Instant reaction: Lanning’s inexperience can’t be an excuse anymore

Dan Lanning’s coaching decisions were something left to be desired as Oregon goes down to the Beavers.

Oregon had this game in Corvallis in hand.

The Ducks were up 31-10 with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter. But then Oregon State went on a 28-3 run to end the game and the Beavers came away with a stunning 38-34 win. When all is said and done, OSU received a lot of help during the scoring run from many, many questionable coaching decisions from the Ducks’ coaching staff.

Usually here at DucksWire. we like to stay away from criticizing the coaches because they know a lot more than we do. But it’s not out there to say the coaches, not the players, cost the team not only a win, but a chance to win the Pac-12 title.

The Ducks left a couple of field goal chances off the board, couldn’t stop the Beavers’ running attack, and for some reason head coach Dan Lanning went for it on a 4th-and-1 on their own 29-line line with the lead in the fourth quarter. It was the same play that ensured the Utah win, a quarterback sneak off to the left side.

But unlike the Utes, the Beavers were ready for it.

OSU scored a couple of plays later to take the lead. The Ducks gave up 268 yards on the ground, most in the second half. We haven’t even mentioned a fumble by the punter on their own 1-yard line or a kickoff return that went 10 yards.

There were so many baffling things that didn’t go the Ducks’ way that it was hard to keep track of. But one thing is for certain. If Lanning can’t adjust on the fly, which he hasn’t shown the ability to as of yet, no matter how well he recruits, he won’t be a head coach for very long.

That may seem to be unfair, but that’s just the reality of the business. Losing to the Huskies and the Beavers in the same season won’t go over well with the fans or the donors. And it could have been avoided if Lanning wasn’t so stubborn.

There’s a fine line between aggressiveness and stupidity and Lanning hasn’t been able to figure out when to cross that line and when not to. It’s too late to figure it out this season. Perhaps with a full season under his belt and an off-season to review things, Lanning will learn from these mistakes.

But if he doesn’t, the Ducks will be on another coaching search in the next four years because Oregon losing to its two big rivals in the same season is unacceptable in Eugene.

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