Oregon Player Addresses How Dan Lanning ‘Lights a Fire’ In Locker Room

The Oregon Ducks have jumped out to another 4-0 start to begin their season. One of the biggest reasons for the Ducks' early success on the offensive side of the ball has the revamped offensive line.

Led by one of the best returning centers in college football, Iapani Laloulu, Oregon's offensive line has helped the program not miss a beat after losing a majority of the starters from a season ago. Laloulu, a junior, is in the midst of his second season as the Ducks' starting center and is the lone returning starter along the offensive line.

Laloulu gave great insight into his confidence in quarterback Dante Moore and how coach Dan Lanning motivates his team and locker room.

Having Faith In Quarterback Dante Moore

Oregon Ducks dan lanning schedule Dante moore Iapani Laloulu Isaiah World A'lique Terry Recruiting Penn State Nittany Lions — Sep 20, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up before the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Laloulu was eager to talk about Moore when asked about him during his media availability session this week.

"I love that dude. I just love how cool, calm, and collected he is through adversity and the good times. Also the way he is off the field, I like the way he connects with others," Laloulu said. "On the field, Dante does a great job of just making sure everyone's level headed."

Moore has broken out in his first season as the Ducks' starting quarterback. He's thrown for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns with only one interception. With another big game this week vs. Penn State, Moore could catapult himself to the top of the contenders list for the Heisman Trophy.

Dan Lanning Motivation

Laloulu credits Oregon coach Dan Lanning for getting the Ducks passionate and excited for each game, regardless of who the opponent is. As shown through behind the scenes clips, Lanning is a special type of motivator who is able to inspire and hype up any of his players.

"Coach Lanning does a great job at getting us hype. He does a great job of making sure that we're on fire throughout the whole week," Laloulu said. "When he comes in and brings that fire like we already know like we got his back throughout anything... just seeing how much fire that he has in the game lights a fire in me."

Lanning's dedication and focus speaks volumes to his team and many players have said they would run through a brick wall for their coach. He leads by example and it lights a fire on his team and throughout his locker room.

Lanning and the Ducks should have no problems getting hyped up for their AP Top 10 matchup vs. Penn State. Both teams met less than a year ago in the Big Ten championship game, where Oregon defeated the Nittany Lions 45-37 to win the title.

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Remaining Unfazed

Despite playing in arguably the biggest game of the entire week 5 slate, Laloulu said that he isn't phased by any of the outside noise surrounding the game. Instead, he chooses to try and remain as level-headed as possible.

"A lot of people talk about it being a big game. It's most definitely a big game, but for me, it's just like another game. At the end of the day, I tell people not to get too high or too low. We just gotta remain cool, calm, and collected throughout the whole game," Laloulu said.

Having Faith In Quarterback Dante Moore

Dan Lanning Motivation

Remaining Unfazed

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