Since last Saturday, the entire nation has wanted to know: did Dan Lanning intentionally take advantage of the rulebook during Oregon’s victory over Ryan Day’s Ohio State? And you would be amazed to know that Lanning nearly confirmed on Monday that the penalty called on the Ducks during the second-last play of the game was a deliberate tactic. Lanning’s move changed the entire dynamics of the game and blew everyone’s mind.

The Oregon Ducks won their sixth straight victory of the season, a narrow 32-31 win. On Monday, Lanning’s interview went viral. Sparking intense debate among major media outlets, football analysts, and insiders. Some appreciated Lanning’s move, but on the other hand, many criticized the tactic. After getting to know Lanning’s move, Urban Meyer, the former head coach of Ohio State, characterized his game strategy as “playing chess.” He was shocked that someone can think of this in a busy environment. Meanwhile, Bruce Feldman, the college football beat writer for ESPN, also joined the ongoing debate and adopted a more diplomatic stance.

Feldman appreciated Lanning; his respect for him reflected in his statement. “You know, he’s a really smart situational guy. That was an A+ showing by his program, all from top to bottom.” When just 1:47 minutes were remaining, kicker Atticus Sappington’s 19-yard field goal helped Oregon lead in their Big Ten clash against Ohio State. This score provided Ohio State with an opportunity for a potential game-winning field goal. Lanning strategically called a timeout with 10 seconds left on the clock. This tactic of the head coach set the stage for a dramatic conclusion, and CFB witnessed a thrilling end to the game.

The Rich Eisen Show recently shared Feldman’s interview, where he also acknowledges that the Ducks were well-prepared and able to capitalize on the moment. He also reflected on Lanning’s leadership potential and stated, “I think it’s indicative of an Oregon team that was really coached up well and took it. Took advantage of they brought their A game. You know, it was a great crowd and atmosphere.”

He further emphasized quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s performance that night and mentioned, “Dillon Gabriel played his best game. They ran him when they needed to a little more. I thought their offensive line, which had been really shaky in the beginning of the year, did a terrific job. Ohio State’s defense, which has been touted quite a bit, was disappointing in that game.”

HC Lanning’s strategic move played a crucial role in the Ducks’ victory, elevating them to No. 2 in this week’s AP Top 25 rankings. Moving forward, let’s discuss Urban Meyer’s opinion on the game-changing move.

Urban Meyer stunned by Dan Lanning’s intentional 12-men penalty

Lanning believed that quarterback Dillon Gabriel could execute his plan. In the highly anticipated matchup, Gabriel threw two touchdowns; he also added a rushing score. His significant contribution helped the Ducks slightly overpower the No. 2 Ohio State.

Urban Meyer was bit shocked when the news broke to him. In his latest interview on the Youtube channel The Triple Option podcast, in a lighthearted way, he accepted that he has been playing chess and not football in his career, “I guess I do want to know if that’s true. Then, for 38 years of my career, I’ve been playing checkers. Yeah, a lot of I never, I never even that. I’ll be honest; this never even crossed my mind.”

He further emphasized the intense pressure and chaotic atmosphere on the sidelines during a critical moment in the game between Oregon and Ohio State. In a way, he also appreciated Lanning’s presence of mind, which made him make split-second decisions amid the noise and urgency of a high-stakes football game.

“And I’m just trying to think over the headset, Mark; you know how nuts it is. The sideline is chaos. And they said, All right, I mean, you have Jeremiah Smith; you have an Emeka.” The former head coach further added, “I mean, they’re 12 yards away from kicking a game-winning field goal, and we’re going to give them five more yards. And someone says, Hey, run the timeout or run the 12-man plan by going, Wait, what in that? I am a checkers guy than.”

Ryan Day’s squad did try their best; it was just not their day. Running back Jordan James rushed for 115 yards and scored a touchdown. He contributed some critical game plays. Most importantly, both teams entertained the crowd at Autzen Stadium.