Dan Lanning has certainly made the grade for Oregon through eight weeks of the 2022 Pac-12 football season. Lincoln Riley and Lanning have both been very successful in their first seasons at their new schools … at least up to this point.
That’s an important nuance.
A downturn in November would not necessarily make people forget about what they have accomplished through nearly two full months on the job in Eugene and Los Angeles, but late-season struggles would certainly take the shine off very promising seasons.
Both Oregon and USC are legitimate contenders for the Pac-12 championship and a New Year’s Six bowl game. Oregon has pole position in the Pac-12 race, but if USC wins out, it will likely make the Pac-12 title game and have everything to play for in Las Vegas, the city of high rollers everywhere.
Let’s look at Lanning and Riley, with help from Zachary Neel of Ducks Wire, who gathered quotes from Lanning after Oregon’s win over UCLA.