2024 is definitely going down in the history of Oregon Ducks football! What a season it has been for head coach Dan Lanning, who has led the team to an impressive 13-0 record. As fans gear up for the Rose Bowl, excitement is in the air for a rematch against the Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2). Are you ready for this showdown? Well, Ryan Day is facing serious heat after that agonizing one-point loss. He needs a win to silence the doubters and get the Buckeyes back on track. But why’s Lanning sweating bullets?
As the Ducks prepare for this monumental game, Lanning finds himself under serious pressure, especially after a surreal demand from one of Oregon’s biggest supporters. During Monday’s Rose Bowl Media Day, Lanning revealed that when he was hired back in December 2021, Phil Knight, the Nike co-founder and Oregon mega-donor, had a specific message for him.
“When I first got hired here, it’s one thing Phil always talked about. He talked about external pressure. He talked about, look, all I’d love to do is to have an opportunity to be in the Rose Bowl, win a Rose Bowl.”
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“So getting to be here for Phil, I know what that means to him. It certainly means a ton to me, out of my respect for him and out of respect for the University of Oregon.”
Well, Phil Knight plays a huge role in the Ducks’ success, and his commitment to Oregon is nothing short of extraordinary. Do you know that as of 2023, he has contributed over $1 billion to the University of Oregon? Knight’s influence has been on the entire university; so far, he has funded major projects like the renovation of Hayward Field and supported athletes through various initiatives. Knight’s dedication to Oregon football is evident, and the high-stakes head coach very well understands that living up to Knight’s expectations is crucial.
Notably, the two teams have met in 11 games till date, with Ohio State having the upper hand with 9 wins and two losses (in their last two meet ups)—one of those loses was under Dan Lanning’s leadership last month. After the 32-31 win, the coach had said, “So proud of our players, I’m so proud of our crowd. Talk about big moments, big games.”
As for the upcoming game, when a reporter asked, “Your first time in this game, one of the premier bowl games. How is it for you as a coach?,” the coach responded, ” It’s special, you hope at the beginning of the season you get opportunities to play in games like this, so having this opportunity for our team — I’m glad that, in my position, what you get to enjoy is the coaches on your staff that have never been in a game like this, the players on your staff that have never been in a game, and hoping everybody recognizes what a special opportunity it is for them.”
Reporter: “Does the Ohio State defense look any different to you guys versus the first time you played them?”
Lanning: “I do, I do think — one thing Coach Knowles does an unbelievable job of is they have a lot of variety. And I think when you watch them play, you realize, okay, they’re trying to take away another team’s strengths…And they’ll adapt. They’ll create new schemes for other teams’ strength. I think you saw them play some defense last week that they haven’t played as much of this past season…And that’s just a great indicator of their willingness to adapt and change based on the opponent’s strengths…We’re going to have to identify quickly how do they plan to attack us, how do they plan to play us.”
But what about Ohio State? How confident are they? Well, Will Howard will surely have to outrun some nightmares to extort his creative juices. After all despite a staggering 326 yards (one shy of his career high), two touchdowns, and 80% pass completion, the Ohio State ultimately fell short. So, one thing’s for sure. The QB is fired up:
“We’ll see these guys again whether it was in the Big Ten or here. It’s hard to beat a team twice. We’re hungry and ready for this opportunity.”
Having said that, not just the teams, but others are also fully prepared for the clash…
Oregon Ducks uncovered fresh Nike gear
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The Rose Bowl game is very important. While Dan Lanning and his players will look to maintain the winning streak, Buckeyes and Ryan Day have even bigger reasons to play the game aggressively.
And we are sure none of the teams are taking the particular game lightly, and ahead of the highly anticipated game for the Oregon Ducks, the Ducks have unveiled some exciting new Nike gear. The special game needs special treatment. The new gear includes Kobe VI cleats, “What The Ducks” dunks, and Nike tech quarter zips. What you wear can really impact how you feel. Right? When it comes to style in sports, the Oregon Ducks, along with Phil Knight and Nike, are at the forefront.
So far, the Ducks have set the standard for sporting uniforms and team apparel. Wide receiver Tez Johnson who is also part of the team’s uniform committee expressed excitement about this special opportunity. He said, “It’s an honor. I don’t take it for granted. I never thought I was going to be picking a jersey for the Rose Bowl like this ever. But like I said, I don’t take it for granted. It’s something I dream of wearing the jerseys. Having to pick the jersey is unbelievable. I can’t ask for anything more.” Well, Tez is a lucky guy, but which jersey will he choose?
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The Rose Bowl social media team dropped some fresh pics of the Ducks looking sharp. Coach Lanning rocked a sleek black CFP jumpsuit and some fire Nike Dunks, while star QB Dillon Gabriel and the rest of the team were decked out in crisp white CFP Nike quarter-zip pullovers. Lanning and Co. are definitely making a statement with his style. But can they back up the hype on the field?
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Can Dan Lanning handle the pressure of Phil Knight's billion-dollar expectations in the Rose Bowl?
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Can Dan Lanning handle the pressure of Phil Knight's billion-dollar expectations in the Rose Bowl?
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