Dan Lanning isn’t backing away from Oregon’s offensive line plan, even if it has stirred up plenty of conversation.
At Oregon’s media day on Monday, Aug. 3, Lanning said the Ducks were looking at six to eight players as part of the starting rotation up front heading into the 2026 fall camp. That immediately made the trenches one of the most unsettled position groups on the roster, and it left some fans questioning whether constant movement could hurt chemistry for a young 2026 “Law Firm” group that still hasn’t been battle-tested.
After Oregon opened fall practice on Aug. 5, though, Lanning doubled down. He said the rotation approach is nothing new for the Ducks and tied it directly to how he and offensive line coach A'lique Terry have handled the position since he arrived.
“It’s honestly interesting to me that it has become a conversation topic because we’ve done this every single year I’ve been here,” Lanning said. “Josh Conerly rotated in during his freshman year.
Jackson Powers-Johnson rotated in. Poncho rotated in.
How do you think they got ready? That’s how you get players ready.”
Lanning also pointed to the way Oregon’s line can change over the course of a season. Players can move in and out depending on fit, injuries, or simply the need to get younger linemen ready for bigger roles later on.
He brought up the 2024 season as an example, when Laloulu began at guard, his originally preffered positon, before shifting to center against Oregon State and then settling in as Oregon’s man in the middle on the road at UCLA.
“Whether it’s a package or a different detail, if you have guys who can play winning football, you use them. We’ve never started a season and finished it with the same offensive line. You hope to have experience within that group, so we’re going to have to work multiple guys at multiple positions to get them ready,” Lanning added.
That kind of cross-training has roots in Oregon football even before Lanning took over. During the Mario Cristobal era, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal used similar ideas, giving linemen different jobs across the front so the Ducks could cover thin spots without too much disruption.
Lanning said fall camp is the time to figure out what works, with conditioning, chemistry, and footwork all still being sharpened. He made clear that he doesn’t want the group settled too early.
“When you have a clear five, that can mean you might not have a good No. 6.
I don’t necessarily want a clear five yet. We’re a long way away from playing a game,” Lanning said.
Even with the uncertainty, there are some experienced pieces in the mix. Kawika Rogers, Dave Iuli, Laloulu, Crader, and Yale transfer Michael Bennett all bring game experience to a group that still needs answers.
Lanning also referenced incoming sophomore tackle Fox Crader, whose rotation work proved useful in Oregon’s 2025 game against USC.
Quarterback Dante Moore, who stands to feel the effects of the line more than almost anyone, said he’s on board with Terry and the approach being used up front. Moore said he feels “confident” in what he has seen.
Lanning also argued that the Ducks’ recent results back up the system. Since he arrived in 2022 and Terry took over the position in Feb. of 2023, Oregon has produced three straight Joe Moore Award finalist offensive lines and has been sacked less than anybody in college football over the last three or four years.
“We’ve had three groups in a row that were Joe Moore Award finalists. I think we’ve been sacked less than anybody in college football over the last three or four years.
When you add all of that together, it’s the system for us. It’s what we want to be able to do,” Lanning said.
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