NCAAF News: Ducks HC Dan Lanning makes something clear about facing Washington

The NCAAF is on the verge of its final regular-season game. The Oregon Ducks, led by Dillon Gabriel and boasting an undefeated record of 11-0, will face none other than the Washington Huskies in their last outing. Dan Lanning, head coach of the Ducks, knows he’s in for a tough challenge ahead.

The coach has been doing an outstanding job, leading his team to become one of the most formidable forces this season. Despite having a roster full of talent, he knows they can’t afford to relax, as their final matchup will feature a tough opponent.

“I think what they’ve always done a good job of is adapting to the personnel they have and taking advantage of it,” Lanning stated to the press. Washington enters the final week with a record of six wins and five losses, already out of playoff contention.

“But you see things that cause stress on both sides of the ball. Obviously, it’s a different defense now that they’re running in Washington, but they still cause stress. They make it tough for you to game plan because they have answers within their scheme. And again, they make an impact out there on the field.”

Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks during the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Ducks defeated the Sun Devils 49-13.

Gabriel and his teammates head into the final game of the regular season as one of the most solid teams in the league. In addition, they will have the presence of their star wide receiver, Tez Johnson, who has recovered from his injury and will be available to the coaching staff.

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Dan Lanning made it clear that he holds great respect for his counterpart

Although the Huskies’ season hasn’t gone as expected at the start, Dan Lanning knows he will be facing head coach Jedd Fisch, someone he has competed against before and holds in high regard with great respect and admiration.

“All right, fans are excited and making an impact. This will be a fun game for us. I think we had a really good first practice here today, kind of hopping into Washington—certainly a team that has some talent and is a really well-coached team. I’ve got a lot of respect for Coach Fisch and the job that he’s done. I had an opportunity to go against him before, and I think he always does a good job with his team. You can see that with this group.”

The head coach reflects his motivation to his players

A key part of the Oregon Ducks‘ successful campaign this season lies not only in the talent of their players and how they’ve executed week after week, but also in their ability to stay focused throughout the entire season. Lanning made it clear how he’s managed his players.

“It’s always about performance, right? It’s always about what we’re able to do on the field. I’ve said it several times—motivation is overrated. Our guys have to want to go out there and execute at a really high level. Since the beginning of the season, we’ve talked about playing our best football at the end of November. Well, we’re there, right? So this is our opportunity to go play our best football against a good team.”

Ducks final season game

Dillon Gabriel and his Oregon Ducks will have their final outing this Saturday, November 30th, in what is expected to be a packed Autzen Stadium. With a victory, they would complete a perfect season with twelve wins and no losses.