Dan Lanning addresses 12 players on the field rule, usage vs. Ohio State

With just 10 seconds remaining in the Ohio State regular season game, Oregon was called for 12 men on the field. A five-yard penalty was called but a valuable four ticks were taken off the clock. Following a Ducks win, word began to get out that Dan Lanning put an extra guy out there on purpose.

Months later, Lanning once again addressed the situation on Bussin’ With The Boys. He admits Oregon was attempting to get an advantage on the play, one where they were holding onto a one-point lead. Ohio State getting downfield any further could have set up a game-winning field goal.

“There’s one where you get an opportunity to call timeout, try to get a little bit of an advantage,” Lanning said. “Time is more valuable at that point in the game than yardage. It worked out but now it’s a different rule. So, can’t do it anymore.”

As mentioned, the NCAA has switched things up. Teams can still take the five-yard penalty and now will get time back on the clock. Ohio State would have gotten another play off with 10 seconds remaining, just five yards further up the field.

Even with the change, Lanning has been praised for taking advantage of the rule, potentially bending them a little bit. He admits Oregon is always looking for advantages when it comes to the rule book. The Ducks even work on certain scenarios the week of practice to make sure players are prepared.

“You’re looking for every advantage you can get in football, whatever the rule might be,” Lanning said. “… You talk through all those scenarios where a penalty makes sense. Might be better to get a pass interference in a situation than give up a big play. We spend time on those every single week as a coaching staff. Some of them show up a lot more than others.

“We have a group that works with us when it comes to analytics. What’s the right penalty to take? What’s the wrong penalty to take? And when you have a team that’s able to assess those situations, you can attack it.”

If there is going to be a rule Lanning attacks during the 2025 season, it cannot involve 12 men on the field. While the play was a brilliant one at the time and helped Oregon get a massive win, NCAA rules have changed to make sure nobody else can do it again.