"We kind of started the week talking about Pavlov's dog": Dan Lanning recalls hilarious moment from Oregon's dramatic win over Wisconsin

Oregon coach Dan Lanning is known for being a silent assassin. Since he took over the reins of in 2022, the Ducks program has been on an unprecedented rise. He was often seen giving fiery speeches to motivate his players inside the locker room, and he was not playing for the clicks but championships.

A similar monologue went viral last season during the Ducks’ matchup against Wisconsin, where the team was on the verge of losing the game until a fourth-quarter brilliance by Dillon Gabriel to Terrance Ferguson finally sealed a victory (16-13).

While speaking to the "First Things First" crew from Sin City at the Big Ten Media Days, Lanning said he had a moment with his players, and it was all the heat of the moment that turned the game in their favor.

“We kind of started the week off talking about Pavlov's dog," Lanning said on Wednesday (Timestamp:3:50). "And you know how the dog's mouth would start to water based on the ringing of the bell. And I talked to our team about how when that song comes on, it's going to have the same effect on us.

“We played it throughout practice leading up to the week. We even talked about it in our pregame meeting, like, when this song comes on, it's going to trigger something in us. What I didn't realize is, when it came on, we were going to be down.

"It's going to be fourth and nine... and I was sitting there saying, ‘We're jumping around, I'm about to look like the biggest idiot’. And then Dillon makes an unbelievable pass to Terrence Ferguson. Right after that moment, you end up pulling ahead and we're able to hold on for the win."

Dan Lanning's rise to the top was a challenging one

Unlike other veteran coaches in college football, Dan Lanning’s path was never easy. He started his journey as a GA at Pittsburgh with a minimal salary and switched multiple jobs before finally landing at Alabama in 2015. He spent a year under the wings of legendary coach Nick Saban. It was the defining moment of his career, where he learned the nuances of coaching.

Speaking to the "First Things First" crew on Wednesday, Lanning said that initially it was tough, but he slowly got his opportunities and waited for a moment. Oregon offered him a full-time coaching job in 2022. There has been no turning back since then.

Expect Lanning to lift the golden trophy within the next three years, given he stays at college and continues with this momentum.