Oregon‘s first season in the Big Ten Conference last season could not have gone any better, as the Ducks enjoyed a perfect 12-0 regular season and held off Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game to roll into the 2024 College Football Playoff with a 13-0 record and the No. 1 overall seed.
That’s where the fun would end for Dan Lanning‘s program however, as the Ducks were matched up against eventual National Champions Ohio State in a College Football Quarterfinal matchup (Rose Bowl), where the Buckeyes would roll 41-21.
At Oregon Media Day earlier this week, Lanning discussed how Oregon can top a Big Ten Championship in its first year in its second year in the conference.
“I get asked that question every year and for me it’s always the same,” Lanning said. “What’s the best version of us? If we’re playing our best version of football… if we’re being the best we can possibly be then that’s something I’m excited about. The results kind of take care of themselves. What’s our goal? I mean we have high standards. We came [to the Big Ten] to win championships.”
“Obviously we got an opportunity to taste that last year with the Big Ten Championship, but we want to win them all. Not just some of them. But, that’s also not football. That’s not very common because it’s hard to do. So, biggest goal is to be uncommon. That’s doing things other people can’t do and figuring out what we need to do to get there.”
Lanning reveals his keys to keeping steady as a head coach
Since Lanning has taken over in Eugene (2022), Oregon is 35-6 and has solidified itself as one of the nation’s premier programs. Along with discussing how the Ducks could top last season, Lanning revealed his keys to not changing as a coach with all the success he’s experienced.
“Well I think everything in football is about learning different ways to say the same thing over and over again,” Lanning said. “You’ve got to make sure it’s interesting and exciting for your team. Ultimately winning football is winning football and that’s been really consistent. What’s the new run scheme in the league that we haven’t seen? That’s what’s different.”
“What’s gonna change is ‘how are we gonna do it?’ So I think the goals are consistently the same,” Lanning continued. “There are some of those goals that we have hit in the past and some that we haven’t. That tells you quickly that this is an area that we want to attack. This is something we’ve got to do better this season. Ultimately, a lot of it’s the same. The process of getting there may be a little bit different but the process in itself is also the same.”
Still chasing its first National Championship in program history, Oregon opens the 2025 season at home against Montana State on Aug. 30. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:00 PM on Big Ten Network.