Oregon’s rough opening stretch has Dan Lanning pointing the finger at the place he thinks it belongs first: the top.
After the Ducks slipped to 1-1 with a 39-31 loss to unranked Oklahoma State on Saturday, Lanning said Monday that the early-season problems trace back to a “lack of leadership.”
“And that starts with me,” he told reporters, according to ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti.
The Ducks entered the season with national championship hopes and a No. 2 ranking, but that shine has faded quickly. They barely got past Boise State 34-27 in the opener, then fell seven spots to No. 6 before the loss to the Cowboys pushed them all the way down to No. 21 in the latest AP Poll.
Against Oklahoma State, Oregon was outgained by 273 yards and never found much traction on the ground, finishing at 3 yards per carry and 90 rushing yards. The Ducks also committed seven penalties for 66 yards and came up empty on all three fourth-down tries, including a costly gamble on their own 33-yard line.
The defeat also snapped Oklahoma State’s streak of 21 straight losses to FBS teams.
Even with the early stumble, Lanning said he still trusts his team and his staff.
“Stop looking into the future. Everybody wants to make a prediction before the season starts.
You know, it doesn't matter until you play the games,” Lanning said. “We have the capability to be good.
We have good enough players. We have good enough coaches.
I haven't coached them well enough.
“I haven't done a good enough job, so I know I can do better. So that's where it starts.
But it doesn't matter unless we focus on today. Let's stop worrying about tomorrow.
Let's stop worrying about the end of the season. Let's worry about today.”
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Former Duck Pushes Back As Dan Lanning Panic Starts Again
The chatter around Dan Lanning picked up again after Oregons loss to Oklahoma State, but one familiar voice moved quickly to temper the reaction. Former Ducks player and analyst Geoff Schwartz pushed back against the panic, pointing to Lannings overall success in Eugene and arguing that criticism should come with accountability, not a rush to judgment every time the Ducks stumble.
Lanning, for his part, did not dodge the issue after the game. He acknowledged mistakes in his postgame comments and made it clear Oregon has work to do as it moves forward. For a program with expectations as high as Oregons, the margin between concern and overreaction can get thin fast, which is why the next stretch will say plenty about whether this becomes a brief wobble or something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Dante Moore Debate Just Got Uncomfortable For Oregon Fans
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NBC Sports analyst Joshua Perry stirred the pot on the Zack Gelb Show by floating a scenario no Oregon fan wants to hear: that Moore might fake an injury if the struggles continue in order to protect his NFL Draft stock. It is an uncomfortable debate because it puts Moores long-term future against his immediate obligation to keep playing, and it leaves Oregon with a storyline that can linger as long as the offense keeps searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Took A Painful Hit Where It Could Least Afford One
Oregons depth took a hit at a spot where the Ducks can least afford any thinning out, with coach Dan Lanning announcing that junior guard Trent Ferguson is out for the season because of a knee injury. Its the kind of setback that ripples beyond one position, especially for a team trying to keep its offense steady and its line combinations intact as the season moves forward.
Jamari Johnson and Carl Williams IV are also in evaluation mode after injuries from the recent game, adding a little more uncertainty to the roster picture. There is some relief on the horizon, though, with guard Douglas Utu and running back Jordon Davison expected back soon after missing the last game, giving Oregon at least a chance to absorb the loss without having to patch together too many new answers at once. [Read more 🡒]