Dan Lanning Answers Why 'Ducks vs. Them' Doesn't Air After an Oregon Loss

One of the famous characteristics about coach Dan Lanning's tenure with the No. 15 Oregon Ducks is the cinematic recaps called "Ducks vs. Them."

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning watches game play against the USC Trojans during the first quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 15 Oregon Ducks continue to evolve their brand with the changing world of college football. That includes unique NIL deals, innovative uniform designs, and slick marketing with the Oregon Duck Football Video Teams' documentary series: "Ducks vs. Them."

With this highlight post-game film format spreading like wildfire across the nation as Duck fans clamor to catch each new episode, one question about the series persists: why is there no video release after the Ducks suffer a loss, like the 39-31 road loss against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the regular season?

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, center left, and Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris approach to shake hands as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan Lanning Explains "Ducks vs. Them" After Losses

In an interview with CW Sports and On3 Sports college football analyst (and former Oregon Ducks tight end) George Wrighster III on "The Unafraid Show", Lanning shared the reason Oregon's iconic recaps aren't posted in times of team hardships.

"I get a chance to glance at them before," Lanning said. "I think it's always given us a great behind-the-scenes view of what's going on in our program. You know, what are we trying to detail. Obviously, it's a recruiting tool, it's a marketing tool."

"I know that people have asked 'why don't you release them if you don't win?' Well, it's like, why would we advertise that? We want to advertise the positives of our program. We want to advertise the things that go really well in our program and make sure that people can see what's going on and all the work that's really put in behind the scenes. And obviously our staff does an unbelievable job at creating those and giving a little glimpse at what it's like to be a player here," Lanning added.

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning (left) shakes hands with USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley after the game at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Drawbacks With Dan Lanning's "Ducks vs. Them" Comments

Lanning's comments on the documentary series highlights the highs and the pitfalls of a team-created video project. Sure, epic moments displayed with sweeping cinematography and swelling dramatic music is a great way to endear people to a program. However, these videos are advertisements for the program at the end of the day, and therefore have to project the brand in a positive light.

As masterfully as the videos present, the inherent lack of objectivity eliminates the possibility of encompassing coverage with these narrative-laden highlights.

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on before a game against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Story Behind The "Ducks vs. Them" Videos

Scott Anderson, the Senior Associate Director of Video for the Ducks, frequently shares behind-the-scenes nuggets on how the "Ducks vs. Them" videos are created. Anderson also helps create the season introduction trailers, special uniform release videos, and even the "Yes, There's Moore" promotional video for senior quarterback Dante Moore's Heisman Trophy campaign.

Anderson will often share the total time of each video, tidbits about each piece's creation, the music used in certain takes, and even will put out calls for Duck fan stories to focus the teams' video work around.

The work of the Oregon Ducks Video Team led to Anderson and his squad receiving seven 2025 Emmy nomations.

In a world full of AI, @BraedenSchmidt7 made the ocean in a Tupperware container (and also drove to the coast at 5am for 1 drone shot) https://t.co/nJmncPHgxp pic.twitter.com/oqei3etN4H

— Scott Anderson (@scottandvideo) August 30, 2025

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