One thing to know about Dan Lanning, intertwined in his stoic football Q&A, is his quick wit and sense of humor.
Yes, Lanning is often laser-focused on his Oregon football team and questions surrounding it, but sometimes his football speak can quickly turn into whimsy repartee.
Midway through his Monday media day presser, the question was asked of Lanning if he was serious about wanting to take the large floating blow-up Duck, which was displayed in downtown Indianapolis last week at the Big 10 Media Day, on road games during the upcoming season.
Last week Lanning joyously suggested taking the large plastic Duck to road games would be a good way to say hello.
“I thought it would be a good way to say, ‘Hi,’” Lanning said.
“I hope we get to take that big floating duck to all our away games. We’re innovative.”
On Monday the question was asked if he was all-in on actually taking the massive floating Duck to Corvallis, Pasadena, West Lafayette, Ann Arbor and Madison, Wisconsin.
‘Probably wishful thinking,…I imagine” quipped Lanning.
“It’s not going to fit on the plane. I don’t know how you blow that thing up.”
That’s probably true, but Lanning acknowledged the cutting-edge marketing philosophy that always keeps the University of Oregon and their individual sports at the forefront of people’s minds.
“I’ve said it a few times,…it’s like the first day of school where you don’t want to walk in with just new shoes” explained Lanning.
“We certainly want to come in and make a splash. I think our marketing team does an unbelievable job of making sure Oregon is recognized nationally.
“They’ve always done a good job from a branding standpoint, but we have to go out there and win games and it has very little to do with that. But it does create excitement for our fans and certainly excitement for the Big 10 and Oregon joining it.”