'We're a well-oiled machine': Dan Lanning discusses departure of RB coach Carlos Locklyn
It's never ideal to lose a position coach just days before the heart of spring football practice, but that's the position that head coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon football team finds itself in after the Sunday night departure of running backs coach Carlos Locklyn to Ohio State.
Speaking Tuesday after the Ducks resumed spring practices after a two-week break, Lanning said this is another opportunity for the Ducks to get better.
"I mean, it's football. It's the reality," Lanning said. "Carlos did an unbelievable job for us. My goal is when we bring people here, we help advance them to the opportunities that make sense for them. I know how great Oregon is ... Key for us is who do we replace him with? And this is a great opportunity. Transitions give you an opportunity to get better."
While Lanning and Oregon find a new running backs coach, analysts like Koa Ka'ai are working with the running backs as the Ducks start spring football this month — culminating in the Spring Game on April 27.
While the change puts Oregon in an interesting situation without a key position coach, Lanning is not worried about disrupting the Ducks' flow.
"The reality is we're a well oiled machine right now," Lanning said. "It's moving, we've got guys that really do a good job in that room. So it's about getting it right it's not about sprinting to a date that we don't have to have somebody tomorrow. It's about getting the right person."
Lanning has a history of replacing departing coaches with ones already at Oregon. Will Stein took over the reins as the offensive coordinator when Kenny Dillingham left for Arizona State and A’lique Terry as the offensive line coach when previous coach Adrian Klemm left for the New England Patriots.
"What's important are relationships, guys that connect with players, guys that can develop the position, guys that can recruit and retain talent on our team and more importantly than anything people that fit right," Lanning said.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Dan Lanning talks departure of Ducks' RB coach Carlos Locklyn
