If you talk to either Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning or quarterback Bo Nix, one of the most important factors of success on the football field is the relationships that go into creating a team. Whether it’s between players or coaches, there has long been an intention to get everyone in the program as close as possible in order to create an environment where everyone plays for the guys standing right next to them.
A year ago, we saw the value of relationships bear out on the gridiron. Nix transferred to Eugene before the season to follow offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, whom he played under for a year with the Auburn Tigers. Dillingham came to Eugene to join Dan Lanning, whom he had coached with at Memphis and Arizona State.
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Relationships were a major factor in constructing the 2022 Ducks, and I think you can contribute a lot of Oregon’s success to that. Now, with Dillingham leaving to take the head coaching job for the Sun Devils, those relationships are still driving both Nix and Lanning as they look forward to a matchup with Dillingham at the end of the 2023 season.
“I was thrilled when he told me,” Nix said of learning that Dillingham was leaving Oregon. “I couldn’t have been happier. Probably the same excitement he had for me. I can’t wait to beat his tail in November, though. I’m excited about that. Great relationship we’ll have for the rest of our lives.”
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While it may have been a surprise for many Oregon fans that Dillingham was leaving the Ducks after just one season, Nix says that he saw it coming as soon as the job opened up. With Dillingham’s background at ASU, having gone to school there and started his coaching career in Tempe, it was a no-brainer for the up-and-coming offensive mastermind.
“As soon as the job was open, I knew he was going to get the job,” Nix said. “Just what kind of person he is, what kind of coach he is. I knew his determination. He was going to go out and get it because that’s his dream. We always go after our dreams or goals.”
For Lanning, the two go back a long time, having been on a number of coaching staffs together and developing their coaching methodology along the way. Dillingham was among the first hires that Lanning made when he came to Eugene, so it’s no surprise that the Ducks’ head coach is looking forward to meeting his friend in a few months on the field.
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“When you play him it’s gonna be like playing your brother,” Lanning said. “Like if I was playing my brother basketball right now, I’d want to whoop his ass. That’s the goal. But Kenny’s a competitor too. And he’s a great coach. And obviously, he’s familiar with that area that’s home for him. I think you’ll do great things with Sun Devils.”
Oregon and Arizona State don’t meet until Week 12 of the season on November 18 down in Tempe. Based on the optimistic outlook in 2023 for the Ducks, there’s a good chance that it will be a meaningful game between the two. Get your popcorn ready.
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