Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Oregon coach Dan Lanning.
College Football

Hammerin’ the B1G: Dan Lanning says Oregon is ‘mighty different’ in the Big Ten, and I may just believe him

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

The time has come for Oregon to make its arrival to the Big Ten. And if Dan Lanning’s Big Ten Media Days appearance is any indication, the Ducks are here to make a statement.

Don’t get it twisted, Lanning acknowledged a respect for the B1G. He admitted there are challenges ahead, but ones that the Ducks are ready to chase in 2024. Lanning also has the correct mindset that Oregon is focused on winning in the trenches during the season and at the end of the year.

But make no mistake about it. Lanning is pumping the fact that Oregon is different, and his bravado is making me a believer in what he’s building in Eugene.

Just listen to his confidence and resolve here:

“Ultimately, what should the Big Ten know about Oregon? That we’re mighty different. Mighty different in a lot of ways. You look out there in the pond, you’ll see a big ol’ Duck. I hope we get to travel that Duck to all our away games this year,” claimed Lanning.

“We’re mighty different when it comes the jerseys you see us wear, or the facilities that we get to be in and we’re innovative. And we’ve always been on the cutting edge of everything we do. We’ve certainly positioned ourselves to be on the cutting edge and we’re grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Big Ten.”

Don’t get it twisted. Lanning is talking about Oregon’s flashy uniforms, the support of Nike and world-class facilities. But I also think he’s speaking to the evolution of the program under his leadership.

This isn’t the Oregon of Chip Kelly’s time that was often elite but often found itself getting pushed around by more physical programs.

This isn’t the Oregon of the Mark Helfrich era that began with a full head of steam before the wheels fell off in 2015 and 2016. And this isn’t the up-and-down nature of Mario Cristobal’s leadership that led to the coach’s departure to Miami.

No, this Oregon program is the one built from the ground up but with a quick turnaround under Lanning. It’s one that wasn’t designed to just compete against some B1G teams but one that is built for sustained success among the upper echelon of teams in the conference.

There’s no surer case for Lanning’s bold claim than glancing at the latest Big Ten Championship odds from FanDuel. Ohio State is still the favorite at +155, though that is just about an annual birthright for the program in Columbus.

Meanwhile, the Ducks are 2nd overall in the odds at +200 and likely to reach Indianapolis in their first season in the league. By contrast, USC is the next closest newcomer in the B1G title odds at +2500. Use Tradition’s sports betting apps in Ohio to track the latest odds.

Oh, and that’s without mentioning Oregon just overhauled its quarterback situation after losing 2-year starter Bo Nix to the NFL. In the process, the Ducks will enter the B1G with the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in veteran Dillon Gabriel.

Yeah, that all sounds “mighty different” from what fans could expect out of Oregon in the past.

Like any other team in the country, Oregon must still earn its respect on the field and show it belongs in the B1G. But if I were you, I wouldn’t doubt what Dan Lanning is capable of accomplishing with these Ducks.

The B1G has been warned.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.