**Lanning Preps Ducks for Boise State, Highlights Key Areas of Focus**
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning expressed confidence in his team's preparation as they gear up for a challenging matchup against Boise State. During a press conference, Lanning detailed the team's focus on critical aspects of the game, from third-down defense to handling crowd noise in hostile environments.
“All right, good day at work,” Lanning began, noting that the team had shown "really good juice and energy" during a practice centered around third-down and red-zone situations. "I thought our guys did a good job attacking," he added.
Lanning turned his attention to Boise State's defense, particularly their standout edge rushers. "More than anything, relentless effort," he said when asked what made the Broncos’ No. 91 special. "He just keeps continuing to push, does a good job with counter moves inside. Also, they do a lot of games up front, which makes it challenging." Lanning also praised the combination of No. 91 and No. 10, noting, “They do a really good job.”
When asked to compare Boise State's edge rushers to other pass rushers Oregon has faced in recent years, Lanning refrained from making direct comparisons. “I don’t know that I’d compare him to anybody else," he said.
Addressing practice preparation, Lanning highlighted the contributions of players stepping into scout team roles, noting their importance in replicating opponents. “All of our backs, Noah’s over there today. They’ve done a good job," Lanning said. He praised Boise State’s defensive unit, stating, "One of the things that makes him so different is his ability to stiff arm, right? He does a really good job with that stiff arm."
Autzen Stadium's notoriously loud home environment was also a topic of discussion. Lanning explained the measures taken to prepare for such an atmosphere. "We try to create crowd noise and some chaos at practice so whenever it does show up, we’re prepared for it," he said, adding that these drills are applied for both home and away games.
As the Ducks look to improve on their offensive performance, Lanning emphasized the importance of avoiding third-and-long situations. "Stay in sequence and rhythm, right? Don’t shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties. If we do that, we can move the ball," he explained.
Lanning also acknowledged the need for explosive plays moving forward. "It's more the unit, right? How as a unit do we create explosives?" He highlighted the necessity of extra effort, saying, "Can we go find somebody to block when the ball's thrown? Can we go a little bit extra effort to create that explosive run?"
Discussing the Broncos’ defense, Lanning described it as "exotic" due to their versatility and ability to create confusion. "They do a lot of different things. I think they create, you know, preparation [challenges]... it makes it tough because of the different units they use and how much they move around," he said.
Lanning was optimistic about Oregon’s preparation translating into results on the field. When asked if the extra effort was showing up in practice, he responded, "We saw it today. Yeah, definitely saw it today."
On the defensive side, Lanning was quick to point out the correctable mistakes from the previous week. "I think everything’s correctable, right? That’s your job as a coach," he said. Oregon’s defensive line, despite some issues, remains an area of focus for improvement.
Looking ahead to the game against Boise State, Lanning addressed the significance of Oregon's 0-3 all-time record against the Broncos. "We’ve talked about it. Our players are aware of the history in this game for sure and excited to get an opportunity to step on the field," Lanning concluded.
The Ducks will face Boise State this Saturday, aiming to break the winless streak and establish momentum for the rest of the season.
