Dan Lanning Opens Up On Noah Whittington Being Hard On Himself After Near Fumble

After the Oregon Ducks' win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Oregon coach Dan Lanning gave some of his thoughts on Ducks running back Noah Whittington's near fumble as he crossed the goal line on a 40-yard touchdown rush.

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning before the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers | oregon ducks on si darby winter

The No. 8 Oregon Ducks beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers 42-13, and the dominant win including a highlight run from Oregon running back Noah Whittington. He broke multiple tackles, and Whittington was seemingly stuffed short of a first down by the Minnesota defense before he broke free for an eventual 40-yard touchdown.

Whittington fumbled the ball while crossing the goal line, and the play was reviewed by the officials before they determined Whittington regained control of the ball in the end zone. The touchdown was upheld and the Ducks led 21-3 after the second-quarter score.

Oregon running back Noah Whittington runs for a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Nov. 14, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hey @MoneyLynch...we think you'll like this one.

Noah Whittington goes full Beast Mode for a 40-yard TD 😤#GoDucks x @TheLegitMpr pic.twitter.com/C107kN5SGB

— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) November 15, 2025

In his postgame press conference, Oregon coach Dan Lanning gave some of his thoughts on the play:

"I think it’s a culture play, up until that moment where we didn’t have good ball security at the finish. So, we can coach that moment," said Lanning. "I know Noah will be hard on himself, but we got to handle the ball better there. But obviously the run itself was unbelievable. The push from the offensive line, the fightin’ for the extra yard was awesome, but we can be better when it comes to ball security."

Whittington finished the game with eight carries for 72 yards a touchdown, while Ducks freshman running back Jordon Davison carried the ball seven times for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Whittington missed two of Oregon's games in September, he leads the Ducks with 623 rushing yards on the season. Davison is close behind with 462 yards of his own, includign 12 touchdowns in his true freshman season.

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What Dan Lanning Said About Dante Moore's Record-Setting Night

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dan Lanning before the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers | oregon ducks on si darby winter

On a night where Oregon's ground game shined, Ducks quarterback Dante Moore was busy setting a program record, completing 90 percent of his passes. Moore joined Lanning in the on-field interview with FOX's Alexa Landestoy after the game, and Lanning spoke about the quarterback's efficient night.

"So you’re saying he played pretty good? How about that? Good job, man. Yeah, I love this dude. He shows up for us every week, impressive poise, right? Took what they gave him today, and a great job executing," Lanning said.

Moore finished the night with 27 completions on 30 attempts, totaling passing 306 yards and two touchdowns. His night ended in the fourth quarter as Ducks backup quarterback Brock Thomas entered the game with over nine minutes remaining.

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) and head coach Dan Lanning talk to a reporter after a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

After the game, Moore gave credit to his teammates for making plays and helping him be successful:

"Yeah, it's a true blessing have all these playmakers around the offense. I mean the O-line did a great job, running backs did a great job, receivers, the whole defense, everybody the team really good a good job. So, when we play good, that's the result," Moore told Landestoy.