If Oregon Ducks Can Tighten Up Loose Ends, They Belong In The Big 10 Championship Game

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 01: Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks looks on prior to a game against the Washington Huskies during the Pac-12 Championship at Allegiant Stadium on December 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)

By 750 THE GAME STAFF

The Ducks heading to the Big 10 may have been a problem a decade ago. They weren’t equipped to handle the physicality that the Big 10 has to offer. Now it’s a different story. Under Dan Lanning the Ducks have transformed from a finesse team to a tough, big team.

Former coach Nigel Burton joined the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano and was talking about the Ducks and head coach Dan Lanning. Burton says while the Ducks have always been talented, they haven’t ever been this talented. It’s now on Coach Lanning to not make mistakes.

“They’ve (Oregon) always had talent,” said Burton. “And now they got talent talent. It’s pretty gross what they’re doing down there. The issue is when you go from being a coordinator, never been a head coach, to that kind of a program with those expectations and those eyes. When you make mistakes they are Chernobyl mistakes.”

Burton thinks that Lanning is unlike a lot of the Oregon coaches in the past which is good for the program.

“I love Dan (Lanning). I think he’s a great dude. He’s very different then the kind of cool Oregon, I’m too cool for school kind of thing we have seen the last 20-25 years, he’s (a) very down to earth guy.”

If Lanning becomes a good in game coach the sky is the limit for the Ducks. Burton thinks there aren’t many teams in the entire country that are going to look like the Ducks with all of their talent.

“We have seen some of the clock management things. We have seen some of the decisions that have probably created a shorter leash then he should have. I think if he tightens some of that stuff up from a talent perspective there is only two schools that look anything like them. I don’t even think USC looks like them. I think Michigan and Ohio State are going to look like them. Washington won’t look like them.”

The expectations for Ducks fans needs to be the Big 10 championship game says Burton.

“It’s just going to be can they continue to have the culture that they want? Can you get all those guys who come in to play for each other and not play for themselves? Can they tighten things up within the decision making of the staff. If they do that they will play for the Big 10 championship game and there’s no doubt in my mind.”

Listen to the full interview with Nigel Burton by clicking the podcast below. Catch the Bald Faced Truth live weekdays 3-6 p.m. in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.