Dan Lanning is not a coach who’s ever fully satisfied, but after Oregon’s first fall scrimmage, he sounded like a guy who knows he’s got something special brewing. The Ducks’ head coach touched on a bunch of topics following the closed-door practice, from keeping everyone healthy to making sure special teams are actually special, and the impressive strides some young freshmen are making. He’s confident, but he’s also eyeing the details that can make or break a season.
Tested Physically, Stayed Healthy, But Still Got Work to Do
Lanning kicked things off by calling the scrimmage “good overall.” You always hope for two things in these moments: test the physicality, the ability to tackle, and break tackles, but also, walk away healthy. They nailed both, which is huge! He saw “really good reps from both sides of the ball,” a great sign for early fall camp. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Ball security? Gotta do a better job there. Special teams? Need to clean up those kicks. It’s that classic coach-speak balance of “good job” and “get better,” but you can tell the healthy part really stuck with him.
Lanning’s Two-Word Mandate: Accountable and Capable
When grading a scrimmage, Lanning has two core questions for his players: “Are you accountable and are you capable?” That’s the whole ballgame right there. Are you doing your job when asked? And can you actually do the job? If a player isn’t hitting those marks, their reps are going to get limited. If they are, they’ll “continue to grow on this team.” It’s a clear roadmap for everyone on the roster, a no-nonsense approach that tells you exactly what Lanning expects from his guys as they head into a “grueling season.”
From Last Year’s Scrimmage to the NFL, and Who’s Next
Lanning even looked back 365 days, pulling up clips of Noel Winnington and Bryce Betcher making plays in *that* scrimmage. Why? Because those guys are “making plays right in the NFL” now. That’s the standard. He pointed out that some players who weren’t making plays last year are absolutely stepping up this time around, showing “really big strides.” And those young freshmen? Lanning sees them playing an “important role right away” for the Ducks. The energy was good, but Lanning is all about that film assessment to really see who’s ready.
The season kicks off in “just three Saturdays away” with Boise State. Right now, it’s all about getting ready for the long haul. Keep an eye on those ball security issues, and watch for which of those freshmen truly step up. The film is going to be crucial these next few weeks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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