Oregon’s Dan Lanning doesn’t regret Colorado jab

Oregon coach Dan Lanning doesn’t regret his jab at Colorado this summer, but he’s not looking to make things personal ahead of the Ducks’ matchup with the Buffaloes on Saturday.

“I don’t regret anything I’ve said,” Lanning said at his news conference on Monday evening. “At the end of the day, I wasn’t talking about Deion’s team, I was talking about the past and future for our team. But if that serves as material for them, great. I don’t think it’s going to have any bearing on the game or the success of the game.”

In July, Colorado announced plans to leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12. At Oregon’s preseason media day, Lanning was asked for his thoughts on the Buffaloes’ move.

“Not a big reaction,” Lanning said. “I’m trying to remember what they won to affect this conference. I don’t remember. Do you remember them winning anything? I don’t remember them winning anything.”

Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, Colorado has enjoyed just two winning seasons. Mike MacIntyre led Colorado to a 10-2 season in 2016 and won the Pac-12 South, but lost 41-10 to Washington in the Pac-12 title game and lost 38-8 to Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl. Karl Dorrell went 4-2 in his first season at Colorado in the 2020 season, shortened to six games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dorrell’s team lost 55-23 to Texas in the Alamo Bowl, Colorado’s only other bowl appearance during their time in the conference.

Colorado star Travis Hunter was asked about Lanning’s comments in August on his weekly online streaming show.

“We just basically gotta make them eat their words really. We can’t pick at ’em. He’s not saying anything bad he’s just saying we didn’t win anything,” Hunter said. “So it’s like, yeah we know we didn’t win anything, but we comin’.”

Former Colorado defensive back Nikko Reed entered the transfer portal on April 15 after two seasons at Colorado and committed to Oregon on May 15. Reed has broken up three passes and made one tackle so far this season for the Ducks, but Lanning downplayed any suggestion that Saturday’s game would be personal for Reed.

“I think every game’s different. I’m sure Nikko wants to go out there and perform really well. He doesn’t have to make the moment any bigger,” Lanning said. “I think the reality is our team just wants to go out there and perform well, every time they touch the field. I can’t speak to somebody else’s feelings.”

Both Colorado and Oregon enter Saturday’s matchup at 3-0, and Colorado has made a habit the last two weeks of calling out slights from opponents before and after games.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders and multiple Colorado players called out Nebraska coach Matt Rhule for his offseason comments about the transfer portal that weren’t directed at Colorado specifically. Last week, Sanders called in his mother to assist with a pregame speech before the Buffaloes’ rivalry game with Colorado State after Rams coach Jay Norvell criticized Sanders during the week.

“When I talk to grownups, I take my hat and my glasses off,” Norvell said. “That’s what my mother taught me.”

(Photo: Craig Strobeck / USA Today)