Dan Lanning, the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, shared his thoughts on the team’s first spring practice of 2025. Here are some notable quotes from his press conference:
Team’s Energy and Enthusiasm
Lanning kicked off the press conference by expressing his satisfaction with the team’s energy and enthusiasm during the first practice. “All right, good day one… our guys did a good job. They’re playing with great energy and enthusiasm,” he said ¹.
Leadership Development
When asked about the leadership within the team, Lanning emphasized the importance of developing leadership skills, especially among the younger players. “We’re still in the early phases of that… We have to develop leadership in this team. We’re not returning a ton of experience,” he explained ¹.
Spring Game
Lanning confirmed that the team will be playing an actual game during the spring game, citing its benefits for the players. “Yeah, I think it’s the best way for us to get better… We’re absolutely gonna have a spring game and play football,” he said ¹.
Quarterback Room
Lanning expressed his excitement about the quarterback room, praising the players’ cerebral approach and talent. “I love the group that we got… We got a bunch of cerebral guys, talented guys, some guys that bring different skill sets in that room,” he said ¹.
Transfer Portal Additions
Lanning shared his thoughts on the transfer portal additions, highlighting their potential impact on the team. “Well, that’s what spring is about… Figuring out really where we’re at… We got a lot of opportunities to step out in the field and figure out what we have,” he explained ¹.
Running Back Room
Lanning discussed the running back room, acknowledging the lack of experience but expressing excitement about the talent. “I think we have a lot of depth in our running back position… What you don’t see is necessarily, a ton of experience,” he said ¹.
Culture Building
Lanning reflected on building a culture within the team, emphasizing the importance of surrounding himself with great people. “Yeah, it just starts one step at a time… It starts with surrounding yourself with great people,” he explained ².
Spring Practice Goals
Lanning outlined the team’s goals for the spring practice, focusing on development and improvement. “We’re not returning a ton of experience… So it’s about those guys stepping up, creating leadership, creating standards for our team, and those guys attacking,” he said ¹.