Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning's Assertive Reaction To No. 1 Ranking In Top-25

The Oregon Ducks are well on their way to a historic season. The Ducks enter Week 10 of the 2024 college football season as the No. 1 team in the nation, riding a 7-0 winning streak. However, none of this seems to matter to coach Dan Lanning, as his focus lies on Oregon’s upcoming matchup against Illinois.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during warmups as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

EUGENE- The Oregon Ducks are well on their way to a historic season. The Ducks enter Week 10 of the 2024 college football season as the No. 1 team in the nation, riding a 7-0 winning streak. However, none of this seems to matter to Oregon coach Dan Lanning, as his focus lies on Oregon’s upcoming matchup against Illinois. 

The Oregon Ducks are now the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time in 12 years, after the formerly top-ranked Texas Longhorns were upset by Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Ducks remain undefeated after a 35-0 win over the Purdue Boilermakers. 

Oct 18, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jay Harris (22) strong arms Purdue Boilermakers linebacker Kydran Jenkins (4) to score a touchdown during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Oregon’s win at Purdue marks the Ducks' first shutout since 2012 when they faced the Arizona Wildcats. The Ducks' last road shutout was in 1992 against the Oregon State Beavers. 

Despite Oregon's recent success, Lanning says he isn’t focused on the outside noise; he is just focused on Oregon. 

“Who cares?” said Lanning when asked during Monday’s press conference about the Ducks’ No. 1 ranking. 

Lanning and his Ducks are preparing to face Illinois at home in Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 26. Illinois will be making its second-ever trip to Autzen Stadium in Eugene, with its lone appearance coming in 1995. 

What Dan Lanning Said Ahead of Oregon’s Matchup Against Illinois 

Lanning's opening statement:

“Excited to get back at it. Certainly a fun road trip for us and the opportunity to play a road opponent in the Big Ten. Pleased with the way our guys performed and excited the way they were able to handle business and have already started attacking this week. Get an opportunity to play a really good team."

Lanning on Bret Bielema:

"Coach Bielema’s done an unbelievable job there at Illinois. He’s a guy that I followed throughout my career even back to his days when he was at Iowa and Kansas State and Wisconsin as a young defensive coach. Then, what he’s been able to do there at Illinois is really impressive. I’ve always felt like watching his teams they have a clear identity. They don’t beat themselves. They play really hard. They’re physical. I think all those things show up with this team as well."

Lanning on Illinois' football program:

"They’re playing really good football right now. Certainly a fun challenge for us and again expecting our fans to make an impact on this game, make an environment really special like they have all season. I think that’ll be a benefit to us as we step out on the field on Saturday.”

Lanning on Illinois' improvement:

“They’re doing an unbelievable job attacking the ball and protecting the ball. I think their quarterback’s thrown one interception this season. I think they’ve had eight picks on defense and caused 10 fumbles on defense, so they’re a team that swarms. When you can win the turnover margin you’re going to have a lot of success. They’ve out-rushed several of their opponent. When you can win the physical battle up front, as far as being able to move the ball. They’re really sound in special teams, do a really good job in special teams, have dynamic returners. I think all those things — they’re playing really complimentary football."

Lanning on Illinois' reciever room:

“I think they’re really talented, really both sides outside. (Pat) Bryant, Zakhari Franklin as well, those guys are really talented players. They do a good job of utilizing their tight end. They have a good passing attack. One of the things they probably show that they can do the best is throwing the ball over the top. They do a really good job on the 9 ball, on the fade ball. Those guys adjust to it well and they take shots down the field, which makes it a challenge.”

Lanning on similarities between Illinois’ offense and Oregon’s:

“I think you see flavors that fit, similar. Obviously they [Barry Lunney Jr. and Will Stein] both come from a similar tree and there’s some pieces there that there’s a little bit of carryover from what Will does for us and what Barry’s doing there for them. But I also think there’s some identity pieces that you can say, ‘OK that’s coming from the head coach.’ I think all great offensive coaches do a good job of cherry-picking things that their team does well and other things that people are doing across the league. I would say that they’ve morphed a little bit from exactly who they were at UTSA before just like Will’s kind of morphed and our offense has morphed here at Oregon.”

Lanning on Luke Altmyer:

“I think he’s a guy that causes a lot of issues with his athleticism and his ability. He’s been able to extend plays. He’s got great feet, so he can run. I think that’s always a challenge defensively, when you’re defending a guy that can also run and throw the ball extremely well. But he’s been a good decision-maker. You don’t get to this point in the season and only have one interception and be a bad decision-maker. He gives his a guy an opportunity to go make plays on the ball. I think they do a really good job calling a game for him and allowing him to play within the system. Then he does a great job with his feet when those opportunities are taken away.”

Lanning on Terrance Ferguson, Jordan Burch and Matthew Bedford:

“Wait as the season goes here and how the week goes to see where those guys are at and if they’re available for us this weekend.”

Lanning on Illinois' offensive line:

“They have proven to be a physical team that’s interested in making sure that they can establish the run. They do a great job of that, at keeping balanced even when they’ve had at times a hard time establishing it they’ve always make sure they always go to it and they don’t give up on the run game. That’s been something that’s created a lot of success for them. It’s a group that plays really well together. You can tell they’re in sync and they do a really good job.”

Lanning on Gabe Jacas:

“I think if you turn on the film you see relentless effort from this defense consistently. Even when balls might get down the field on them you see the way they chase the ball, attack the ball. They’re kind of consistently attacking the ball and you can tell they preach it. That’s not something that happens on accident, and he’s certainly one of those guys that does that.”

Lanning on having the team not care about being No. 1:

“I think it’s really simple for us when our messaging hasn’t changed the entire year. You don’t sit halfway through a meal and say you’re done eating when there’s still a lot of food left on the plate. That’s where we’re at; we’re at the midpoint of the season. We’re not done yet. There’s a lot of things that we still want to accomplish. So that doesn’t really matter for us.”

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