Dan Lanning reveals reason for Jahlil Florence’s absence, timeline for return

As the Oregon Ducks are winding down their fall camp, there has been a noticeable absence on the defensive side of the ball in defensive back Jahlil Florence. The reason for his absence has been unknown until recently when head coach Dan Lanning cleared the air on the topic while also providing a timeline for his return.

“He’s on the team; he’s practicing,” said Lanning. “Yeah, he had a family emergency. He had to be out of town, and he’ll be right back today.”

Florence is preparing for his second season at Oregon under Lanning. The former four-star recruit and No. 120 nationally ranked player in the 2022 recruiting class, according to On3’s Industry Rankings, saw his fair share of action last season as a true freshman. Florence played in eight of Oregon’s 13 games and finished the year with eight total tackles, six solo, a forced fumble, and an interception in the Ducks’ 45-27 victory against Stanford in October last season.

Not too much more information was given on Florence’s absence. Still, it is clear from Lanning’s statement that it is not something for Oregon fans to be worried about. The sophomore cornerback is expected to play a pivotal role in Oregon’s defense this season, and that plan is still a go for Lanning and the Ducks.

Lanning looking for more consistency following Oregon’s scrimmage

While reporters were looking for updates on Florence, Lanning was looking for more out of his team. According to the Ducks headman, while his team performed well in the scrimmage, he would have liked to have seen more consistency out of them.

“I don’t know if it was consistent enough, at the level that we want. We have really high expectations for what we want. At times, we were really, really good, and at times, we weren’t. So, we gotta be more consistent,” said Lanning.

Lanning saw positive signs on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball in Oregon’s first scrimmage of fall camp. Still, some of the mistakes that he saw could not be overlooked. As he continued, Lanning highlighted how he believes a lack of a sense of urgency was a key factor in their inconsistency.

“At times, on both sides of the ball, yes. And then, at times, definitely not. There were times we weren’t lined up properly. There were times that we didn’t execute properly; it has a little bit to do with who’s in on both sides of the ball. But it also has a little bit to do with us having a sense of urgency and the way we prepare.”