60 Comments
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Ed S.'s avatar

How everyone treats their mother (and all other folks) says a whole lot about them.

And Chip Kelly remains the champion of understated genius with the one liners!

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Todd H.'s avatar

Never a more down to earth man than Dan Lanning. Thank god for his energy. I want to see how he fares against Ryan Day and Chip at Autzen. Circled on my calendar. Season tickets secured again for year 30. 👍🏈

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John Polis's avatar

Kelly, now the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, summarized it for me: “Big people beat up little people.”

Truer words were never spoken.

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P. H. Brenner's avatar

John,

We’re eagerly anticipating the upcoming Oregon football season. Your sit down with Coach Lanning served to heighten our interest even more. I personally think Lanning was a great hire. He’s the right man to lead the Ducks into the B1G. We will miss attending the Spring Game, so will be anxious to read your account.

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Jim Gimarelli's avatar

John--as a lifelong Duck fan, your article made me smile! You have such a unique writing style that has greatly evolved over your days writing for the Oregonian back in the 90s!! It's why I subscribe to you! Your articles are the best ones I read every week. Thanks for doing what you do!!

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David Gulickson's avatar

I really like who Dan Lanning appears to be. A breathe of fresh air in the twisted world of big time college football.

If only he coached ANYWHERE but in Eugene…😎

GO DAWGS

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The Real Rich's avatar

He's just fine in Eugene, thank you, David.

Go, Ducks!

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Mathias's avatar

Did you guys agree off-air to not talk about the Daylen Austin situation, or did you just not ask?

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John Canzano's avatar

I've been at this too long. I do not have a complete picture of what is happening with the incident, nor did I think Lanning was going to offer a statement or thought of substance. We're just getting the details. I have an open line of communication with him and when I get a picture of what happened, I'll have questions.

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Rick's avatar

John, thank you for not talking to Coach about that issue. Some associates and friends of mine think that you’ve become a Duck “Homer”, that you’re a “FanBoy” of Dan Lanning. Some tell me that you kiss Duck “rear end” so that you’ll get access to coaches and players to gain Duck fan subscribers. Me and my other Duck fan friends say keep doing what you’re doing to keep having that great access that you have. Write the positive, feel good stories about our team and you will be rewarded! Again, Thanks!

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The Real Rich's avatar

What a kiss-ass post...you've gotta be a Beavers fan.

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Quackman's avatar

For sure

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The Real Rich's avatar

Nice article. Great questions, John, and even better answers from Lanning. Lots of pressure on the Ducks, particularly from you, John, to be playing and winning that Big Ten Championship game, but Lanning doesn't strike me as a guy who's scared and can't handle pressure. BTW - very unlikely Oregon's offensive and defensive lines are going to "get steamrolled" by Big Ten schools. Very unlikely. This isn't - and hasn't been - your granddaddy's Oregon Ducks football team.

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Orange Sunshine's avatar

Look at that cakewalk Duck schedule: All the tough games are against teams rebuilding: Oregon State, UW, Michigan, Michigan State and UCLA. And let's not forget tOSU coach Ryan Day is underperforming, maybe even on thin ice. Regardless, not a doubt in my mind, Lanning will find a way to fowl it up, he always does. Probably a 4th and 1 from his own 25 or letting Gabriel run the 'Oklahoma Drill' against the OSU/tOSU defense.

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Dick Allen's avatar

Spoken like a true Beaver.

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Jeff Erickson's avatar

Spoken like a guy named “Dick”

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Dennis Miller's avatar

And I cry foul for spelling it wrong…

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Timothy Moran's avatar

You're such a bitter troll!

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Todd H.'s avatar

While the Beavs play SE Directional State A&M and William & Mary in five years, as an independent. 🤣

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EA Flash's avatar

Actually, we just signed both Houston and Kansas State to future home-and-homes.

Also have future home-and-homes with Mississippi and Texas Tech. We'll do just fine, and won't have to go to New Jersey.

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Jeff Erickson's avatar

Right ? I’m sure the Ducks will be very scared of Rutgers

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EA Flash's avatar

Doesn't matter if you are scared of Rutgers or not. You still have to go there.

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Jeff Erickson's avatar

You Duckies sure do worry about the Beavs a lot. Duck fan base is right up there with Boston teams as worst fans in sports.

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Quackman's avatar

Says the guy trolling on an article about the Ducks. 😂😂

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Todd H.'s avatar

😂😂😂😂😂😂 Only Beaver fans worry about us 🙌 this much. WOW.

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Jeff Erickson's avatar

You literally came on here talking about a team that isn’t in your conference about their weak schedule. We all know black and orange are much better colors and puke green and piss yellow Toddie

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P. H. Brenner's avatar

Jeffie,

No school today? Mom must be at work. Does she know you are using the computer? Make sure you get the Cheeto dust off the keyboard, and clear your search history. You know how upset she gets when you visit THOSE sites.

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Jeff Erickson's avatar

Very original P iss. H ead.

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Todd H.'s avatar

How old are you? I think it’s past nap time for ya at the daycare center. (I feel so hurt now *sniff* 😅)

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Grant's dad's avatar

Todd, P.H. etc. Don't feed the Leaver trolls...They love dragging you down into their pigpen! The problem is, you both get filthy, dirty and smelly, But the Leaver trolls love it...They rarely get any attention, so they enjoy even negative attention because it's better than they usually receive.

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John Luttrell's avatar

You

Now are irrelevant.

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Timothy E Larson's avatar

Ryan Day " underperforming" 56-8 overall, 39-3 in conference. .. college football fans are sometimes complete idiots..

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Orange Sunshine's avatar

56-8 and 39-3 work if you're Oregon and Oregon State. But not for tOSU and UM.

2021: tOSU blown out by Michigan 42-27

2022: tOSU blown out by Michigan 45-23 in The Shoe

2023: tOSU loses to Michigan again30-24

2023: Michigan wins NC

It's unacceptable if you're a Ohio State fan. Your numbers don't matter.

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The Real Rich's avatar

Ohio State was 8-0 against Michigan prior to 2021, dipstick. Harbaugh is 3-5 against the Buckeyes. Even you know 3-8 is not as good as 8-3.

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Orange Sunshine's avatar

When you're the HC at Michigan, it's beating Ohio State and winning a national championship, which Harbs did. Check. Promoted to NFL.

Same thing goes for tOSU.

Let me know when Ryan Day does that, until he does, his seat will get hotter.

Like I said, UM and tOSU have different expectations and pressures than Oregon and Oregon State. Ducks are happy with a good recruiting class and beating UW and OSU (which Lanning struggles to do!).

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The Real Rich's avatar

Regarding Ohio State and Michigan's expectations, you have a great grasp of the obvious...even if your arithmetic is b.s.

And speaking of expectations...your Beavers are happy to be in the MWC or WCC...enjoy it!

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Dwight Lilly's avatar

My guess is Lanning is smart enough to know he had to learn from those growing pains and you won't see a repeat. And he's a class act. And I'm a Husky fan. With the expanded playoffs, Oregon has a great shot at reaching the playoffs.

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Matt Kelly's avatar

Maybe, but they are also damn good.

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jon joseph's avatar

Huh? Ohio Stae will be AP preseason poll ranked No. 1 or 2 in the country. Playing on the road against the national champion is a piece of cake, right? Playing in Madison, Wisconsin in mid-November is easy peasy.

The team with the easiest schedule among the B1G title contenders in 2024 is Ohio State. In 2023, Oregon's 2024 opponents went 101-57; Ohio State's opponents went 83-71. Oregon is the only Power 4 team in the nation that will play 8 consecutive games without a week off.

Oregon does have two tough out-of-conference games vs. 2023 FCS 4 seed Idaho and defending Mountain West champ Boise State. But with the Reavers replacing P4 Texas Tech, the 3rd game of the season is a cakewalk so long as Ducks fans and players can avoid flying objects.

Lanning has the chance to mess up at Oregon because Dan did not leave for Michigan State.

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TJA's avatar

Some good comments about John C's article and then a bitter troll shows up with a\ nasty comment. It is comments like this that got comments banned from Oregonlive. We don't need nastiness in this comment section.

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John Luttrell's avatar

Yeah it was planned that way. Hahahaha!!!!! Have fun watching your “team” play a high school schedule; 4A, not 5A.

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jon joseph's avatar

Thanks, JC, great take.

Rob Mullens should awake every morning and thank his stars that the U had no clue when it way overpaid for the services of 12-13 Mari(o) and that Justin Wilcox said, "No."

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The Real Rich's avatar

Dodged a bullet on Wilcox...and I love many of his attributes..

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Dwight Lilly's avatar

"Big people beat up little people"

As a fan of PAC football since 1958 I always thought we recruited as well as anybody in college ball. This season I started following closely Alabama. I recall Washington playing them in the playoffs and how big and fast they were. Yes we lost. Alabama is in another Universe, yes Saban was considered the GOAT but, they have 5 stars riding the bench. The size and speed is vastly different than PAC 12. Lanning knows this having come from Oregon, he knows the caliber of player it takes to win. The quote you posted John reminds me of one similar by Chuck Knox when he was Seahawks coach and I was at an event he spoke at. He said when training camp was winding down and cuts were made, the players being cut were told to bring their play book to a meeting with the coach. He said they started their sales pitch why they should be kept and he told them " your play on the field was so loud I can't hear a word you are saying". So true....in life and football.

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Ed's avatar

Let the games begin! I am excited to see what happens instead of talking about what may happen.

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Larry Ross's avatar

Watching the calamity unfolding at the PAC2, with key players departing, I can't help assigning most of the blame to the schools themselves. As with Martinez, people will stick it out until they see no plan for the future that helps them achieve their goals. The focus on 2024 ignores the more important need for an exciting future articulated now, instead of some future time when ranks will be further depleted and recruiting has suffered. Marketing isn't the answer. Trying to sell zero is a fool's errand.

Then there's the Trailblaxers. Nothing will change there until empty seats abound, forcing Jody Allen''s gloved hand. The latest from management is that the focus is (again) on rebuilding. How long will Loyal fans keep drinking the watered down Kool-aid?

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BackDoor's avatar

WSU president Kirk Schulz plans to retire in June 2025, he announces. Pac-12 schools with brand new (past month) or announced outgoing presidents/chancellors:

Arizona

UCLA

Colo

Stanford

Cal

WSU

These folks had a big hand in the demise of the Pac12.

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Volman777's avatar

Enjoyed this!

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Rob Grady's avatar

Thanks John - another good piece. Will you be doing the same 1:1 interview with Jeff Fisch, and similar pre-spring game coverage for UW in 2 weeks? Look forward to it!

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EA Flash's avatar

Lanning should also start asking recruits about their driving skills.

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