As Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks prepare for its College Football Playoff opener against James Madison Dukes, one of the Ducks’ biggest challenges isn’t talent, it’s timing.
Several key wide receivers are working their way back from injury, and head coach Dan Lanning acknowledged the delicate balance required to reintegrate them without disrupting what has already been working offensively.
Lanning met with the media on Wednesday for the final time before Saturday’s matchup in Eugene. During the session, he was asked about the challenge of bringing injured receivers back into the rotation while continuing to rely on players who stepped up in their absence.
“It’s just that. It’s a balance. You don’t sprint back in and throw somebody into the fire. You build it as it goes,” Lanning said, via Erik Skopil of 247Sports. “We’ve found strengths as guys have been out and those are strengths we want to continue to lean on. Guys that do some things really really well.”
Lanning explained that Oregon’s ability to survive injuries has come down to versatility and smart personnel usage, allowing the offense to evolve instead of stalling.
“One thing we’ve done well on offense, we’re talking about some offensive injuries, is we’ve done a good job of personnelling teams,” Lanning added. “Now we have a variety of personnel that we can use when you start getting guys healthy and it makes you multi-dimensional and gives you an opportunity to use guys with their strengths.”
That flexibility has been critical for an Oregon team that enters the CFP with one of the nation’s most explosive offenses, led by quarterback Dante Moore, who threw 24 touchdowns against just six interceptions during the regular season.
While the Ducks boast elite depth at receiver, that group has been battered throughout the year. Dakorien Moore missed the final four games with a knee injury, while Evan Stewart, one of the 2024 off-season’s marquee transfer additions, has yet to play this season, after showing poise last season.
Encouragingly, practice reports this week showed Moore, Stewart, and Gary Bryant Jr. all participating, with Moore and Bryant even handling punt-return reps. Their presence signals progress, but not necessarily full workloads.
As the Ducks chase a national title, how quickly and carefully Lanning blends returning playmakers back into the offense could determine just how dangerous Oregon becomes when the stakes are highest.
