'How You Play Without The Ball' Important to Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks Success

There might only be on ball but there are 11 responsibilities on every offensive snap. Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is stressing that individual success will come from team success, and the latter is made possible by doing your job, with or without the ball.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during Oregon football’s media day Monday, July 29, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

You hear the saying when multiple ball-dominant basketball players find their way to the same team: "there's only one ball."

That's the same with football, especially explosive offenses like the Oregon Ducks. Any of a dozen players could get their number called and score from anywhere on the field. But for the other half-dozen skill position players on the field for that play? There's only one ball.

But Oregon coach Dan Lanning is emphasizing how important those players are, when your number isn't called, and what that means for the team's success.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during the Ducks’ fall camp Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Ultimately it takes player ownership to have that mentality," Lanning said. "And I don't think that's natural. Even if they're saying 'hey, we're selfless', I think they're conscientiously telling themselves they have to be that.

"Every great team I've ever been around, individual success comes from team success and those guys recognize that."

That message has been taken to heart in the tight end room. Senior Terrance Ferguson is making it a point to be about the team, whether you're one of the best at Oregon to ever play the position or just getting your feet wet in camp.

"I think what's impressed me the most is those guys have really bought into being a team," Ferguson said. "Everyone wants the ball but they do a good job of blocking for each other and taking pride in each other."

Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson makes a catch during practice with the Ducks Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

After Oregon's second scrimmage of team camp on Saturday, Lanning said it was "competitive" with "lots of back and forth" and "wins on both sides of the ball". Lanning was happy with how much "cleaner" the exercise was from a week ago, especially with how the explosive plays developed.

"More so than anything, how you play without the ball," Lanning said. "When you're the guy that doesn't have the ball, are you blocking down the field? Are you creating those opportunities?"

Details. Lanning is always emphasizing the small pieces that make the whole better. There will be plenty of highlights this fall of Dillon Gabriel to Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart touchdowns or Jordan James and Jay Harris explosive runs, but how the other guys on the field do their part will allow for those to happen.

"There's a long, long season, and we got to continue to develop players within our program," Lanning said. "Where these next two weeks look like? That's really important to see where we're at."

"We got to figure out who can play football, quick. I think today gives us a great idea where that's at, and who we got to develop to get us where we need to be."

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