Bryson Blue
Writer
Different year, same story. The Oregon Ducks have fallen short of their ultimate goal of winning a national championship once again. While this year was widely considered a rebuild year, with the team being so young and inexperienced, being embarrassed by Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinal stings no less.
But Ducks fans have seen this movie before. Last year, the Ducks were demolished by Ohio State in the second round of the playoffs. Long, hard-fought seasons that would be considered a success were spoiled in the final game by blowouts. If Oregon wants to get over the hump, something has to change, and it has to happen fast.
This cannot happen again for Dan Lanning. His resume at Oregon is stellar, with two major blemishes coming from getting embarrassed in the playoffs. If he wants to reach Tier 1 coaching status, he needs to win a national championship at Oregon, or at the very least, put up a better fight. Lanning is a great coach; he just needs to be great in the big moments.
While the sting of humiliation is still fresh, there are a lot of big decisions to be made for the Oregon Ducks. Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi are both gone, having stayed for the playoff run while balancing their new head-coaching jobs at Kentucky and Cal, respectively. It is expected that the Ducks will promote from within for their next pair of coordinators. Drew Mehringer will be the offensive coordinator, and Chris Hampton will call the defense. Select fans have their reservations about this course of action, believing change will be hard to come by without new minds in the building. Either way, the Ducks’ playcalling will and should look different next year.
The Ducks’ quarterback, Dante Moore, has a decision to make. The hype around Moore was loud until the Peach Bowl, with many believing he would declare for the NFL Draft and be a top 5 pick. However, after a poor performance against Indiana, Moore stated that he didn’t know what his decision would be. If the Ducks lose Moore to the NFL, they will have to answer some questions about the QB position. They very well could look to the portal for a signal caller, or they could promote backup QBs like Luke Moga or Brock Thomas.
The trenches on both sides of the ball will need some bolstering as well. Lanning has proven he can pick up contributors from the portal, and he is going to have to do so this offseason. If Oregon wants to win a national championship anytime soon, there have to be significant changes.
Losses like this are unacceptable. The culture has to be changed. Far too long have the Ducks been “so close”. Next year, Lanning has to have this team ready for the big games. As the Ducks add talent, develop their young guys, and prepare for next year, they need to instill accountability and discipline, because that was the difference between Indiana and Oregon.
Cody Croy
Writer
Baylor transfer kicker Connor Hawkins has signed with Ohio State, according to Rivals insider Hayes Fawcett. He will have 3 seasons of eligibility remaining. Hawkins took to social media after his commitment, posting “Let’s roll!!” On X. After some uncertainty regarding the kicking situation, the Buckeyes finally have their guy. Hawkins played two seasons for […]
Bryson Blue
Writer
After almost a week of anticipation, the star quarterback of the Oregon Ducks, Dante Moore, has made his decision on his future.
Cody Croy
Writer
Northwestern transfer tight end Hunter Welcing has signed with Ohio State. The Illinois native will have one season of eligibility remaining. He is a former 3-star recruit in the class of 2020. Welcing, who will be gearing up for his sixth season of college football, spent five of them with the Northwestern Wildcats. Battling injury, […]
