Dan Lanning’s Oregon looks like Chip Kelly’s Oregon, at Kelly’s expense

EUGENE, Ore. — The onside kick, the play Oregon had practiced all week, bounced and bounced and bounced, touchdown into the arms of sliding kicker Andrew Boyle.

On the Oregon sideline, coach Dan Lanning pumped his fists and kicked out a leg. A capability crowd of 59,962 at Autzen Stadium, the fourth largest in program historical past, erupted. The Geese have been on their means.

Two months in the past, Oregon was embarrassed on school soccer’s opening Saturday by Georgia, a 49-3 loss in Atlanta. On Saturday, the nation noticed not solely a vastly improved workforce however a imaginative and prescient of Oregon’s previous. In a convincing 45-30 win over No. 9 UCLA, the No. 10 Geese have been daring, aggressive and, for many of a wet afternoon, unstoppable.

They seemed like Chip Kelly’s Geese.

That is nothing towards Mark Helfrich, who led Oregon to the nationwide championship sport on the finish of the 2014 season, or Mario Cristobal, who received two Pac-12 titles earlier than leaving for Miami final winter. Each discovered totally different ranges of success, however since Kelly left in 2012, one thing has been lacking. A spark, an perspective, one thing.

This win over Kelly’s beforehand unbeaten UCLA workforce received’t outline Oregon, simply because the loss to Georgia didn’t in September, nevertheless it served as a reminder of what this system as soon as seemed like, and with continuity, what it quickly might turn out to be once more.

On show was a senior switch quarterback in excellent rhythm together with his 32-year-old offensive coordinator, Kenny Dillingham. An offensive line that overpowered what entered the weekend because the Pac-12’s top-ranked protection. Well timed particular groups play and a protection that restricted UCLA to area objectives when it mattered most.

On the coronary heart of it was Lanning.

When Kelly received Oregon rolling in 2009, going 46-7 over 4 seasons, Lanning was simply getting began on this enterprise, a graduate assistant sleeping within the soccer workplaces at Pitt. Like Kelly, his ascension throughout the sport has been swift. After successful a nationwide championship as defensive coordinator at Georgia, he turned the Pac-12’s youngest coach final December, 4 months shy of 36.

Main as much as Saturday’s sport, Lanning mentioned this week felt like highschool homecoming. ESPN’s “Faculty GameDay” was on the town. It marked the convention’s first conflict of AP prime 10 groups because the 2016 Pac-12 title sport. However Lanning lowered it to a easy soccer sport and nothing extra.

“Preserve the primary factor the primary factor.”

“Play the sport, not the second.”

“The usual is the usual.”

Below Kelly, this system’s defining attribute was all the time velocity. On Saturday, it was confidence. The onside kick was proof. Oregon had simply taken a 17-10 lead within the second quarter. UCLA, which had scored on its first two possessions, ready to obtain.

Whoops.

“That was one thing we wished to do,” mentioned Lanning, explaining that Oregon noticed the onside kick was there after its earlier two scores. “It seemed like there was some climate coming in. We felt like if there was an opportunity to steal a possession, it might be earlier than the climate actually hit.”

After Boyle’s restoration, Oregon marched 54 yards in eight performs to take a 24-10 lead. That sequence wobbled UCLA. The knockout punch got here a short while later.

At halftime, the Geese mentioned physicality and the way they wanted to run the ball to shut out the Bruins. That’s precisely what they did.

UCLA opened the second half with a 53-yard drive that led to a area aim. The Geese took over on the Oregon 18 and put the sport out of attain with a defining 15-play, 82-yard scoring drive.

Twice on the possession Oregon confronted fourth-and-1, as soon as on the Oregon 27 and once more on the Oregon 38. Each instances, the Geese went for it. Each instances they picked up the primary down. “We knew we have been going for it,” Lanning mentioned. “We have been speaking about it earlier than it will get to fourth-and-1.”

Later within the drive, Oregon confronted third-and-8 on the UCLA 45, an apparent passing scenario. As a substitute, Bucky Irving ran up the center for the primary down. The offense completed with 545 whole yards. Over their final 4 contests, the Geese have averaged 45.8 factors and 566 yards.

Quarterback Bo Nix was excellent. He was in management from the beginning, stealing the highlight from UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who entered the day as a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate. Earlier than transferring to Oregon final December, Nix performed three seasons at Auburn. Seldom in these three years did he look as sharp as this. Nix accomplished 22 of 28 passes for 283 yards and 5 touchdowns. Not solely did he not throw an interception, he by no means actually put the ball in jeopardy. He additionally rushed for 51 yards.

“I don’t assume anyone can watch our quarterback play and inform me he’s not an elite quarterback,” Lanning mentioned.

Nix credited Oregon’s scheme for his sturdy play, along with his relationship with offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham. The Geese scored on their first six full possessions. They didn’t punt till the sport was out of attain within the fourth quarter. They by no means turned the ball over.

“Proper now, seven video games in, we’re as shut and simply related offensively and pondering the identical a lot, I do know what he desires on the sector,” mentioned Nix of his relationship with Dillingham; the 2 additionally overlapped at Auburn in 2019. “He trusts me with what I see. If I see one thing or I don’t like one thing, he permits me to (change the play). He by no means says something. Even when it’s a destructive play. It’s all the time simply ‘subsequent play.’”

The Geese have momentum. It could not result in a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff — that Georgia beatdown is a troublesome hurdle — however Saturday supplied a signature second for Lanning and his employees. The Geese seemed just like the previous Geese.

“I’m excited for our gamers to have success,” Lanning mentioned. “I’m excited for our coaches to have success. I’m excited for our college and a few people who assist this college a lot to see that success. I don’t wish to get in the best way of that, however I’m actually thrilled to see our guys proceed to develop.

“What I need is that on the finish of the season (is for) us to be enjoying our greatest soccer. We’re nonetheless not there, however we’re getting higher each week. That’s the half that excites me.”

(Photograph: Tom Hauck / Getty Photographs)