Oregon football has flown past the vaunted blur offense of Chip Kelly. Dan Lanning leans into Will Stein now for that side of the ball. But that doesn't mean the scheme lacks “explosive” tendencies.
The returning head coach Lanning spoke about Oregon's offensive nature Thursday. Lanning must replace one integral figure from 2024 in Dillon Gabriel.
Even though the Kelly era is long gone, the Ducks still gash defenses with a familiar staple: The ground game.
“Some of our explosives today weren't necessarily shots down the field. Some of those explosives today were explosive runs. And that's credit to the offensive line, the running backs doing a great job, taking advantage of opportunities,” Lanning explained via Duck Territory on 247Sports.
Dan Lanning on ‘1-on-1' matchups Oregon creates
Lanning's area of expertise is defense. But he saw the offense tap into their explosive nature during Thursday practice.
His defense reportedly delivered off moments. Lanning isn't panicking, though.
“Every defense has a strength, every defense has a weakness. Same with offense. When you really can become a separator is when things are equal,” Lanning explained.
He's big on finding “one-on-one's” on the football field. Especially if Stein can find one.
“When they have a good call, you have a good call, and it's a 1-on-1 matchup. Who's going to win that matchup? So all those things add up,” Lanning said. “It's about timing, getting into a rhythm, they all matter when it comes to explosive plays.”
Dante Moore is now coming in to lead the offense. The dual-threat QB left UCLA following the 2023 season. The former Bruins five-star signing enters 2025 as a highly anticipated new starter. Though he didn't crack the top five QBs in the Big Ten ahead of the season.
But the Ducks feature an intriguing newcomer via the college football transfer portal. Makhi Hughes arrives via Tulane following breaking off 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns. True freshman and five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore adds one more new weapon for Moore and Lanning. Moore flipped from LSU on the Fourth of July 2024. Then there's returning senior Evan Stewart leading the rest of the WR room.
