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Dan Lanning joins GoJo and Golic to talk Oregon, the CFP and move to the Big Ten

Dan Lanning joins GoJo and Golic to talk Oregon, the CFP and move to the Big Ten

DraftKings Network College Football

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By: Darian Kelly

As the first round of the College Football Playoff kicks off tonight, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning joined GoJo and Golic to share how the Ducks are preparing during their bye week.

With eight of the 12 playoff teams starting their CFP journey this weekend, Lanning shared how he is preparing the Ducks during their bye week. Lanning said his team has approached the bye week much like NFL teams with a first-round bye during the pro postseason. They’re preparing for both potential opponents in Ohio State and Tennessee, opting to split practice time between the two while also managing the roster, including handling visits from players in the transfer portal and evaluating their lineup.

For athletes and coaches, routine is EVERYTHING. Mike Golic Jr. asked Lanning to speak to how he is going about normalizing this week for the Ducks, given that they are not playing this weekend. Lanning emphasized the importance of maintaining a routine, as players are creatures of habit. To balance that, the team has incorporated more recovery days. Instead of the usual four or five consecutive practice days during the regular season, they’re practicing three days with recovery and lifting sessions in between. While the schedule has been slightly adjusted, much of the routine remains consistent.

Lanning and the Ducks just completed their first season in the Big Ten and made a statement by winning the conference title. When it comes to differences between the Pac-12 and Big Ten, Lanning noted that good football is good football and that there were not too many differences. He said that in order to win in either league requires strong play in the trenches, as both are physical. But what stood out most to him was the opportunity to engage with the league’s rich history, including the chance to play in iconic venues and connect with great people. While he acknowledged that travel is often highlighted as a challenge, Oregon was already accustomed to significant travel given Oregon’s location, so it actually wasn’t a major adjustment.

With the Ducks having experience in many high-profile games, Lanning has prided himself on getting the team ready and even going as far as letting people get a glimpse inside of their program. Lanning gave insight into how he keeps the team motivated week after week, noting that while motivation can be a bit overrated, the focus as a coach is on finding creative ways to emphasize the key details that lead to winning. Much of this planning happens in the summer when they map out potential messaging for upcoming weeks and games. However, he emphasized the importance of staying flexible, adjusting the message if it doesn’t align with the moment, or even pivoting midweek to better fit the team’s needs. He praised the players for fully buying into these strategies and staying committed.

One of the biggest gripes that sports media talking heads had with the college football playoff bracket was the seeding of the teams. Some did not think it was fair for a team like Oregon, who ran the table and went UNDEFEATED, to be rewarded with having to play some of the stronger teams in the bracket. Contrary to the critics’ thoughts, Lanning sees it as an opportunity, noting that in the playoffs, success comes down to beating great teams. He expressed no concerns about the process, focusing instead on preparing for whoever they face. And bettors seem to agree, as Oregon is currently tied with Texas as +360 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the national championship.

As the No. 1 seed, Oregon actually will miss out on the opportunity some of these lower seeds have to host a home playoff game. The Ducks will play the Tennessee/Ohio State winner at the Rose Bowl on January 1 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN. As the top seed, does Lanning wish his Ducks could get the opportunity to host a CFP game? He said it’s definitely something worth exploring in the future, especially when you look at the playoff formats in the NFL and FCS, and that it certainly makes sense to have playoff games at home until you get to the title game.

Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.

SHOW BREAKDOWN

Hour 1: LIVE From South Bend for CFP History, NFL Week 16 Preview + Joey Kaufman Previews Indiana vs. Notre Dame

VIDEO

Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information

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Darian Kelly

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.