EUGENE, Ore.— Oregon head coach Dan Lanning spoke at length about the Oregon performance following the Ducks’ 38-9 win over Illinois at Autzen Stadium. Now 8-0 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play, the Ducks put together a well-rounded performance that highlighted their strengths on both sides of the ball — something Lanning was eager to discuss in his postgame remarks.
“I thought our team played a complete game today,” Lanning opened. “We knew we were going up against a tough opponent, and our guys did a great job executing our game plan. They attacked where we needed them to, stayed disciplined, and made big plays when it mattered. Overall, I’m proud of how they fought and kept pushing to the very end. We have to continue to focus on areas we can improve as we prepare for a big game next week.”
Oregon’s defense set the tone early, taking advantage of an Illinois offense led by a quarterback who, according to Lanning, has been “very sound with the ball” this season. Lanning praised his secondary for “just attacking the ball in the air,” a focus he emphasized before the game. “I think their wideouts do a really good job of doing that. We challenged our guys going into the game that, hey, we’re going to get some opportunities. You’ve got to go win when we get those opportunities,” Lanning explained. Recognizing Illinois’s strength in avoiding turnovers, he added, “He’s been really good at protecting the ball this year, so we knew they were going to be hard. But their defense has been extremely advantageous… as far as creating takeaways. So we felt like it was kind of our defense versus their defense when it came to creating takeaways, and we were able to do that today.”
In a game Lanning called “physical,” Oregon’s offensive line was another bright spot. The Ducks allowed only one tackle for loss and a single sack early on, a key factor in maintaining the offensive rhythm. “When you can protect the quarterback, it gives you a chance to stay on schedule,” Lanning said. “When you avoid TFLs, it gives you a chance to stay on schedule, and that’s going to allow you to have success.” He credited his coaching staff for their strategic approach, saying, “I think we had a good offensive plan. I think our coaches did a really good job identifying what we were getting from them early, and they had answers for it.”
A particularly gratifying moment for Lanning was seeing Noah Whittington rebound from injury and deliver an explosive performance. “This guy does everything right every single day. He works his absolute tail off,” he said. “I was really thrilled to see him have some success tonight. He’ll be the first one to tell you it starts with the guys up front for him. But he ran hard, right? He created some big plays. Had a huge catch, obviously, last week. Was able to turn that into some really positive runs this week. So what I love is that everybody in that running back room is just as excited for his success and even [Da'Juan] Riggs when he came in there at the end of the game and created some success for himself as well.”
When asked about the defense’s late-game resilience, Lanning was quick to underscore his team’s depth. “Standard is the standard regardless of who’s in the game. I think our guys are really doing a good job of owning that, and they certainly did that today,” he said, reflecting on the role of backups in sustaining the Ducks’ dominant play. Oregon’s defensive line, already missing key players like Jordan Burch, also received praise. “Every guy takes it personal. It’s their job when they’re on the field to own their job and own their assignment, and those guys did a good job of that,” Lanning noted. “Tatum and Mateo have played really consistent football for us this entire season, and certainly we’ve been asking a little bit more of them because Jordan’s been down, but they’ve done a good job of upholding that.”
Justius, a young receiver who has recently stepped into a larger role, impressed Lanning by finding the end zone. “Just the guy that we trust. When you put him on the field, you know he’s going to do his job,” Lanning said. “He executes it really well. Probably one of our best route runners. So, you know, really proud of his progression, his growth in our offense.”
Oregon’s offensive versatility was on full display, with seven players getting a carry and nine players making catches. “They were playing some zone coverages that meant you had to go through progressions. I thought Dillon did a really good job of that tonight,” Lanning remarked. He acknowledged the importance of adjusting to Illinois’s shifting coverage schemes and finding “the soft zone and attack it.”
When asked about Oregon’s recent third-quarter struggles, Lanning said he would need to review the game film before drawing any conclusions. “I’ll have to look at the film and kind of assess it, what stopped us from having success, what created that, but I couldn’t answer that right now,” he said. The Ducks’ discipline in avoiding turnovers and generating explosive plays has been a central focus for the team this season. “Ultimately, it’s the biggest indicator of wins in college football outside of takeaways, right? So we want to be able to create those on offense and limit them on defense,” he explained.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel continued his impressive season, and Lanning praised his performance in a milestone game for him statistically. “I think he did a really good job of managing the pictures he was getting throughout the day, excluding one play,” Lanning said. “Overall, Dillon’s done what he’s been able to do all year for us and be really consistent and execute.”
Looking ahead to Michigan, Lanning was candid about the challenge. “Michigan’s a good team. They’ve had a lot of success. Obviously, they have a storied history. It’s an exciting game to get to be a part of. That’s what you sign up for when you’re in the Big Ten. But traveling there, the ability to handle travel and go play in a tough environment is going to be a fun challenge for our team.”
Emphasizing the Ducks’ team-wide commitment to high standards, Lanning shared that “when you step on the field for us, you’re a starter, right? It doesn’t matter. The standard doesn’t change when you step on the field. So we have the same expectations for our guys. When they go out there, they need to go execute and do their job. And the only way you get better at football is playing football.” In the locker room, that commitment to excellence was evident. “Guys said it’s 0-0,” Lanning revealed. “They have a high standard for themselves and where they want to be at. But they weren’t done. They knew it wasn’t done yet.”
For Lanning, Saturday’s win over Illinois was not just a victory but a reinforcement of the Ducks’ pursuit of perfection. As he looks toward Michigan, he’ll continue pushing Oregon to meet its highest standard — every play, every quarter, every game.
