Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Reveals Expectations For Offensive Line

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning detailed the standards of the program's offensive line in a recent interview. The Ducks prepare to play a new group up front in the fall, following the additions of Isaiah World, Emmanuel Pregnon and Alex Harkey from the transfer portal.

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu (72) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning has high hopes for his offensive line this season, despite only one starter from 2024 returning.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Greg McElroy, Lanning characterized his offensive line as “extremely competitive” and a group of hard workers.

 “What I love about our offensive line here is they work really well together,” Lanning said. “The O-line group is always a really tight-knit group. And we have a group that’s really a tight-knit group.”

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu (72) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Ducks return junior center Iapani Laloulu, who started all 14 games in 2024. Laloulu played a key role in protecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel last season, allowing zero pressures in nine of 14 games and earning an 80.6 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.

The Oregon offensive line has been a finalist for the Joe Moore Award the past two seasons, and recent rankings predict it to be among the best units in the nation again this fall.

“There’s been some standards that have been established with that group,” Lanning said. “They expect to have a thousand-yard rusher. They expect to have a quarterback that throws for a lot of yards and be in contention for Heisman. They take a lot of pride in that.”

Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu lines up to snap the ball as the Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Outside of Laloulu, the program saw players such as left tackle Ajani Cornelius and right tackle Josh Conerly Jr., who both played important roles in the 2024 unit, drafted into the NFL.

Lanning brought in redshirt senior Isaiah World from Nevada, redshirt senior Emmanuel Pregnon from USC and former Texas Tech interior lineman, Alex Harkey, from the transfer portal.

“I feel really good about the players we have on this team. What they lack is experience. So, this season would be a great opportunity for those guys we recruited here to go in and be able to make an impact and how quickly can you get that experience … Us getting those guys acclimated quickly and putting them in position to be able to go make plays is going to be huge.”

Dan Lanning

Each of the players up front that Lanning brought in from the portal have had success at their last stops. World was an All-Mountain West Honorable Mention the last two seasons. He finished the 2024 season with an 82.3 pass blocking grade from PFF.

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Pregnon, meanwhile, didn’t allow a sack the entire 2024 season at left guard. Harkey ended his redshirt junior season with an 83.0 overall offensive grade and an 81.8 run blocking grade from PFF.

Offensive line coach A’lique Terry is tasked with helping his linemen post similar numbers this fall.

New offensive line coach A'lique Terry, center, runs a drill during the first practice of spring for Oregon football Thursday March 16, 2023. Eug 031623 Uo Spring Fb 14 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Ducks’ offensive line underwent a similar transition in 2024. The offensive line struggled early in the season, allowing seven sacks in just the first two games of the season and committing numerous penalties.

Needless to say, Oregon’s unit up front figured it out as the 2024 season went along and it made the Rose Bowl. Terry said during spring scrimmages that his current group is committed to maintaining the Ducks’ standard.

“While everybody else was not on our side, everybody else in that room linked together,” Terry said, about what he learned from last season. “Whatever happens, these guys are going to link together.”