"I love everything about it": Dan Lanning gets 100% real about his experience in Big Ten conference

After a major conference realignment, the Oregon Ducks officially joined the Big Ten conference in 2024 after a brief stint in the Pac-12. It was coach Dan Lanning's first season in a new conference and third year in Eugene. Nothing could have gone more perfectly with the Ducks sheerly dominating the entire league effortlessly.

They coursed through the regular season with a 13-0 record and punched a Rose Bowl ticket. Although they lost to eventual national champions Ohio State in the postseason, overall, it was a perfect year for Lanning and his coaching career.

Speaking about the campaign to “Bussin’ with the Boys” this week, Lanning mentioned that the experience of playing in a new conference was surreal. Especially in a conference like the Big Ten, where there are top programs like Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State dominating.

The Ducks sealed their arrival with a Big Ten championship and sent a clear message to all their league rivals.

“I loved everything about it. I enjoyed being at this conference. I think it starts with our conference, you know, with Tony Petitti, our conference commissioner, the schools that are a part of it make this a lot of fun,” Lanning said to former NFL stars Will Compton and Taylor Lewan on Tuesday. [Timestamp - 1:50:39]

“You know, the travel for football is a lot different than maybe the other sports, like, it's enjoyable for us. So, yeah, it was everything, you know, you got some unbelievable teams, you know, really competitive conferences, really cool venues. I think it's a lot of fun for our players and our staff,” he added.

Dan Lanning will have a new quarterback in 2025

After Dillon Gabriel's departure to the NFL, Dan Lanning now has a job to make his QB1 pick for the Ducks' 2025 season. Looking at the current scenario, it would most probably be redshirt sophomore Dante Moore, who has already shown great signs of improvement.

While speaking to Oregon Ducks reporter Bri Amaranthus, Lanning spoke highly of Moore's skill set.

He made confident remarks on the young quarterback’s chances to lead the program, saying that he has learned to adapt and make calls accordingly. No doubt, it's a national championship that's on the cards for Dan Lanning heading into 2025.