Key quotes from Dan Lanning following Oregon's Holiday Bowl win

Dan Lanning capped off his first year as Oregon’s head coach with a thrilling comeback win over North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday.

After a roller coaster of a regular season, the Ducks’ win over the Tar Heels served as their 10th win of the year.

Following the victory, Dan Lanning and a handful of Oregon players met with reporters for a postgame press conference.

Here are several quotes from Lanning on Wednesday’s performance that stood out.

Dan Lanning postgame quotes

On Oregon’s ability to overcome a 24-14 deficit in the fourth quarter

“All we needed was time on the clock. You can’t worry about the past and you really can’t worry about the future. You have to be in the present. I thought our team did a good job of being in the present. I thought our players made great adjustments.

“Some of those drives where we stalled out and didn’t get a first down, our guys believed we’re going to get a stop and have an opportunity to do it again. That’s what it came down to.”

On the play call for Bo Nix’s game-winning touchdown throw to Chase Cota

“Credit to Bo and credit to (tight ends coach Drew Mehringer) and the offensive staff and every single player on offense. They had belief in what we were going to run and how we were going to execute it. When the suggestion was made, it was like, ‘Hell ya. Let’s run that.'”

On the impact of Oregon’s young, reserve players

“I think the one thing that I have to give our players credit for is we were going to play with the guys that came on this trip. The guys that are here, that’s who we are going to play with. If you are here, you are good enough because you’ve been working your tail off. There were guys on the field tonight that haven’t played a snap for us or played limited snaps for us all season.

“For me to see a guy like Micah Roth; Roth never made an impact on this team when his role has been limited all season. But when he gets in there, he does his job and executes at a high level. To do it with a level of belief that everybody on the field believed he would do his job. Those are moments that are exciting for me.

“Every chance the ball got snapped and every chance we got a stop, you saw every guy walk off the field with belief in what’s about to happen next. So that’s exciting to see that happen.”

On North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye

“First off, Drake is as talented of a quarterback as you are going to go against. The other is sitting right here. (Maye) is a hell of a competitor. He is a hell of a quarterback. You have to give a lot of credit to him. He had a good night.”

On what this Oregon team means to him

“I can’t thank the guys in this locker room. It’s really easy when there’s change and transition — especially, for some of these guys, change that they didn’t pick. Some change they did. It’s really easy to buckle up. Especially when you talk about the adversity we saw early in the season when it didn’t go our way.

“But this group has never stopped and never wavered. (Mase Funa) knows what it’s like to be a championship father because he sees it and he does it himself. He operates the way that’s necessary. (Chase Cota) has a certain level of pride in the way that he attacks the field because he knows what it means to wear the “O” because he grew up wearing it. (Bo Nix) being a husband. (Bucky Irving) being a teammate, the son, the player. Every piece that he is for this team. I can’t speak enough on, as a coach, I coach for the relationships. I love to win. But we have relationships on this team.

“Everybody says blood is thicker than water. I sure love these guys. Maybe not true blood, but I share blood with these guys. These guys are my family. They’ll forever be my family and they’ll forever be part of my first team here as a head coach. For that, I’m forever grateful.”