Oregon enters the 2024 season with lofty expectations. Coach Dan Lanning has executed a fairly seamless transition after taking over from Georgia, with a 22-5 record in his first two seasons in Eugene.
His Ducks are currently viewed as one of the top teams in the country, ranking second overall in ESPN's FPI and also taking second place in this week's preseason Big Ten Media Poll. Most experts predict that Dillon Gabriel and company will be participating in the expanded 12-team college football playoff.
Lanning was the first coach to speak today during Day 3 of the Big Ten Media Days, which are taking place in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
In his press conference, he described a general sense of enthusiasm surrounding Oregon as the season draws near, while tempering immediate expectations by adding that the Ducks are still a new-look team.
"We're grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Big Ten, excited about this opportunity in front of us and excited to see what this team does. It's a brand-new team, it's not the same team as last year. On our team right now, there are ten players that were on this team when I first got here, so you're talking about a new group," he said.
Lanning also noted certain advantages that Oregon receives from joining a new power conference.
"One, just having a clearer vision of our future. Obviously, this is the premier league in college football and [an advantage is] getting to be a part of that, to be a part of those storied traditions."
In addition to solidifying the team's competitive future, a more important -- and intriguing -- bonus was on the recruiting trail, according to Lanning.
"We've always been a team that's recruited nationally, but it's certainly made our footprint stronger here in the Midwest," he said. "We've always recruited East Coast to West Coast, but now having some of those games played in venues that are close to the players we're recruiting certainly helps."
Oregon has never been a team that has struggled with recruiting, but getting to tap into the Midwest talent pool could be huge for the program under Lanning, especially as the Ducks develop closer ties to the region. Playing games at Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio State may absolutely be a selling point to athletes hailing from those states.
Lanning and Oregon seem to be full of steam heading into the 2024 season and beyond, with the Big Ten glow still in full effect. And a potential recruiting boost is another nice Big Ten-related bonus.
