Twin losses in January take Oregon back to a core value: Growth mindset

So the Ducks got blown out in the Peach Bowl and again in the Jordan Seaton recruitment battle. After twin setbacks like that, it's all about how a program responds to them.

After the 56-22 pounding in Atlanta Dan Lanning said, "I think every man can learn from adversity. I just told that whole locker room, this is going to be about how you respond in life. This is going to be a life lesson that a lot of people never get."

"We just got our butt kicked, right? That's going to happen in life, and not just Dante. Every single person in the locker room, every coach, every person can learn, hey, how do you respond to that?"

The last two Oregon seasons have ended in blowout losses to the eventual national champion. That's okay. Adversity tempers you. Dante Moore, Poncho Laloulu and Matayo Uiagalelei came back to write a different story, one that starts at 6 a.m. in winter workouts. The Ducks didn't get the quick fix of a $3 million left tackle transfer, so they'll have to focus on becoming the best team and the best offensive line unit they can be.

In Fox Crader we trust.

Crader's a four-star from Evergreen High School in Vancouver, 6-6, 315, who's had two full years of development in the program. He played in nine games this year, getting his most extensive time in the 42-27 win over USC.

Duck fan Troy Berglund made an interesting point on X. Typically when a recruit is considering a school in a key recruiting battle, his timeline is flooded with tweets from potential teammates inviting him to "join the fam," GIFs, emojis and exhortations like, "you know the move, bro." Stuff like that.

There wasn't a peep from the Oregon players during the Seaton drama, suggesting they knew this high stakes negotiation and the hoopla surrounding wasn't a fit in a grind-it-out, one-for-all culture.

Instead the program has invested its NIL/revenue sharing dollars in veterans with a commitment to playing at Oregon plus new talent from the high school ranks. Lanning and the coaches have two dozen high-profile visitors for their first Junior Day this weekend.

In Immanuel Iheanacho we trust. Also in the competition to start next year on the o-line is Georgetown Prep 5-star Immanuel Iheanacho, 6-6, 340 with honor roll grades and a 600-pound squat. Or Tommy Tofi, who showed out at the Polynesian Bowl, one of the emerging stars of Bowl week practices.

These guys have technique, intelligence and tenacity, and all of them, Ziyare Addison, Gernorris Wilson, Trent Ferguson, Douglas Utu, Dave Iuli and the rest, understand that the Oregon offensive line is a brotherhood. They're committed to the growth mindset and each other, and in Poncho Laloulu, they'll have the senior leader who can keep them working as one.

Think of the hostile environments the Ducks have conquered over the last two seasons, The Big House, Camp Randall, Happy Valley, Kinnick Stadium, Husky Stadium, with an absolute minimum of false start penalties or communication problems on the o-line. Oh, they've been beaten on a rep or had some tough losses (just three in two seasons) but they've been cohesive and disciplined, a unit, a Joe Moore Award finalist three seasons in a row.

That tradition continues. This line will mature, and grow, and give their hearts and minds to driving and protecting the Oregon offense. At the same time, Dante Moore will grow in his ability to recognize and respond to pressure. He'll take the next step in his development. And Jordon Davison will be back to pick up the blitz and balance the attack with a strong running game.

As Chip Kelly used to say, "We'll miss you, but we'll get along without you." Oregon would have been a great choice for Jordan Seaton but he and his handlers had other plans. It turned out for them UO was just a negotiation tool. He wound up looking like the biggest drama queen since Freddie Mercury.

That's fine. He opted for the fresh hot mess in Baton Rouge instead. In Eugene, they've got one team and one mission, and plenty of talent to achieve all of their goals.

Lanning and Terry flew to Atlanta to make a bid for Seaton and immediately moved on to recruiting visits and other targets. That should tell Oregon fans all they need to know.