There’s no question Washington week is something much different than any other week during the football season.
Not even ‘Civil War’ week and Oregon State can muster the level of pure venom when it comes to facing the Huskies.
And it’s likely the same for the Dawgs when the conversation turns to Oregon.
In years past, including when the Ducks were led by Cristobal, Helfrich, and Kelly, each pushed aside the notion of husky hatred or circling this game on the calendar.
It was always, ‘it’s just another game,….a faceless opponent.’
For Dan Lanning, it’s not that way. He’s fully aware of this specific Pacific Northwest rivalry and has bought in on what it a win would mean.
And he’s certainly not afraid to express those feelings.
What the Oregon fanbase should be excited about is Dan Lanning has that killer instinct. He’s very aware of what this game means, not just to his team, but to Duck Nation.
“I think the biggest piece is everyone in our organization realizes how important this game is, not just to us, but also to our fanbase,…and everybody who’s affiliated with the university,” said Lanning on Wednesday.
“We want to go out there and perform at a high level.”
If you’re not quite sure of Lanning’s mindset and his ferocity to excel, simply go back to last year’s National Championship game when Georgia throttled No. 1 Alabama 33-18 in the rematch.
Lanning’s defense was fierce in leading the Bulldogs to their first college football championship since 1980.
And it wasn’t just the defense that was fierce, it was also Lanning’s mindset.
Every time the national television cameras focused their attention on Lanning on the sideline he was lathered in sweat and snarled like a dog as if you were attempting to steal his bone.
Lanning simply hates to lose.
And conversely, he does everything in his power to win!
This week during his team’s practice sessions Lanning executed his own version of mind control or coercive persuasion by constantly playing ‘Bow Down to Washington’ on the loudspeakers.
According to many of the Oregon players ‘Bow Down to Washington’ has been played every day and in every situation possible. It’s become one of those songs where you just want to rip the radio right out of your car and toss it out the window.
He played it so much that his players have outwardly become a little snarly themselves.
“I’ve heard way to much of it all practice” explained safety Bennett Williams when asked about hearing the UW fight song during practice.
“Despite many efforts to try get him (Lanning) to turn it off, he just turns it up louder. I’m done hearing that. Hopefully we don’t hear it at all on Saturday.
“I flush it right after every single practice,…just flush it and get it out of there.”
It’s the same for CB Trikweze Bridges.
“I’m tired of it’ said Bridges.
“I’m tired of it. I don’t plan on hearing it at Autzen. It’s just annoying to hear it at practice.”
When asked about his coercive persuasion of playing the song and its effect on his team, Lanning shrugged and told reporters “I don’t know,…I’m not sure. I just want it to be on the forefront of our guy’s minds,…we’ll see.”
DAILY PRESSER; DAN LANNING DISCUSSES WASHINGTON
OREGON CB TRIKWEZE BRIDGES HATES HEARING THE UW FIGHT SONG