Kenyon Sadiq Gets Candid About Dan Lanning's Message In Practice

The opening of the transfer portal and injuries have come at a bad time for the Oregon Ducks with their National Championship hopes still alive. Coach Dan Lanning has preached next man up mentality all season long.

The Ducks will need production across the board in their semifinal matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq spoke about Lanning’s message to the team, amidst calendar chaos.

Everything Tight End Kenyon Sadiq Said

oregon ducks tight end kenyon sadiq dan lanning dante moore college football playoff recruiting transfer portal kendre — Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq talks with reporters during Oregon football’s Media Day on July 28, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Importance of Next Man-Up Mentality with Injuries and the Portal:

“All those things play a role, whether you like it or not. It's just really about focusing on what we have there. Lanning says that about every day in practice. There's going to be someone that shows up that hasn't all season. And that's so true. There will be someone in this game that has a great game.”

“But that shows, once again, the depth of our roster, I think. Those guys that have left in the portal, guys that are down for injury, and there's still going to be guys stepping up just about everywhere. Like I said, it really shows the character of this team and the roster depth.”

How Different He is Physically Since the First Meeting:

“I was very limited in what I did, and I think that had an impact on my play and the feel for the offense as a whole. So, this week I think it's important that I just keep getting those reps in. So, we've got a completely different offense from that game. It's important to come out there, start fast, play with good chemistry.”

How He’s Seen Quarterback Dante Moore Grow As a Leader:

“I think it's night and day, if you go watch my first Indiana game and go back to JMU, which ran similar schemes, with pressures coming from just about everywhere. Dante has a really mature mindset about it. Every week, he comes in and attacks it, and everyone can see in the building. So, we all trust him. We know he's going to get us the right play, the right check, whatever it is.”

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Changing to 12 Personnel With Two Tight Ends:

“I think it allows us to do a lot of things. We don't always have to be in a physical 12-personnel set. We can get in 10, 11 sets as well. I think it makes it difficult for defenses to figure out what they want to do, whether they want to play in nickel sets or base sets. So, it gives us a bit of flexibility in a lot of areas.”

What He’s Seen From Incoming Freshman Tight End Kendre Harrison:

“He's done a good job. It's always nice to come in early and get a little head start. I know he's done a great job. It's nice getting to know him.”

What Tight End Roger Saleapaga Brings As a Blocker and Receiver:

“Like you said, able to do a lot of things in those sets. I think it makes us very flexible as an offense. When we get in those big sets, we're able to still run the ball. But you saw, like Minnesota, for example, didn't really get in those 13 personnel sets and still throw routes and stuff like that. Like I said, it makes it more difficult to guard down the road.”

On Coach Dan Lanning Comparing the Playoff Format to March Madness:

“Comes down to who plays their best ball in November and December, and leading into January now, that's how long the season is. No, it's really you need to peak at the right time. You see a lot of teams peak in the middle of the season or stuff like that, and then kind of trend downhill. It's about staying on the steady climb up the mountain. So, I think it's preached on, and I think we're doing a really good job of it.”

What the Indiana Hoosiers Defense Does Effectively to Generate Pressure:

“Obviously, they have great players. Second to that, they have great schemes. So, I mean, when you look at the stints they do, same pressures, all those things, just even players winning their one-on-ones on the edges. The edges do a great job. So, I think Tech was a good game for us. I think they're the best front in the country. So, again, they'll look at those guys and heading up to these guys, which is another great unit. I think it will be good for us.”

What He Remembers from the First Meeting:

“Yeah, there's one or two ways you can look at it. I think this year, a lot of teams -- you can look at Penn State, for instance, kind of how they handled the loss. And then even teams like us, for instance, how we bounced back against Rutgers. I think that game kind of just really says a lot about our team and the maturity and the mindset we had after that game. I think it was good for us in a lot of ways, offensively, defensively. And I think we handled it in a very mature way.”

Starting Faster Offensively Than They Did in the Quarterfinal:

“I mean, it really comes down to little things. If you watch the film, it's like one missed block that ends up stopping the play. So, I mean, it's really just focusing on the real technique. Texas Tech has really good players, and it's the same thing for Indiana. When it comes down to good-on-good, it's the little things with the technique. So honing in on those little details will be the separator.”

How the Texas Tech Game Prepares Them to Face Good Linebackers:

“Like I said, really similar match-up for us. Tech's linebackers are amazing, and these linebackers are amazing as well. So, I think it's just going back to the technique thing. When it comes down to good-on-good, it's really who has better technique and who wants it more.”