Oregon Football's Dan Lanning Analyzes First Full-Pads Practice: "You See Who’s Real and Who’s Not"

Checking in with Oregon Football coach Dan Lanning about the progress made so far after week one of Oregon’s fall camp.

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

It’s week two of practice for Oregon football, and as media attention continues to swirl with rampant expectations, coach Dan Lanning is keeping things short and sweet. He displayed that concise mentality head-on when entering the fall practice media availability Tuesday afternoon.

“Really good day today,” Lanning said. “It was brief. It was quick. It was really all about competition. Had a lot of competitive periods in practice today. Wanted to get on and off the field and get our work.”

This practice included full pads, though Oregon typically uses helmet shells for all of their practices. Lanning said that though tackling with full pads is usually avoided during practice, there were some live plays this session where tackles to the ground happened. To Lanning, the first full-pads practice is a way to delineate athletes’ mental and physical strength.

“Just the competitive nature and the toughness element showing up," Lanning said. "This is where guys’ bodies start to hurt and you see who’s real and who’s not."

As for whether defense or offense got more wins, Lanning said the offense was the side to get their licks in.

“Moreso O versus D. We had a lot of competitive periods against each other, move the field period, red zone lock out period,” Lanning said. “A lot of chances for these guys to go against each other.”

Oregon players work out during practice with the Ducks Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Full-pads is a precursor for Saturday’s scrimmage. Lanning, continuing his interview thread of remaining in the moment, stated he’s not currently focused on the upcoming spar.

“I’m really looking ahead to right now. So I haven't made it to Saturday yet," Lanning said. "When we get there, we’ll get there but it’s going to be competitive like everything else."

Lanning was asked about inside linebackers coach Brian Michalowski, who was promoted to the role after serving as a defensive analyst this year. He worked beside Lanning at both Georgia and Arizona State, so the two have a long history together.

“Obviously, he’s one of my most trusted friends and guys that I get to work with,” Lanning said. “He’s been with me on a lot of stops for good reason because he does a great job developing those guys. I think he has an immense amount of knowledge he’s able to share with his players and he gets the best out of them. You watch his position and they improve.”

Running receivers was another topic Lanning addressed. In a deep running back room with 15 active athletes vying for their name to rank high on the depth chart, versatility is key.

 “I think the good thing about this position is there’s a lot of these guys that can catch the ball. I think more as we go through camp we’ll see that. But I want us to be able to stick any running back in the game and see him catch the ball in the backfield and I would tell you that the guys that are repping there with the ones and the twos are guys that can do that,” Lanning said.

As for athletes Lanning was directly asked about, Kobe Savage, Jordan Burch, Tez Johnson, Jayden Limar, Austin Novosad, and Dante Moore were all topics of discussion

“I just think he operates with a level of toughness. I mean, he’s picking up our system quickly. He’s proven to be a good tackler for us. He’s physical. All those things are showing up,” Lanning said about Kobe Savage, the senior defensive end transfer from Kansas State.

Oregon defensive back Kobe Savage wraps up wide receiver Traeshon Holden during spring camp for the Oregon Ducks Thursday, March 14, 2024. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last year for the Wildcats, Savage recorded 57 tackles with three and half tackles for loss and three interceptions which landed him on the Jim Thorpe Award watch list.

Speaking of seniority, there’s senior wide receiver Tez Johnson. Johnson hopes to take a leading role this year after his adopted brother and former quarterback, Bo Nix, got drafted by the Denver Broncos. Johnson set the Oregon single-season reception record with 86 catches. Lanning’s expectations for the receiver haven't changed since his last comments.

“Just consistency and the truth is last year has nothing to do with this year, right? So who cares? And Tez will be the first one to tell you that - who cares about last year? It doesn’t matter. It’s what you’re going to do this year so continue developing that consistency. Being a guy that the other guys can count on. Being a guy that brings other guys up,” Lanning said.

Then there’s senior defensive end Jordan Burch, who’s clocking in for his second year with the Ducks after transferring from South Carolina. He played in all fourteen games last season, starting thirteen of the contests. Lanning said he’s excited Burch is getting more comfortable, especially after changing the sunny humid East Coast playing conditions for a little rainier and colder West Coast.

“Our job is to find everything we can to make it uncomfortable so when you get to the game it’s easy. It’s the way you play the game. It’s the physical nature that’s required at that position every single play. It’s the position versatility. It’s about being in a different environment. So there’s a lot of pieces to that. It’s not easy playing college football. That’s a hard job. These guys, they sign up for it. They sign up for hard but he’s done a great job with that,” Lanning said.

Moving on to the younger guys mentioned, sophomore running back Jayden Limar has been working to rise up in a crowded running back room. Limar played eleven games last season as a true freshman with big plays versus Portland State, Cal, and Liberty in the VRBO Fiesta Bowl.

“There’s such a big difference between being a freshman and being a sophomore and he’s a great example of it. He’s been Steady Eddy on the field. He does his job consistently, he’s always out there looking to improve, doesn’t say a lot, just does the work,” Lanning said.

Oregon Green Team running back Jayden Limar, takes the ball from quarterback Austin Novosad during the Oregn Spring game at Autzen Stadium Saturday, April 27, 2024. / Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Finally, Lanning addressed the younger quarterbacks, freshman and Oregon native Austin Novosad and sophomore and UCLA transfer Dante Moore. Both have been working under Oklahoma transfer and starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Novosad had some pretty decent looks in the Spring Game, getting some Duck fans excited for a native Oregonian’s potential to lead the Ducks. Lanning once again stressed the opportunity to find comfort in the uncomfortable.

“Another opportunity to be more comfortable in the system,” Lanning said. “I think both of those guys have had really good days and they’ve had days where they both can improve. But both of them are really starting to get comfortable with what the call is and anticipating what their answers are within each call.”

But in true Lanning fashion, he wrapped up his fall camp statements by addressing the unit, not individual athletes.

“Anybody that’s here for year two is a lot more comfortable than year one,” Lanning said.