What Dan Lanning's Comments Say About His Trust in Freshman Davon Benjamin

EUGENE, Ore. – Dan Lanning continues to use the motto, “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” since taking over as coach for the No. 2 Oregon Ducks. True freshman cornerback Davon Benjamin showed in the 34-27 season opening vs. the Boise State Broncos that he might already be good enough to earn a formidable role in the Ducks’ secondary.

In a game that left much to be desired on the Oregon side and that featured 10 penalties, the cornerback’s collegiate debut was a bright spot. Lanning spoke about what makes Benjamin special during his postgame press conference.

What Dan Lanning Said About Davon Benjamin

oregon ducks dan lanning davon benjamin cornerback autzen stadium boise state broncos brandon finney recruiting — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks on as the Oregon Ducks host the Boise State Broncos on Sept. 5, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“Yeah, same thing we always say. There's no such thing as old enough as it's good enough, and he's got skill set. He's really instinctual as a player, right? And I think those moments that that really showed up today, right? He could be tight in coverage.”

“He's played a variety of positions in high school. That's really carried over and helped him be able to be a guy that can impact us here. But looking for him to continue to grow. Whatever he did today, there should be some moments I know that he can do better, right?”

“On the same note, I think he had an energy and focus on what he had to attack and improve, and there's going to be some moments growing from that. But if you play winning football for us, he's going to be out there in the field, and we'll definitely take a hard look at today and see what we can attack and improve. But Davon’s earned those opportunities because of what he's done throughout fall camp.”

Davon Benjamin’s Opportunity in the Oregon Secondary

Benjamin’s impact on the defense might not necessarily show up on the stat sheet, with one solo tackle recorded. But the true freshmen came on at nickel and immediately helped get a critical third down stop with his sticky coverage.

The early emergence of another true freshman in the Ducks’ secondary isn’t necessarily surprising when looking at both Benjamin’s history and how the program utilized young players just a season ago.

The 2025 season featured true freshman cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. seizing a starting role in the season opener against Montana State. Finney never looked back, with the trust he earned from the coaching staff only seeming to build as the season went on.

Finney created the mold for what Benjamin’s can look like. Finney continued to put his head down, study the film and get to work. As a result, his production improved throughout the season, and by the time that primetime matchups against teams like the eventual National Championship-winning Indiana Hoosiers squad came along, he was one of, if not the most impressive player in the secondary.

Then there’s Benjamin’s path to Oregon. He entered the program as a four-star recruit out of Oaks Christian High School in California. Like Lanning mentioned after the Week 1 performance, Benjamin moved around in the secondary in high school, finishing with 27 tackles, four interceptions and three tackles for a loss in his senior season.

Benjamin impressed in clips posted by the Oregon social media channels during fall camp, one of which featured a pass break up and interception in coverage with cornerback Na’eem Offord. Another highlight featured lockdown coverage in the end zone, while he was also seen in another clip tackling running back Jordon Davison.

And the Week 1 showing wasn’t the first time Lanning’s praised Benjamin, who’s collegiate career is just barely getting started.

“I'll say this: The guy's really hungry to learn. He spends every minute — extra meetings, extra time,” Lanning said during fall camp. “Again, he's one of those guys that's obsessed with football and has a great skill set. He's definitely going to be able to help us. As he continues to learn more and more, the more he grows, the more he'll be able to help this team."

Benjamin already helped the team in the season opener. Now the question becomes: Was his performance enough to beat out returning veterans for a starting role in Week 2?

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