Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning Big Ten Coach Of The Year After Undefeated Regular Season?

The Oregon Ducks defeated the Washington Huskies. In the Ducks' first year as a Big Ten program, they finished undefeated at 12-0 and 9-0 in conference play. While other coaches have been impressive, are they more deserving than Ducks coach Dan Lanning?

Kyron Samuels

Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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The No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks protected home field at Autzen Stadium to defeat the Washington Huskies 49-21. Ducks coach Dan Lanning improved to 34-5 as a head coach and 24-0 against unranked teams. Is Lanning the favorite to win the Big Ten coach of the year?

The Ducks finish the regular-season slate with a 12-0 record, the only FBS team to finish undefeated. Oregon is 12-0 for just the second time in school history, and the Ducks are locked into the Big Ten Championship game against the  No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions.

Lanning’s squad ran the table in the Ducks’ first season in the Big Ten conference. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti might take the conference's coach of the year honors over Lanning. Colorado's Deion Sanders and Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham have an argument for the national coach of the year honor. There are national stories that are deserving of acclaim, but as for the Big Ten, who has a better case than Dan Lanning?

“Feels good. I’m really proud of our players. You talk about playing a complete game. I think you saw that until the very last drive at the end,” said Lanning in the post-game press conference. 

Complete is the best word to describe this Oregon team. In a year where conference realignment, the transfer portal along with name, image, and likeness, and the 12-team College Football Playoff dominated the college football discourse, only one team was able to rise above it all during the regular season. 

There were questions about whether or not Oregon could withstand the physicality of the Big Ten. Not only did they withstand the gauntlet, they ran through it. Ohio State went 10-2. Indiana finished 11-1 but had an embarrassing loss to Ohio State. Penn State ended 11-1 but fell to Ohio State on their home field. Indiana is a popular story and maybe deserves a national coaching honor, but Lanning owned the Big Ten this season. 

"They play hard for each other. They love each other. There’s a special connection on that locker room and in that building right there that makes these moments really special," said Lanning after the win over Washington. 

That statement is correct, but it’s deeper than the surface. Lanning built this team uniquely. The transfer portal helped shape this Ducks team. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, wide receivers Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart, and Traeshon Holden, defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad, and a slew of others were added to this team through the portal over the years. 

Often, when discussing coaching, recruiting gets left out of the conversation. The ability to identify talent, acquire the talent, and then develop that talent is arguably the most important factor of coaching.

Beyond the talent acquisition and in-game sharpness, Lanning understands his people. With legendary coach Nick Saban retired, only Lanning can be put in the same breath with Kirby Smart as a motivational force right now. Lanning checks every box there is and deserves the accolades that should come after leading his team throughout the gauntlet.

"The opportunity to do something special. First year in the conference. To get an opportunity in a game like that against a great team,” said Lanning.

He knows the goal isn’t to just dominate the regular season. The Ducks have been clear: their goal is to win the Big Ten title and then a national title. However, these are regular season awards. Again, there are more intriguing national stories, but there’s none more deserving of the conference honor than Dan Lanning.

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

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