How should we assess Dan Lanning and the Ducks so far on eve of Pac-12 title game?
The Oregon Ducks are a day away from taking on the Washington Huskies in the 2023 Pac-12 Championship game, which will be the last game ever played in the Pac-12 Conference.
In general, the season has been a massive success, and if not for a slip-up on the road against the Huskies earlier in the year, Oregon would likely be viewed as one of the top-ranked teams in the nation right now. So how should we assess how Dan Lanning has molded this group over the past couple of seasons and gotten them into this position?
To answer that question, we talked with Warren Williamson of Oregon Duck Football News to get a deeper look into the team.
2023 Surprises
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ZN: We came into this Oregon season with high expectations, and it has met them so far for most people. Has anything surprised you about this Ducks’ team just yet?
WW: Coming out of the Holiday Bowl win last December, I talked a lot about how long it would take coach Lanning to gain his footing as a solid in-game coach. We saw some missteps last season that many young coaches might make in their first year. I think coach Lanning has proven he’s learned from some of those mistakes this season. One thing that has surprised me is how quickly this new Lanning culture within the team has caught on. Lanning has been outspoken about how he wants his Duck teams to be more physical, tough, bigger, faster, but what he’s instilled is teamwork, the team-first mentality and working together as a whole. Closeness within any team is sometimes difficult to manufacture, but Lanning is doing it and it’s paying off.
Biggest Improvements
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WW: Where or what has been the biggest improvement this season?
ZN: I want to say the defense as a whole has improved but to narrow it down, I will say I’ve been most impressed with the secondary. Oregon’s pass defense was abysmal last year, ranked as one of the worst in the nation. But by bringing in guys like Khyree Jackson, Evan Williams and Tysheem Johnson, they’ve stepped up in a major way and really helped out the team. That also is credit to the defensive line improving when it comes to getting pressure on the QB, which is much better this year as well.
Position Group Success
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ZN: Across the board, each position group has taken care of business so far in Eugene. If you had to crown one as the most impressive so far, which do you give it to. What if I asked you for the most surprising?
WW: I definitely think the offensive line is the most surprising this season. This unit has put together a season that has only allowed a total of five sacks which has allowed Bo Nix to have the success he’s having. There were a lot of questions coming into the season about that group but coach Terry has somehow gotten them to play as a complete unit and it’s been something special to watch. There were two areas of concern, the O-line and the defensive secondary. Both are playing extremely well, but the offensive line is in line for the Joe Moore award and rightly so.
Dan Lanning's Secret Sauce
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WW: What has Dan Lanning brought to this Oregon program that maybe other head coaches haven’t?
ZN: It’s been mentioned a lot this year, but just the sense of community that his team has. That’s one of the things that players said when Lanning came in that needed to improve the most. Through the connection on the team between players, coaches and everyone else in the program, you can feel a sense of family that resonates with the fans. It’s clear this team plays for each other and I think that helps the end product.
Coaching Turnover
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ZN: Coaching turnover is always a thing in college football, especially for good programs. Do you think that’s something that the Ducks will have to deal with again this offseason?
WW: Coach Lanning is exactly right when he pointed out earlier this season that when a team has success, like Oregon is having now, other teams will come calling to replicate that success. Yes, I do believe this current Oregon coaching staff will have at least one or two candidates for head coaching positions. Even though coach Stein is in his first year as OC, he’s the one who I believe will get the most consideration. All you have to do is to look at the numbers of this Oregon offense and that says it all. Plus, he’s having tremendous success coaching a Heisman Trophy candidate in Bo Nix.
A Different Culture
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WW: For Duck fans, can you describe the culture of this team that has made them so difficult to play?
ZN: I think one thing that Lanning has done with the culture in Eugene that has worked really well is instilling the mindset that it’s not about the team Oregon is playing, but rather the standard that they have set. In years past, we’ve seen Oregon teams play down to the competition because they may not respect them as much as they should and think they can get by without their A game. But Lanning’s team this year has routinely said it’s Ducks vs. Ducks, and that they don’t care how good the opponent is, but rather that they want to play to their standard each week. When your standard is as high as it is in Eugene, that’s a tough team to beat.
Early Success
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ZN: When Lanning was hired, most people expected future success for the young coach. Are you surprised that it has come so quickly?
WW: As I said earlier, I’m mostly surprised that he’s been able to cultivate such an impressive culture within Oregon football in such a short period of time. I’m actually not surprised by his success though. He comes from a myriad of coaching trees that have had tremendous success. Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to become a successful head coach after being a coordinator, but coach Lanning is a football junkie and he’s learned from some of the best in the business. Regarding this particular season all of the stars seemed to have aligned to generate that success, i.e., limited injuries, incredible QB play, gritty and tough offensive and defensive line play, speed all over the field on both sides of the ball, cohesive play … and some luck.
Lanning's Future
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WW: What does the future hold for this program, i.e., Will Dan Lanning be a long-term head coach in Eugene?
ZN: I think that depends on what you consider long term. Do I think that Lanning will still be the coach here in 2035? Eh, probably not. I would think the NFL might lure him away by then. Will he be here in 2028? That wouldn’t surprise me. He seems like a guy who plans to stick around for a few years. Will he be here in 2024 and 2025? Absolutely. I don’t see Lanning leaving within the next couple of years.
