The outlook for Dan Lanning’s first season at the helm at Oregon is beginning to take shape as the season opener against Georgia inches closer. Monday, USA Today released its preseason coaches poll and the Ducks checked in at No. 12 on the list as one of three Pac-12 teams to make the early rankings.

Oregon, which will open the season at No. 12 in the coaches poll for the second consecutive year, sits behind No. 8 Utah and in front of No. 15 USC on the preseason list. This is the fourth consecutive year the Ducks have started the season ranked inside the top 15.

Lanning’s first opponent in his first game as a head coach will be a familiar one as Oregon will begin the 2022 season in Atlanta against the defending national champions, Georgia. The Ducks head coach served as Georgia’s defensive coordinator last season during its championship run, and Lanning held that position in Athens for three years.

The Bulldogs check in at No. 3 in the preseason poll.

Oregon revamped its coaching staff when Lanning arrived with several experienced coaches joining his staff this offseason including former Alabama defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and former Florida State offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who will help lead the defense and offense in Eugene this season, respectively.

In addition to bringing in a new coaching staff, Lanning began to add some new pieces to the roster through the transfer portal with the additions of several important players led by preseason all-conference selection defensive back Christian Gonzalez (Colorado) and former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix.

The newest Ducks will join a strong group of returning players that includes preseason all-conference first-team offensive linemen Alex Forsyth and T.J. Bass, first-team defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus and first-team linebacker Noah Sewell plus all-conference selections running back Byron Cardwell and linebacker Justin Flowe.

Oregon was picked by Pac-12 media members to finish second in the conference standings behind Utah in the preseason media poll released last month. The Ducks will finish out nonconference play by returning home to face Eastern Washington on Sept. 10 before hosting BYU at Autzen Stadium on Sept. 17.

Conference play begins Sept. 24 with a road trip to Pullman to face Washington State.