Dan Lanning, Players Talk Win Over Penn State

 

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — On a night when more than 100,000 Penn State fans blanketed Beaver Stadium in white, Oregon didn’t blink.

The Ducks walked into one of the most intimidating atmospheres in college football and walked out with a 30–24 double-overtime victory — a game head coach Dan Lanning called the best he’s ever been a part of.

“Well, that was I think that’s the best game I’ve ever been a part of and regardless of who won that game, just unbelievable back and forth,” Lanning said. “Penn State is a damn good football team. They figured out some stuff there against us at the end. I mean every series mattered.”

Painting on a white canvas

For weeks, Oregon had heard the talk about the “White Out.” Players spoke about how the environment might rattle a visiting team, how the noise could shake even veterans.

Lanning turned it into motivation.

“We said the White Out was really gonna be a white canvas for us today,” he said. “We get an opportunity to paint our masterpiece, and those guys did it. Did an unbelievable job of just going out there and executing every play and playing the next play. I thought we had really good composure throughout the game.”

Quarterback Dante Moore, who finished with 248 passing yards and three touchdowns, leaned into the same mindset.

“Coach Lanning always told me there could be 200,000 fans, but they can’t make a block, they can’t make a catch, they can’t make a play,” Moore said. “It’s really just 11 on 11 football at the end of the day. That’s what kept me calm.”

Moore called the experience “a dream come true.”

“Playing in a White Out game, things like that are what you pray about and dream about as a kid,” he said. “We just knew it was going to be us on the road, and not many fans behind us. But our brothers were going to be our brothers’ keepers. That was the difference.”

Aggression defines the Ducks

Oregon set the tone early by going for fourth downs, converting five of seven. It was a risk-reward decision that tilted the game.

“We were really clear before the game — regardless of the result, we’re coming here to win the game, and we’re coming here to be aggressive,” Lanning said. “We went through the Rolodex today. Converted five of seven. Every one of those fourth downs mattered.”

Moore loved the trust.

“As a quarterback, that’s something you love — knowing your coach trusts you and the offense,” he said. “Everybody knows Coach Lanning, man — fourth-and-one, we’re going for it. That gives us confidence.”

Death by a thousand cuts

The Ducks’ mantra all week was “death by a thousand cuts,” and Lanning hammered it home even in the postgame.

“This game was about a thousand cuts,” he said. “We’re getting another cut, then another cut, then another cut. The game ain’t over until it’s over, right? But that was about us stacking cuts. Our players knew we were going to get as many cuts in as we can. That’s how we won it.”

Linebacker Dillon Thieneman, whose interception in double overtime sealed the game, said the defense took the message literally.

“It was just stacking the little things,” Thieneman said. “One play here, stopping the run, holding them under three yards. Offense making a positive play. Special teams doing their job. Just stacking those plays, stacking those cuts. And we were going to take them down.”

The defining play

When the final snap came in the second overtime, Thieneman knew what to expect.

“I saw the tight end on the wheel so I was carrying him a little bit, then got my eyes back to the QB and the ball was right there,” he said. “I just picked it off and it didn’t feel real in the moment. Then everyone was running on the field. It was a very cool moment.”

Lanning explained that Oregon had prepared all week for the exact play.

“We felt like they were going to run what we call score out off of that,” Lanning said. “We wanted to have a good answer for the speed sweep and the score out. They ended up throwing the score out, and we intercepted it.”

Thieneman, just a sophomore, was humble about his role. “I had some mistakes earlier, I think we all did. But we stayed composed. When the time came, we were ready,” he said.

Moore’s growth

Moore wasn’t just efficient on the stat sheet; he played with a command that impressed his coach.

“Anybody who watches that game — that guy’s composure, his poise,” Lanning said. “Even on the first overtime, we’re about to throw a screen into the boundary. He has the wherewithal not to throw it, turn around, and get us into a fourth-and-one. That’s just one example of the poise he had, the command he had of our offense.”

Moore credited his growth to hard lessons.

“I thought back to my freshman year at Utah, first road start — I wasn’t confident in the game plan. I was 17 years old, and it showed,” he said. “This time, I was confident. The team pushed me in practice. We blasted music all week to prepare for the noise. I just trusted my reads.”

Even when he took hits, Moore leaned on his coach.

“There was a lot of hits,” Moore said with a grin. “Coach Lanning would look at me and say, take a deep breath. The theme of the week was 1,000 cuts. He’d tell me, breathe in, that’s another cut toward Penn State.”

Culture wins games

Linebacker Bryce Boettcher said the program’s foundation is why Oregon survived.

“It’s all about culture,” Boettcher said. “Most physical football team always wins, and it starts in practice. We wear pads Monday through Thursday. Some guys think it’s ridiculous, but it shows up when it needs to.”

That physicality showed in the trenches. Oregon’s defensive front, shredded for nearly 300 rushing yards by Penn State in the Big Ten title game last December, held the Nittany Lions to 139 yards on 35 carries.

“We found some flaws in our game last year, and guess what we’ll do? We’ll go correct ’em,” Lanning said. “This program’s about growth, right? Doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or a senior. A head coach has got to grow. I’ve got to get better.”

Running back depth shines

Oregon also leaned on its depth at running back. Noah Whittington returned from injury, Dierre Hill Jr. broke loose for 82 yards, and Jordon Davison powered home a short touchdown.

“Happy birthday, Jordon,” Lanning said with a smile. “That running back room is selfless, they love each other. Coach Samples has done an unbelievable job with that group.”

Moore praised Hill’s versatility. “Dierre was huge,” he said. “He gave us juice when we needed it. That touchdown screen was a turning point.”

The meaning of growth

For Lanning, the win was bigger than just a road result.

“This is a huge growth moment for our entire team,” he said. “That crowd’s probably worth seven points, right, and they really weren’t tonight. The only time we beat ourselves is when we beat ourselves. Our guys handled that environment, and it ended up not being a factor. That’s why you play college football.”

Moore, asked for final thoughts, just smiled. “We came out with the win. It’s a blessing, man,” he said. “Now it’s about taking care of our bodies and getting ready for the next one.”