LOS ANGELES — The Oregon Ducks, especially in recent weeks, have made noise as one of the top teams in college football.
“It’s the most complete Oregon team I’ve seen in quite some time,” Bill Bender of The Sporting News told Nitecast Media.
Led by head coach Dan Lanning, the Ducks have become one of the best teams in the country, making their revitalization a top story in college football.
Another major contributor to the Ducks’ success this year has been quarterback Dillon Gabriel’s arrival into the program. Gabriel transferred and has been a significant difference-maker since.
“It’s not a talent problem,” Binder said. Dan Lanning has done a phenomenal job in my estimation, especially bringing in a guy like Gabriel out of the portal, acclimating him to the Oregon style of play, and the lifestyle off the field. Gabriel’s adaptability has also been key, helping the Ducks evolve into a more potent offensive force.
As the season unfolded, Oregon developed its identity and collated into a complete and dominant machine. Revisiting the regular season, it felt like Oregon found its way at the midway point and hasn’t looked back. The Ducks have not only improved their game after this mid-season switch but also their confidence against tough opponents.
Compared to other heavyweight teams, physicality has emerged as a defining characteristic of this year’s Ducks team, which has risen to the challenge.
Bender pointed to a common theme that emerged during discussions about West Coast teams meeting traditional college football bluebloods.
“You know, like you always ask, when those West Coast teams were at Big Ten Media Day, everybody would ask ‘how are you going to deal with a physical Big Ten offensive, defensive lines in the environments?’ The Ducks have also embraced that challenge, showing resilience and grit, especially in the big games they’ve played.“
Particularly, the Ducks’ defense has thoroughly shined this year and proved some of the doubter wrong.
“It’s a really good defensive line, really good,” Bender said of their ability. Their ability to exploit offensive weaknesses was evident when they upset Ohio State, with a dominant defensive showing playing a pivotal role in the outcome. And the offensive end has also made its case, with running back Jordan James being called “a beast,” adding to a bruising ground game that has balanced Gabriel’s attack in the air.
“And the way that they went into Michigan and won against that Michigan defense that we all saw what they did to Ohio State… This is a really complete Oregon team,” Bender said. This result has prompted scrutiny of how they stack up against another top-tier talent in the conference and college football.
“I feel like because my brain just drifts kind of to the big uniforms, you know, Texas, Ohio State, but this Oregon team’s really good.”
The Ducks have become a force under coach Dan Lanning through some very solid recruiting as well as player development—look no further than the transitions of players like Dillon Gabriel and the fast-growing performance of the front seven on defense—the Ducks are as equipped as ever to compete in the upper ranges of college football. As the season unfolds, anticipation only grows, and the Oregon Ducks have emerged not only as a contender of choice but perhaps become a champion on the scene of college football.
