Dan Lanning Makes A Bold Claim About His Oregon Ducks Job

Oregon coach Dan Lanning hasn’t been afraid to show his loyal to the Ducks since he was hired as the head coach. As both offensive and defensive coordinators in Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi prepare to take on head coaching roles elsewhere, they also put their admiration for the program on full display by deciding to stay on the staff through the College Football Playoff.

Lanning addressed what he thinks makes Oregon so special ahead of offseason transition and the Ducks’ first-round playoff game against the James Madison Dukes.

What Dan Lanning Said

oregon ducks dan lanning tosh lupoi will stein college football playoff transfer portal jeremiah mcclellan linebacker injury — Dec 28, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on from the sideline during the second half against the North Carolina Tar Heels of the 2022 Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Why He Thinks He Has the Best Job in America:

“It starts with people. I think it always starts with people, who you get to work with every single day, the people get to go to war with, and the people in that locker room, the people I get to coach with – I think that's where it starts. That's unique. That doesn't exist everywhere,” Lanning said.

“We've been lucky to bring some great people here and watch them develop and grow, and we become really a family. I think that's a big piece of it. I think back to specific Oregon, the continual push of the organization to be innovative on the cutting edge, whether it comes to facilities, whether it's the approach of, how can we continue to improve, enhancing nutrition, the weight room, strength – I think all those things add up.”

“And then ultimately, for me, my family, we absolutely love it here. It's something we didn't know about. I think sometimes the unknown can be a really pleasant surprise, and the unknown of Oregon has become a really pleasant surprise for my family,” he continued.

“A couple nights ago, we went on a walk and a neighborhood near us has Christmas lights all up through and we're grading the houses and saying, ‘Okay, that's an eight, that's a 10.’ We don't have any Christmas lights on our house, but it's fun to grade other people's house,” he said.

“But just like moments like that, that doesn't exist everywhere. This is the perfect size city for us drive to work the same every single day. I'm not big on traffic, right? I know that our players want to be here for the right reasons, like all those things add up for me and say, ‘Okay, this is some unbelievable place that we get to be at.’”

What it Means to Him That Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi Want to Stay Through the Playoff:

“It's expectation, when you hire good people, that you want to see something through, right? This is unique, man. This is a blessing to get to be a part of – there’s only 12 teams in the nation that still get to play football right now. Anybody that wouldn't want to be a part of that is crazy, right?”

“But also, the acknowledgement, obviously, for both those guys, they know they're not in those opportunities, if they didn't do a great job here with the help of those players. And those guys deserve, our team deserves, those guys best on the stretch," Lanning said.

"And it's a very similar mindset of man job not finished. They want to be able to finish this thing out. And there's going to be a bright future ahead for those guys and what they have going on next, but this is something you want to be a part of.”

How Tosh Lupoi Changed the Mentality of the Defense:

“He's done an unbelievable job. I think it starts with a mindset that there's a standard to operate to, and we've grown every single year when it comes to what's that standard and then leveling up. What's the expectation? Never satisfied,” he said.

“Something that he brings to work every single day, that mentality of where can we improve? Where can you better? That growth mindset, and then ultimately, like, what's championship defense look like?”

“And that's the standard we want to hold ourselves to, and it's showing up every year we've adapted and adjusted as we do that he's leaned on his staff. Have a great defensive staff that he's been able to lean on. We've had really good players. So, all those things add up and create success for us on that side of the ball, and certainly, Tosh has been a huge part of that.”

How Strength in Numbers Helps Them in the Playoff:

“You want everybody to be ready for their opportunity when it comes. But there's been moments in the past where an injury happens and there's a huge slide off. There's a big difference, and who's out in the field for you and what's going to look like. I think our coaches have done a really good job adapting the personnel that's available,” he said.

“And I think our players have done a great job stepping up and saying, ‘Okay, I'm the next guy up. I'm ready to go for those moments.’ And when you have that, you're able to have success,” Lanning continued.

“So, strength in numbers been huge for us, bigger this year than any other year, as far as guys that are able to play winning football. I know I said that going into fall camp, and I feel like we have a lot of guys who can play winning football, and that's really shown up for us this season.”

Getting Injured Players Back in the Mix:

“It's a balance, right? You don't sprint back in and throw somebody into the fire, and you build it as it goes. And we found strengths as guys have been out, and those are strengths that we wouldn't continue to lean on guys to do some things really, really well.”

“And I think one thing we do well on offense, obviously you're talking about some offensive injuries, is we've done a really good job personnel in teams, but now we have a variety of personnels that we can use when you start getting guys healthy, and it makes you multi-dimensional and gives you an opportunity to use guys with their strength.”

The Leadership of the Players Who Experienced Last Year’s Quarterfinal:

“Very little talk really about last season. It’s so far behind us. But ultimately, I mean, everybody feels that, and those moments are all about growing from those moments. But I think we have a team that's worked really hard, been very consistent,” Lanning said.

“The routine has been really dialed in. Throughout this season, they've done a great job maintaining that. Throughout the year, it can be a long season, they've done a really good job maintaining and they realize right now it's win or go home, so they want to give their absolute best.”

What Made This Year’s Offensive Line Deserving of the Joe Moore Award:

“Well, I just think, first, coach (A’lique) Terry's done unbelievable job, and coach (Ryan) Walk, coach Cutter (Leftwich), coach (Dallas) Warmack, the guys in that room of creating continuity. You know those awards, what's great about the Joe Moore award it's just not an individual award, right? It's one that recognizes the group as a unit,” Lanning said.

“And we've had a bunch of different guys on the field this season. I think that's one of the pieces, the strength in numbers element. We've proven we can be physical and run the ball. This year, we've protected the quarterback, and it's a challenge,” he continued.

“Every year it's a cat and mouse game, offense and defense, and those guys have been very consistent, that level of consistency and then the ability to run the ball in tough situations, protect the quarterback against tough looks, I think speaks volumes about the prep that those guys do and how much they care about each other.”

If Weather Will Impact the Run Game:

“I think our run games report important regardless. But the good news is, we've had a lot of experience in unique weather games this season, so they were prepared for it. We're prepared for those moments. We'll be able to adapt accordingly, but regardless of the weather, we want to make sure that we're effective in the run.”

How Oregon Was Built to Have Immediate Success in the Big Ten:

“I think ultimately, for our team, we've been building to a standard of what winning football looks like, regardless of conference, where you're at. What things win football games? And that's what our players have really been focused on, our coaches have been focused on. I think that prepares you to say, wherever you stick us, that we're going to have an opportunity to be able to have success,” Lanning said.

“I think this league has made it a real challenge for us, which is exactly what you need throughout the season. And there's a level of play and expectation. The travel can be a piece of that too. But all those things, our guys kind of see it ahead of us and see it as a challenge and an opportunity to grow. And good football is good football regardless of what leagues it in. So, if you can play to that standard, it's successful in a league like the Big Ten.”

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JMU’s Ability to Reload it Roster Through Transition:

“For them to have success, I mean, it's a little bit of college football, right? And the people that adapt the best and are prepared. I think it goes back into culture is a word that's probably overused a lot in football, but in these moments, when you talk about transition, obviously there has to be a culture reset and an opportunity for a bunch of guys to buy in and have a common goal,” Lanning said.

“And I think JMU certainly speaks to that of what they've been able to create, what coach (Bob) Chesney, he's been able to create over there with that like-minded goals where they're headed, guys that play really hard leaning in on the strengths of their players,” he continued.

“They do a great job of leaning in on what guys are really good at, and building to those players strengths. But it takes complete buy in to create what they've been able to create over there, for sure.”

How the Seniors Have Stepped Up for the Home Playoff Game:

“Guys are excited about the opportunity, but I think it'd be wrong to say that the preparation is different this week than any other week, right? Yes, the game's different. We all feel that. We recognize that, that it's different. But it's not like guys are like, okay, let's work hard now. They've been working hard, right? You work hard to get into this moment, and then it's about maintaining that level, that standard as you approach games like this.”

What Makes Wide Receiver Jeremiah McClellan Special:

“J-Mac is a guy that every single day since he's been here, he's gotten better and better, and he's attacked. He's improved. I think he's become a really sure handed route runner. He's a guy that attacks the ball, plays with a level of juice,” Lanning said.

“I think he's gotten a lot stronger through his routes, and stronger just on the field. The prep work that J-Mac does has really paid off. He's a guy that's always getting extra catches, getting extra work, and just the familiarity with offense, it's hard coming in your first year and picking it up. And he's been able to really grow in that year too. And obviously, like you said, there's a natural chemistry there with him and Dante (Moore).”

What He Expects from the Linebackers in the Postseason:

“I just think good decision makers. You see guys that they're really the quarterback of our defense. So, for their ability to get our guys lined up, to go execute, to play at a high level, it starts there, because they have to relay the call and get that communicated to everybody else on the team,” Lanning said.

“When that happens, when you have 11 guys playing the same call, that's credit to your linebackers, and that's credit to great communication. Certainly, play moments that have been really, really high moments for us, and the moments that we can certainly improve.”

“We attack the ball really well early in the year, have attacked the ball better here at the end of the year, we continue to want to improve tackling. Tackling’s something that always shows up in postseason play, that we want to make sure that we're really good at. But those guys, in a lot of ways, they help us play great ball because of how they get us lined up and execute.”

Balancing the Transfer Portal and Filling the Staff with the Postseason:

“It's a fun challenge. Again, our focus right now is really this season, finishing this out. We got a group of guys here together, but I think that's the fun part of college football. You got to adapt. You got to adjust. Is not how any of us would script it, but if we can do it better than anybody else, we'll be in great shape.”

Rashad Wadood’s Impact on the Defensive Backs:

“He's a guy that played. Back when I was a GA at Arizona State he was there. You'll remember him as a player. A guy takes it serious. He has unbelievable connections with our players, works extremely hard to hold his guys, again, to a high standard,” he said.

“He's very relatable to those guys. They can relate to him. He's played the position, so I think that speaks volumes, but works really well hand in hand with coach (Chris) Hampton and that whole defensive back room, and anytime you can eliminate explosive plays, I think that's going to be something you want to hang your hat on. That's certainly what that group's done this year with both coach Hampton, coach Wadood.”

If He Has an Honorary Role in the Caucasian Collision Unit:

“Bryce was talking to me saying, I might be able to get an honorary membership. We'll see. It's good having those guys back there flying around for us.”

De'Anthony Thomas Video and How Often He Gets to Step Away from the Office:

“No, I wasn't playing disc golf. I was on a walk, bro. I go on walks every once in a while. I was on a walk, and De'Anthony was playing, and he wanted to show me one of his drives. You call it a drive with frisbee? I guess. He threw it. He threw it well, but, yeah, I didn't join him, but I saw him out there in the park.”

“It's part of my routine. It's not every day. It doesn't happen Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, but it can happen on a Thursday, right? On a Thursday we've got a lot of our planning. I think it's important for me to go get a walk in,” he said.

“So, I'm not walking for like, four hours, right? And I'm not running, right? I should be running, but I'm not doing that. So, and what's great, we got some unbelievable trails out here. You can hit a different path just about every day if you wanted to walk every day.”

“So, when I can, I love to try to get out there, set the timer for 30 minutes, when it goes off, turn around, come back, get back to work. I'm not big on eating lunch, so that's kind of a lunch window for me, and then go from there.”