Dan Lanning Previews Ohio State, Recaps Michigan State

Oregon coach Dan Lanning took the stand Monday to recap the Ducks’ last outing against Michigan State and to preview the upcoming matchup with Ohio State. He had a lot to say given the magnitude of this game so check out the most interesting questions and quotes from Monday below, as well as my thoughts at the end.

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Opening Statement:

“Big game here. We’re certainly excited for this opportunity. I thought this atmosphere was unbelievable last week. Had the chance to review some stuff from last weekend and there are a lot of areas for growth. This is a big challenge for us and I know our fans will be great.”

On the versatility of Ohio State’s offense:

“You can’t take away one thing knowing that something else is a strength as well. They’re not really limited by what their strengths are and they have a lot of threats. Be aware of when that risk is worth it or not for our defense.”

On coach Chip Kelly‘s influence on the Buckeyes’ attack:

“He’s always done a great job utilizing his personnel. He always finds unique ways to run the ball. He keeps you on your toes, changes tempos, and puts things on film you haven’t seen before.”

On what’s made Ohio State’s defense so good in 2024:

“It starts with them limiting explosive plays. They play really physically upfront and they pitch a lot of different looks at you. They play really sound football and they’re able to cover outside so they create a lot of challenges there.”

On threats presented by the Buckeyes’ wide receivers:

“They can catch the ball and turn it into a big play right away. They block really well on the perimeter and they have great catch radii. They’re able to win 50/50 balls at a really high rate.”

On familiarity between Oregon and coach Carlos Locklyn:

“I think that probably plays both ways. It makes you change your terminology and something that might’ve been a run before is a pass now and vice versa. On the other hand we certainly know some of the things he likes to do as well.”

On how to fix quarterback Dillon Gabriel‘s red zone interceptions:

“You play red area football. You put the ball inside the 20 and you have to see it in practice before you see it in the game. He wants those back but it’s about how we can coach that better and make sure those situations are avoided.”

On improvement in Oregon’s pass protection:

“I think a lot of pieces add up to that. Timing and scheme matter. Communication between the offensive line and quarterback has been better as well.”

On wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith:

“They have several great wideouts in their program. That’s what makes this a challenge. You can’t just focus on one guy because there are always others who can beat you.”

On what he remembers from ESPN’s College Football Gameday:

“I think more than anything I remember our fans. You come to a place like Oregon to play in big-time games and this is certainly one of those.”

On getting running backs other than Jordan James going:

“Consistency. Continue to find opportunities to block for those guys and get them space at the second level.”

On the importance of this game in Oregon’s history:

“I certainly can’t speak to the entire history of the program. This is an opportunity for two great teams to play each other and I think this will be awesome for our program and our fans.”

On what’s allowed Jurrion Dickey to see the field recently:

“Being healthy. He’s practicing really hard. He’s working his tail off to be on the field for us and it’s created some opportunities for him.”

On how Ohio State has limited explosive plays so far:

“They do a great job defensively of avoiding conflict. Those guys do a great job of farming their own land. There are times where there are guys getting involved in run support and others where they drop back to cover. They mix it up really well and know their assignments.”

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Linden’s take:

Lanning almost always emphasizes the quality of Oregon’s competition in these press conferences but it felt more sincere this time. There’s really no way to be fully prepared for what Ohio State’s going to bring to the table Saturday and I got the sense he knows that.

The biggest things I’m keeping my eye on this weekend are adjustments from last week’s red area interceptions as two more like those would almost certainly sink Oregon’s chances to win the game. Lanning also gave credit to not just the top end of Ohio State’s receiving talent but the depth they possess as well.

While Smith and Egbuka get a lot of attention (rightfully so), there are far more than two threats for this team on the perimeter.

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