp. How do you balance that with trying to also prepare for the first game?
Lanning: “Yeah, it’s a hard balance. You know, it’s a hard balance. We still have some recovery days between now and game day. So I think that’ll certainly help. I would say this, I’d rather push and overwork now on the front end and feel like we didn’t do enough later on. I feel like that’s where we’re at as a team, but we’re definitely in recovery mode. And being really conscientious every rep we take.”
Kirby Smart Comments
Question: Kirby Smart said he knows who your QB is going to be. Do you think he’s onto something?
Lanning: “I’m not really worried about it.”
Stetson Bennett
Question: Do you think Stetson Bennett gets enough credit for helping Georiga win the championship last season?
Lanning: “Probably not, right? He won a national championship. That’s a big deal. So like I said, before, you know, Stetson exudes confidence, he has more confidence in himself. It really doesn’t matter where everybody else thinks, you know, when it comes to Stetson, but obviously he’s a great player, and he’s done a good job for that team.”
Pregame Speech:
Question: This will be the first pregame speech you give at Oregon. Where do you draw inspiration for that?
Lanning: “You know, the speech ain’t gonna win this game. Right? We’re gonna let our players play.”
