Lanning Can’t Accept Defensive Mediocrity in 2023

Joshua Whitted Editorials

When people talk about Oregon Ducks football, very seldom is the defense mentioned. And if it is, it’s not in a positive way. For as much as Oregon’s offense exploded in Dan Lanning’s inaugural season with the Ducks, its defense failed to deliver far too often, ultimately costing the Ducks a shot at the conference title and a potential Playoff …

Oregon Ducks Football - FishDuck in Eugene, OR

Oregon’s Offense Will Pick Up Where It Left Off

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Kenny Dillingham did wonders for the Oregon offense in 2022. He helped resurrect Bo Nix’s career by developing him into a top-10 quarterback, he reintroduced a high-flying, explosive offense that fans had been desperately craving, and perhaps most importantly, his influence helped Oregon reclaim its identity as an offensive juggernaut. Dillingham is deservedly now running his own program, and that …

What Oregon Can Learn From the CFP

Joshua Whitted Editorials

After an absolutely wild CFP semifinals, the Championship Game is set, with a matchup that approximately zero people saw coming. TCU will try to complete the ultimate Cinderella story, while the Bulldogs — the heavy favorites — look to become the first repeat title winners in over a decade. But what does any of this have to do with Oregon? …

Oregon Will Be Just Fine Without Dante Moore

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Dante Moore flipping his commitment to UCLA at the eleventh hour stinks for Oregon fans. There’s no sugarcoating it. Moore is an elite prospect in every sense of the word, and he is certainly the type of quarterback that coaches across the country would love to build their programs around. He would have been a historic signing for Dan Lanning …

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Expect the Holiday Bowl to Be a THRILLER

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Bowl games aren’t what they used to be. In the past, they were high-intensity matchups facing two evenly-matched teams in a game that would play a big role in determining a program’s trajectory moving into the following season. Teams were generally at full strength, and it was the final chance for many college superstars to give a farewell performance before …

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Oregon Must Ride Its Defense to a Title

Joshua Whitted Editorials

When Dan Lanning was hired as Oregon’s head coach, the assumption was the Ducks’ defense would instantly improve. Lanning had just spent a couple of years working under one of the best defensive minds in the game, and he was an instrumental part of one of the best college defenses of all time. Besides, Oregon entered 2022 with a boatload …

Lanning Deserves Praise for Oregon’s Offensive Renaissance

Joshua Whitted Editorials

Kenny Dillingham has done wonders with the Oregon offense. Oregon’s offensive coordinator has completely transformed a unit that was entirely one-dimensional and underwhelming during Mario Cristobal’s time as Oregon’s head coach. The Ducks are now equally capable of attacking defenses in the air and on the ground, and they’ve done so in emphatic fashion, scoring more than 40 points in …

Oregon Is Aiming for More Than the Playoff

Joshua Whitted Editorials

This past Saturday, Oregon proved it’s one of the best teams in the nation. UCLA has been a top-tier team in a much-improved Pac-12, with a high-flying offense and a solid-enough defense. Chip Kelly’s vision is finally materializing, as Dorian Thompson-Robinson has developed into a very good quarterback, and Zach Charbonnet leads a rushing attack that bears striking resemblance to …