There's a very good chance that you're witnessing rock bottom for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks.
Well, at least what fans would hope is rock bottom.
On Saturday afternoon, Lanning's team lost its third game of the season, all but eliminating their chances at making it to the College Football Playoff and largely devaluing the remainder of the season before we even get out of the month of October.
Oregon has its excuses if it wants to use them — they were down four of their top five wide receivers due to either injury or in-house discipline, or both — and had to watch as starting quarterback Dante Moore continued to take in the game from the sideline. But once again, this Ducks team looked lifeless and poorly coached as a less-talented, lower-paid
team pushed them around between the hash marks.
There will be a lot of news that comes from this, and potentially some staffing changes. For now, though, let's look at some of our biggest takeaways from the loss.
And End to the Season
For the first time in Dan Lanning's tenure as a head coach, his team will go into the month of November with no real stakes on the line each Saturday. The Ducks would win out from here, but with three losses already on the record, there is an incredibly slim chance that they compete for a spot in the Big Ten Conference Title Game, let alone a spot in the College Football Playoff.
And even if there were stakes, what have you seen from this team over the last month that gives you any sort of confidence that they have business competing with the other top teams in the nation?
At this point, it feels like a pretty good time to start looking toward the future. There will be staffing changes — or at least there should be — and unfortunately, the Ducks will likely lose a few starters to the transfer portal when the time comes. But while this roster is still together, I think it would be a good idea to start figuring out answers to questions that are going to come after this year.
Who is the QB going to be next year? I truly have no idea, but I'd like to see Akili Smith Jr. get a chance at some reps here over the next few games. Who will the play-caller be in 2027? I can't imagine it's someone who is currently in Eugene, but why not give Ra'Shaad Samples or Ross Douglas a crack at things?
The Ducks aren't going to be playing for a national championship this year, which is a tough thing to say less than 2 months after they entered the year among the favorites to do so. While this season may be lost, the program isn't. Time to start building for next year.
Dante Moore
It pains me to say it, but I think we've seen the last snaps that Dante Moore will take in an Oregon uniform.
There were hopes that he would return from his concussion next week against Northwestern, preparing him for a tough road trip against the Ohio State Buckeyes in early November, but with the Ducks all but eliminated from playoff contention, it is not in his best interest to continue playing at the collegiate level. He needs to focus on his future, and his future is the NFL.
If this truly is it, then Oregon fans should pay their respects and thank him for what he's brought to Eugene. There were some ups and downs, but for the most part, he was a fantastic player, fantastic teammate, and fantastic person. It's unfortunate for him that his college career couldn't have ended differently, but we're all hoping that he has a long and successful playing career ahead of him.
A Thank You to the Defense
I think when all is said and done, this is among the best and most talented defenses that Oregon has had in the Dan Lanning era, and it's frustrating to think that fans likely won't get to see what it can do in high-leverage moments late in November or December.
While the defense struggled against Illinois in the second half on Saturday, they were great in the first two quarters, and good enough in the second half for an average offensive unit to win a game handily. The Illini finished the game with 314 total yards, a majority of which came on the ground — Oregon gave up just 93 rushing yards in the first half, but 132 in the second half. The defensive line played well, coming away with three total sacks in the game.
Oregon has a lot of problems this year, but the defense has turned out not to be one of them. Players like Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti, Bear Alexander, and A'Mauri Washington all came back for one more season with hopes of competing for a national championship, and instead, they're seeing their season all but end in mid-October. That's frustrating for everyone involved.
The Offensive Line
For once, it wasn't the offensive line that was the main culprit in why an Oregon team didn't win this year. The Ducks trotted out yet another new starting lineup on Saturday, this time with freshman Tommy Tofi at left guard, and the unit played well. Oregon had a lot of success running the ball, totaling 180 yards on the ground with one touchdown, and they didn't allow Raiola to take many hits.
Ultimately, there are a few silver linings that we saw in this game that you can take forward. Tofi looked good, and there were some bright spots from right guard Douglas Utu and left tackle Fox Crader. As always, veteran center Iapani Laloulu was stout in the middle. If this is the unit that Oregon rolls with going forward, they should have an improved rushing attack.
Gage Hurych
We all know about the "announcer jinx" with kickers, but I think there might be a bit of a "media jinx" as well. For the first time this year, Oregon kicker Gage Hurych was made available for interviews. It made sense, as he was 9-for-9 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra points this year.
Of course, the jinx would have him miss his first three field goals of the year in this game.
The kicks were not easy, so it's unfair to blame him. Hurych went 1-for-4 on the day, knocking through a 20-yarder, but missing attempts from 47, 52, and 53 yards. Ultimately, the game did not come down to his foot, and the Ducks could have put him in better positions to succeed. However, it is still frustrating and unfortunate to have a player rightfully touted for all of his success, just for him to go out and have his first major career struggles.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 5 takeaways from Oregon's rock-bottom loss to Illinois
