Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Random question for the fellow board members, what is one area you would really like to see the 2026 Oregon team improve from 2025? Obviously there are multiple areas we’d like to see them improve, but if you had to pick one, what would it be?

For me, I want to see the 2026 Oregon team finish games stronger, not allow opponents to sneak back in games. I feel like this has been a bit of an issue the last few years, but was quite obvious last year, but felt like there were a few games last year (Northwestern, Penn St, Iowa, USC) where Oregon either let up at the end allowing the opponents to cut into the lead, or Oregon simply failed to “step on the opponent’s throat” to ice the game.

I personally feel like this was due to a couple reasons, I do feel that the team last year had a bad tendency to get complacent with a lead. The defense stifled Penn State all game long but with a two touchdown lead got beat for a big TD then failed to win the game with a stop in regulation. Those games I mentioned Oregon did end up winning, but if a few other things go wrong perhaps Oregon loses more games last year and missed the playoffs. I also felt like the backups didn’t match the energy of the starters last year and that seems to be something Dan is focusing on in fall camp this year. I just watched highlights from the Northwestern game and noticed on Mixon’s interception Green was jogging back not even making an effort to block, and if he made an effort it could’ve been a pick six.

Oregon also felt very mistake prone, particularly on offense, and it seemed those mistakes kept opponents in the game. Iowa and USC come to mind where Oregon was in position to really put the pressure on them and dumb mistakes like interceptions or a guard stepping on Dante’s foot kept the offense from putting pressure on their opponent.

I’m sure there are other reasons but I really hope the 2026 team finishes games stronger, essentially ends games earlier, and that we don’t see the energy/effort fade with the backups in.


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Start stronger..bowl games
Finish
Dont get flustered

Side note....does anyone else still get a lil worried when they roll out the fg team? flashbacks I guess

With this defensive line and secondary, Oregon has to be able to get to the QB on 3rd down (and in general) far more often than they did in 2025.


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Offensive playcalling.

I want us to be better at taking advantage of our roster makeup and not be so stubborn about running the ball. We're about to see the best WR room in program history and I don't even think it's close. Our TE room is also scary good, right up there with the best it's ever been. And we have a returning stud QB who should be able to get the ball out quickly. Meanwhile, we have a very good (but non-elite) RB behind an inexperienced offensive line. The quick passing game is going to come easier than the run game. So THROW THE *****ING BALL!!! Use the pass to set up the run. Then, boom, you've got some balance! I don't want to see us running the ball 50/50 and wasting precious downs based on tendency/philosophy. Just please, until we're really confident in our O-line, just throw the ball a few more times to get things rolling. And then continue being logical like this over the course of the entire game. Don't be so conservative and don't conflate being dynamic with getting cute. No more dumb trick plays (which have much higher failure rates) in the red zone. When in doubt, air it out!

We've spent the past two seasons watching an incredibly skilled Oregon team spend a non-small amount of time just punching itself in the dick. I'm ready for that to be over. Dan Lanning is a great young coach, but I'm eager for him to evolve into simply being a great coach. That means doing whatever is necessary to make sure your coordinators are building winning gameplans. That's what I want to see this season. We have all the pieces to make a championship run, but Dan Lanning has to rise up and put it all together. Yes, I know he's a defensive-minded coach. But if Ted Lasso can learn offsides then Dan Lanning can learn what good offense looks like.

whosyourwally wrote:With this defensive line and secondary, Oregon has to be able to get to the QB on 3rd down (and in general) far more often than they did in 2025.


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Absolutely! The Oregon defense was pretty bad at short yard situation, their 4th down defense was one of the worst in the nation last year and the redzone defense wasn’t much better. I personally think part of it was Tosh’s playcalling and I think it will improve quite a bit under Hampton. I was happy to see Hampton address this in the most recent Under Construction episode.


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I hope next time we play a team for the second time in a season it doesnt end in a loss because we rolled out the exact same gameplan as last time.

Donte reading a defense pre and post snap
Better protection on obvious passing downs from the OL
Inside DL pressure, finishing at the QB or TFL
Better side to side LB play and TFL
More aggressive defensive play calling, corner/safety blitzing. This secondary should be able to shut down most team’s WR room.

Lastly if we are going to throw 30 WR screens a game at least run a few fakes and throw to Evan Stewart over the top.

I want to see them outscore EVERY opponent this year rather than every opponent except one (like the last three seasons).

Greenblood wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2026 3:28 pm I want to see them outscore EVERY opponent this year rather than every opponent except one (like the last three seasons).

Hah, sign me up for this one.

Just improve on short distance downs and red zone, and the team willl be in the title game. Last year it was almost a lock for a TD if the other team got to the red zone. And 3-4 shirt was almost always converted. I think we were either last or close to last in college football for both categories

pezsez1 wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 7:43 am
Meanwhile, we have a very good (but non-elite) RB behind an inexperienced offensive line.

ATQ from their advanced statistics approach, recently had some interesting observations about Davison and Hill:

"The second between-the-tackles runner returns, true sophomore #0 RB Davison, who posted an incredible 66.0% efficiency rate on 83 meaningful carries... Another then true-freshman, #6 RB Hill... his overall success rate came out to an impressive 66.7% on 54 meaningful carries."

Almost 67% efficiency/success rate on 137 meaningful carries (just for comparison sake, Ohio State's then true freshman RB Bo Jackson had a 48% efficiency/success rate on 150 meaningful carries last season). If not elite yet, those efficiency/success numbers for the young Duck RB should at least probably qualify as on the list of "elite-adjacent".

spacefrog13x wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 2:11 pm I hope next time we play a team for the second time in a season it doesnt end in a loss because we rolled out the exact same gameplan as last time.

Very Mario-esque, but also Lanning-ish. I am hopeful Dan has learned the lesson. Mario was too bullheaded to change his gameplan. I’m putting good money down that the Ducks don’t ever lose two games in a season again, to Indiana. But I can see a horrid situation that, if matched against the Fuckeyes at the shoe, then again at some neutral site, losing two in a row to the same team is a possibility. So looking forward to game week, GO DUCKS!