Dan Lanning reveals key to Washington's success
It’s not often that you have nice things to say about your bitter rival. However, when it’s a team like No. 7 Washington, Oregon’s Dan Lanning did have to give the Huskies some props ahead of their matchup this weekend.
Lanning complimented Washington during his coaches show on Wednesday. He obviously started with their offense because of the sheer numbers that they put up game in and game out.
“They’re one of the most explosive offenses in college football right now,” Lanning said. “They pass the ball extremely well, get it down the field. They hit a lot of explosive plays. Every time you turn on their film and watch it, you see a guy getting the ball down the field.”
Washington currently has the nation’s No. 3 offense with an average of 46 points per game. They’re doing so by posting almost 570 yards of offense a contest with most coming from the left hand of Michael Penix Jr.. In five games, the Husky QB and Heisman hopeful is one yard short of 2,000 passing yards on a 74.7% completion rate to go with 16 touchdowns for an 8:1 touchdown to interception ratio.
If you only talk offense with Washington, though, Lanning says you’re selling them short. He also noted their Top-30 defense as well as their 64 yards per game in kick and punt returns as other ways that make them dangerous.
“Beyond that, I don’t think they get enough credit for how improved their defense is. How they fly to the ball, the success they’ve created,” said Lanning. “And then, in special teams, they do a lot of big things in the return game.”
Both teams will be the other’s highest-ranked and best opponent to this point of the season. That’s why Lanning isn’t selling Oregon’s rival short considering the test that Washington will present to the Ducks in Seattle on Saturday.
Lanning on facing Washington: ‘Our guys know exactly what this game means’
This weekend, Oregon’s Dan Lanning will lead the Ducks into a hostile environment at Husky Stadium to take on rival Washington. It’s going to be an incredibly important game for both the Pac-12 and College Football Playoff race and it’s between two rival schools.
Oregon did lose this game last season but Lanning isn’t using that as added motivation. Instead, ahead of the game, Lanning says that the Ducks already know exactly what this game means.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” Lanning said. “Every one of our players knows exactly what this game means to them, personally, in that room and then also to everybody that’s a Duck fan.”
“They want to win,” said Lanning. “When they step on the field? it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. They want to go out there and compete at a high level.”