“You gotta be able to bang heads”: Dan Lanning names Oregon’s mentality that keeps the momentum going in Big Ten

Dan Lanning led Oregon to a memorable first season in the Big Ten in 2024. Despite being new to the competitive conference, the Ducks went on to claim the Big Ten championship with an undefeated record. This was a statement display to announce their arrival in the league.

Lanning appeared in a one-on-one interview with ESPN's Greg McElroy on “Always College Football” on Thursday to discuss Oregon football heading into the 2025 season. Impressed by how the Ducks attacked the Big Ten, McElroy asked Lanning if that was expected, and the coach outlined his team's mentality.

“I think it's a great conference,” Lanning said (Timestamp: 4:40). “And I've always talked about what winning football looks like. In my time, regardless of where you're at, at some point, winning football has to show up. This conference has a lot of winning football in it.

“You want to be athletic; you want to play the game with a certain level of speed, but it takes physicality. I think that's a piece that our team established here is, ‘Hey, you gotta be able to bang heads at times to be able to play at the highest level.’”

Winning the Big Ten title ahead of the league's traditional powerhouses like Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State is undoubtedly a great feat. Dan Lanning and his team will look to maintain the momentum in their second season, aiming for something bigger.

Dan Lanning on his team’s limited experience heading into 2025

Dan Lanning enters his fourth season at Oregon in 2025, and his tenure so far in Eugene has been successful. However, he will have his least experienced team in his four years next season. He explained to Greg McElroy what to expect, having lost important pieces from 2024.

“I think that goes with the development of this team,” Lanning said (Timestamp: 5:38). “I feel really good about the players we have on this team. What they lack is experience. So this season will be a great opportunity for those guys that we've recruited here to go in and be able to make an impact.”

“And how quickly can you get that experience? And as you know, there's nothing like game day experience in comparison to practice; it's just not the same. So, us getting those guys acclimated quickly and putting them in position to be able to go make plays is gonna be huge.”

Having had two quarterbacks who ended up as Heisman Trophy finalists in his tenure (including Dillon Gabriel last year), Dan Lanning's Oregon offense is expected to be led by redshirt sophomore Dante Moore next season. The team was also active on the transfer portal, adding notable pieces to the roster.