It’s understandable that when a new football coach is hired, he wants to put his own unique fingerprint onto that program.
It’s even more understandable when it’s a first-time head coach.
The last two Oregon head coaches, Willie Taggert and Mario Cristobal made sure that the Ducks were their program, but largely ignored those who came before them.
So far, Dan Lanning seems to be taking a different route.
Lanning will surely make the Ducks into whatever image he sees fit, but he is trying to embrace Oregon history and make the past at least a part of his program.
He hasn’t even coached a game, but Lanning has made his way to several men’s and women’s basketball games and has been seen at PK Park a time or two.
One of the first things Lanning did after being hired was to reach out to some prominent Oregon legends of the past and make sure that they were welcomed into his Duck football program.
Some took him up on his offer.
For his initial Spring Game, an event Lanning wants to use as a major recruiting tool, the Oregon coach has invited De’Anthony Thomas and LaMichael James to be honorary offensive coordinators with Haloti Ngata and Arik Armstead filling the roles of defensive coordinators.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these four legends and so many other incredible alumni back to Autzen Stadium,” Lanning said.
“This program is built upon the foundation that all of our former Ducks have established, and we’re honored that they are returning to Eugene for this event. We need our fans to pack Autzen Stadium to welcome these guys back and create an awesome atmosphere for the Spring Game.”
Something like this would never have happened in the recent past.
“This is going to be a tremendous day for Oregon Athletics and for our fans,” Lanning said.
“We obviously want Autzen to be packed and rocking, but we also want to see our fans show out for all of the other terrific programs that are competing throughout the day. What a great opportunity to spend your day cheering on the Ducks and taking in some great events.”
Making something your own is perfectly fine, but recognizing the past and what led Oregon to where it is now isn’t a bad thing either.
Those legends returning back to Eugene have experienced success on the highest level at Oregon as well as in the NFL. Having current players and recruits visiting being able to tap into that knowledge will only help the Ducks now and into the future.
SPRING PRACTICE #3 – DAN LANNING DISCUSSES SPRING PRACTICE