Oregon Ducks Head Coach Dan Lanning Discusses "Good day overall" with team

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00:00All right, good work day.

00:06Got some good situational football, some longer series in there,

00:09so we had to strain through some coming out, some third down,

00:12so it was a good day overall.

00:15After watching the film from Saturday,

00:17how do you think your quarterbacks performed overall

00:19and kind of mastering the system?

00:20Yeah, some good, some bad.

00:22But overall, I thought we were able to create some more shots

00:25than we probably have so far this spring, get the ball down the field.

00:28You know, timing fundamentals is as important for that position

00:31as any other position, so some cleanup there.

00:33But overall, a decent operation.

00:35I still think he can be better.

00:37But have you seen it from Makai throughout this first half of the spring?

00:41Yeah, physicality.

00:42You know, I think he's still learning the system.

00:43It's really hard, you know, to pick it up.

00:46He's a big back that runs tough and a willingness to work.

00:51You know, he's kind of a quiet warrior out there on the field,

00:53but certainly pushing to be good.

00:55I'm going to ask you about the two true freshman running backs

00:59and just kind of what you've seen so far.

01:00Obviously, probably limited with De'erre,

01:01but just kind of some early impressions on what those guys have.

01:03Yeah, De'erre got here a little bit later, and he's picking it up quick.

01:05He had some, you know, some great runs in the scrimmage.

01:08You know, didn't go down on contact.

01:10And once he picks this up, I think he's going to be a great, great fit.

01:13And then Jordan's really a physical runner.

01:14Did a good job.

01:15You know, it's a little bit different when you make a tackle on scrimmage day.

01:18A guy like that's always following forward

01:19and does a great job pushing the ball down the field.

01:21On Saturday, you talked about explosion plays.

01:26Who made those for you guys on Saturday?

01:28Oh, we had a number of them.

01:29Yeah, I'm not going to name every single one of them.

01:31But we had some guys that got the ball down the field.

01:33When he started off, Gary Bryant hit a big bomb in a coming out situation.

01:37But we had several guys that were able to hit some explosives.

01:40No, he's been here a little bit less.

01:42But Theron Johnson, just what stood out about him

01:44and what drew you guys to him in the first place?

01:47Yeah, savviness, you know, is just as far as understanding the position.

01:51You know, I think he understands like leverage and maintenance.

01:54And just you can tell he's played.

01:56He's got an intelligent player, right?

01:57Picks it up, plays with physicality, has a chip on his shoulder.

02:00So all those things are really sticking out for Theron so far.

02:04What type of improvement have you seen from DeJuan so far from last year to this year?

02:08Say that again.

02:09DeJuan Riggs.

02:10Yeah, Dink has done, you know, again, a great job.

02:13It's the difference in knowing the system and not knowing it and learning it, right?

02:16And he's a guy that now understands where to hit, right, on a certain path.

02:21Understands, you know, where he's going to be at in a route, where he's at.

02:24So like picking up the system, I think, is huge for him.

02:26But he's proven to be a guy that's elusive, that can also get vertical fast,

02:30you know, plays the game the right way.

02:34Ninth practice, your past halfway.

02:36Just where has this team improved since day one?

02:38You talked about growth all spring.

02:41Yeah, I mean, again, leadership is one of the biggest pieces that we want to see showed up.

02:44I'm starting to see that, right?

02:46Players holding each other accountable at a higher level.

02:48Just the operation, right?

02:50Knowing my assignment, knowing my job.

02:51I think there's a big difference going into year four than year one,

02:54whenever it's really clear what you're trying to create and execute.

02:58So all that's showing up for us so far this spring.

03:02Dan, I know you're focused on the here and now, but the draft is in about 10 days or so.

03:07To certain guys in your staff specifically,

03:09do you think that Tony has gotten enough credit in the big picture?

03:13I don't mean internally, I mean even externally, because after next week's draft,

03:18I think it's going to be five interior D-linemen drafted over a couple of years,

03:22and if he had in the UDFAs, eight or nine guys.

03:25There aren't too many D-line coaches in America who are going to say that they have that many guys over three years.

03:30Do you think he gets enough credit for what he's helped develop?

03:32I can't speak to the credit.

03:34I know how much we appreciate Tony, right?

03:35We don't spend a lot of time looking at the outside noise, but I'll say this.

03:38If you want to play in the NFL and you want to play defensive line,

03:41obviously Tony's done a great job of getting guys there, right?

03:44I think this year will probably be a new record for Oregon as far as guys drafted,

03:48and certainly the D-line's been a huge piece of that.

03:51Tony works incredibly hard.

03:53I think he gets to wear a different hat here as a coach and a father on this team,

03:58but you see the way he coaches those guys every day, the way he prepares, the way he works,

04:02the way our D-line is played here, and I think that's great credit to Coach Tuioti.

04:08Here's about Jay Harris.

04:09We know that the physical talent is there, but how has he kind of come along learning the system more this year?

04:14Yeah, he's come along really well.

04:15He got dinged early in the scrimmage this past scrimmage,

04:18and he was anxious to get back out there on the field.

04:20He's just one of those guys that wants to be out there helping his team.

04:22I think he's running with better pad level.

04:25It's been kind of a point of emphasis for him, and then again,

04:27understanding what we're trying to do, learning the plays.

04:29And when he knows, he's a guy that can create big ones.

04:33Two more, Eric.

04:36Tez was obviously a big weapon receiver, but also as a return guy.

04:39I'm wondering if there's been anybody kind of emerging that's impressed you

04:41or kind of where that status is at.

04:43Yeah, probably early.

04:44I mean, we're working a lot of guys at those positions, both,

04:47and it's more about who can be above the line, who can be below the line.

04:50In special teams, I think it's more important than anything

04:52that you focus on getting possession of the ball.

04:54And Tez had some really dynamic returns,

04:56but just as important as him being able to catch the ball when somebody's in his face.

04:59That's hard to recreate.

05:00So try and take opportunities to recreate that in practice.

05:03I think we have several guys that could be in position to do that.

05:05We'll keep working that as we go through spring ball and fall camp.

05:08Last question, James.

05:09For as much as you and Marshall can plan for and have contingencies

05:12for as many things as possible, Dan,

05:14how much does the ambiguity of the house settlement

05:16and roster limits impact outlook,

05:19where everybody was planning for 105 with 85 scholarship,

05:22and now there may be a grandfathering in and phasing in.

05:25But you guys didn't take any new walk-ons this spring, I think, I'm sure,

05:28in part because you were planning for 105.

05:30If that's not the case,

05:32how does that have to change plans for you over the next couple of months?

05:35Adapt.

05:35You've got to be ready to adapt.

05:36That's one thing we've learned about college football, right?

05:38It's going to continue to change.

05:39You've got to be the team that's ready to adapt when that happens.

05:41And I like our roster.

05:43I like who we have on our team right now.

05:45So hopefully every one of those players that have worked really hard

05:49get the opportunity to be a part of the roster in fall camp.

05:52But, you know, we don't completely control all that,

05:54so we'll see how it plays out.

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