The NCAAF regular season has come to an end, and one team managed to stand out above the rest. The Oregon Ducks, coached by Dan Lanning, finished with a perfect record of 12 wins and no losses, largely thanks to what their WR Tez Johnson considers the great work of their coaching staff.
In a recent interview with reporter Bri Amaranthus, Johnson made it clear that Lanning is not just a coach to him. The trust and transparency shown to him from day one were key factors in his development as a player.
“Every game day, we’re ready to run through a brick wall for that man,” Johnson stated. “Because he’s going to give you all that he got. He’s going to give you 100 percent every day. He’s the most mentally prepared and mentally tough guy I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t know how he does it. The consistency is unbelievable.”
Finally, Johnson was asked by the reporter if he thinks Lanning ever has time to rest, and the WR was blunt: “I don’t know, [Lanning] will come into a team meeting and his hair is wild and it’s like, he didn’t sleep last night.”
Oregon receiver TEZ JOHNSON (15) celebrates the win after the NCAA, College League, USA football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Purdue Boilermakers, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, at Ross Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. Oregon won 35-0.
The Oregon Ducks come off a win in their last game against the Washington Huskies and are currently preparing for the Big 10 Championship Game, where they will face none other than Penn State on Saturday, December 7th.
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Terrance Ferguson joins Tez Johnson’s thoughts
The feelings expressed by the team’s star WR Tez Johnson align with what the majority of his teammates feel about HC Dan Lanning. Terrance Ferguson, the Ducks’ senior TE, also made it clear what he thinks of him.
“[Transparency] is something I really appreciate about him. You know what you’re going to get, and he’s a man of his word,” Ferguson told Amaranthus. “That’s something he takes pride in. When you have a head coach that does everything he says that he’s going to do – he holds himself to that standard – I think it just trickles down in the program. Now you get that from everybody [within Oregon’s program].”
“I really appreciate the transparency from coach Lanning,” Ferguson also added. “The time that I’ve had with him, I can understand why he’s doing what he’s doing in recruiting.”
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning and tight end Terrance Ferguson (3) after the NCAA, College League, USA Pac 12 football conference championship game between Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies.
The controversy surrounding NIL money in the Ducks’ campaign
The Ducks‘ campaign this season couldn’t have been better. 12 consecutive wins, with no losses in their performances. Led by Dan Lanning, they have showcased great talent throughout their games. However, for Kirby Smart, HC of Georgia, Lanning was benefitted from Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) money from Nike founder Phil Knight. At least, that’s what he suggested before the start of this season.
In light of this situation, it was the Ducks’ HC himself who responded to Smart: “I think it’s impressive that guys like Kirby have been signing the No. 1 class in the nation without any NIL money this entire time,” Lanning said on the Pat McAfee Show. “It’s so impressive. Obviously, coach Smart took a little shot at us — if you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you’ve got to have great support, and we have that.”
