Dan Lanning isn't coasting into year two after winning the Big Ten Championship last season. From the podium at Media Days he said, "Our theme for this team is double down."
Lanning feels confident about the growth and development on his young, talented 2025 squad. "We have a brand new team and brand new challenges. What happened last year has nothing to do with the future," he said.
He and his staff have emphasized continuity and retention. For two full seasons the Ducks have had the same offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and offensive and defensive line coaches.
"I'm really excited about the retention that we've had with our team. You look at Oregon, the players that we've been able to add. We've done well in recruiting. Have been able to use the portal to be a real success for us. But we've done an unbelievable job of keeping our players on our team and not losing them to home somewhere else," he said.
He noted that he felt he had several guys on his staff that will make great head coaches one day.
The Ducks worked hard in the offseason, he said. "We've put on over 1,300 pounds of muscle this offseason... those are some great wins for our team."
"Our overall power numbers are up 21%."
Lanning had special praise for the three player representatives who accompanied him to Las Vegas.
Kenyon Sadiq: "He runs 23 mph and can vertical jump 41 inches." He talked about playing the EA Sports College Football 26 video game with his son and what his son taught him. "Throw it to Kenyon," Lanning said.
"Kenyon's going to be hard for people to deal with"
"He can be the best TE in the nation"
Matayo Uiagalelei: "He's gained 10 pounds of muscle."
Bryce Boettcher: "A lifeblood of this program."
Away from the podium, he told Heather Dinich of ESPN, “Last year I felt like was our most talented team,” he said. “This year, I don’t think there’s a huge talent drop-off on our team. I just think there’s new faces people haven’t seen.”
All the talk this offseason has been about Penn State and Ohio State being conference favorites, but Lanning embraces the role of hunter. “I don’t mind being the silent assassin,” he said.
He told reporter James Crepea of the Oregonian that receiver Evan Stewart could return at some point during the year but it was "too premature" to say, and linebacker Dan Lanning will be limited at the start of August camp. Tight end Roger Saleapaga and cornerback Jahlil Florence should be full-go for the start of practice, but linebacker Devon Jackson will be limited in early workouts.