Following a weekend of closed practices as the Ducks finished up fall camp, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning addressed the media Monday evening in his traditional game week Monday press conference.

As the Oregon Ducks gear up for their season opener against Idaho, head coach Dan Lanning emphasized the importance of trusting the process in preparing for the upcoming challenge. Lanning, in his typical measured approach, expressed confidence in his team's readiness while recognizing the respect he holds for their opponents.

"I think as a coach, you always enjoy all the time you have for prep to get ready for games and to get your team ready to go out there and play," Lanning said. "But I think our guys are certainly excited and ready to go hit somebody else and go play somebody else."

The Ducks are coming off an impressive 2023 season and are looking to build on their success. However, Lanning made it clear that the focus remains on their internal standards rather than the competition. "We always talk about our biggest opponent is Oregon, right? We have to go play or do the best to be the best version of Oregon that we can be," he stated.

As the Ducks face Idaho, Lanning acknowledged the challenges the Vandals present, particularly under the guidance of head coach Jason Eck. "Got a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Eck and the job that he's done there at Idaho," Lanning noted. "He's really made them a really solid team and obviously a playoff team this past year and done a good job of winning."

Lanning also highlighted the importance of being assignment-sound and playing with relentless effort, core principles that have been a staple of his coaching philosophy. "It doesn't matter how good a football player you are if you're not going the right direction or running the right route or doing the right assignment. So being assignment-sound and playing relentlessly, that's what we look for," he emphasized.

With the Big Ten transition looming on the horizon, Lanning was asked about how his team has managed to stay focused on the task at hand. He pointed to the rigorous competition within the team as a driving force. "Every position, right? We have battles across the board," Lanning said. "For us, it's about clocking in every single day."

As the Ducks prepare to take the field at Autzen Stadium, Lanning expressed excitement about the atmosphere and support from the fans. "I'm really excited to see our fans on Saturday. They did an unbelievable job selling out the crowd," he said. "I think we'll have awesome support, really, not just this game, but all the games here at Autzen this year."

For Lanning, the key to success lies in sticking to the plan and focusing on what the Ducks can control. "I think you trust in the process, right? We know that we want to set the bar for us. What's our bar? What's our standard? What do we want it to look like?" Lanning reflected.

As game day approaches, Lanning remains focused on ensuring his team is prepared to execute at a high level. "We'll go out there and play the guys I think that can contribute to us winning on the football field," he concluded, underscoring the meticulous approach that has become synonymous with his tenure at Oregon.

The Ducks kick off their season against Idaho on Saturday at 4:30PM, with Lanning confident that his team's dedication to the process will pay dividends as they embark on another promising campaign.