Dan Lanning Knows Every Game Is Important For This Season And Beyond

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning jokes with players and sticks his tongue out to catch rain during warm ups before an NCAA football game against California, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Eugene, Ore. Oregon won 63-19.(AP Photo/Amanda Loman)

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

Recruiting is the lifeblood of a college football program. Oregon has embraced that thinking and has really invested in getting the best recruits possible. Dan Lanning has been one of the better recruiters in the nation.

This week’s game against USC is a big one. Not only for the Ducks who are looking to make the Pac-12 Championship and the College Football Playoff, but for future Ducks as well, as Oregon and USC have a lot of recruiting battles for players on the West Coast.

Dan Lanning joined John Canzano on the Bald Faced Truth and was asked about if this game against USC is more important in recruits minds.

“In our business, and my profession, they all matter and this one’s really important,” Lanning said on 750 The Game. “They’re all really, really important. I think we all know the goals in front of us. The opportunities in front of us. From a recruiting perspective, from a what we want to accomplish as a team perspective, every one of these matter and this is certainly a big one because it’s the next one.”

Bo Nix has emerged as one of the favorites in the Heisman Trophy race, for good reason. Nix has a chance to set the all time NCAA completion percentage record, which would pass Mac Jones in 2020. Nix has 25 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions on the season. Lanning was asked if Nix ever makes mistakes because it certainly doesn’t seem like he does.

“He doesn’t make mistakes,” said Lanning. “And sometimes you can watch the film with the coaches and you can say ‘Ok I would have seen that different.’ But you know what Bo does with that play? He makes it a better play. He’s the kind of guy who’s decisive out there on the field. He makes great decisions. He has a ton of confidence in himself and the players around him.”

There is some unknown coming into the game on Saturday. USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was fired after USC’s loss to Washington last week. Brian Odom takes over for USC and will be the interim coordinator. The USC defense has been bad but can the Trojans get a boost because of the coaching change?

“What you have to do is early is have early eyes in the game,” said Lanning. “Ok, what’s different? And I would anticipate some changes, but it’s hard to go wholesale changes. We study these guys at previous stops. Like I know Coach Odom actually the last game he called he was the defensive coordinator for Oklahoma vs. Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. So that’s something you watch.”

Listen to the full interview with Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning by clicking the podcast below. Catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 3-6 p.m. in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.