Dan Lanning shares how he utilizes SWOT analysis to improve

College football isn’t necessarily a business, but Dan Lanning runs his team like one. On Wednesday, the Oregon head coach discussed how his staff uses a SWOT analysis to evaluate the team.

“It’s really just going through your strengths, weaknesses, right? What are the obstacles in front of you? And what are those threats?” Lanning told the press. “That was really an offseason study. But I would you could argue that we do a SWOT analysis every day after practice, too. So we’re going to go in here and watch this last practice, figure out what we did well [and] figure out what we didn’t do well enough.”

A SWOT analysis is a strategy often utilized in the business world. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. During fall camp, the Ducks are figuring out where they stand in each of these categories.

With 65% of the team’s production returning, Lanning and Co. already know the answer to some of these questions. For example, the Ducks showed weakness as the season progressed last year, losing two of their final four contests.

For that reason, Oregon is using the SWOT analysis to not only set up short-term goals, but long-term goals too.

“You’ve got goals that last for an entire season. You’ve got a goal for today. What am I going to improve on today, right? I think you just have to be really open and honest about what those look like. But yeah, you have long-term goals. You have short-term goals, and you have to be able to assess and change them,” Lanning said.

The Ducks undoubtedly share one goal with every team in the country: reach the College Football Playoff. In 2022, Oregon was in the hunt for a CFP spot until QB Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury late in a November matchup with Washington. Consequently, the Ducks lost the lead, the game, and any hope of a spot in the CFP.

Regarding the short-term, Lanning has a specific challenge for his team.

“I want to see us play fast. I saw that in moments, and then I saw moments that it wasn’t as good, so it’s something we can continue to improve on,” Lanning said.

Ironically, the Ducks better improve fast, as well. The team will attend fall camp nearly every day until Aug. 23. Then, with just over a week until the season opener, Oregon will turn its eyes toward its first opponent. Watch the Ducks kick off the 2023 campaign on Sept. 2 against Portland State.