By Kyle Golik
As many have read my columns about Oregon over the last few years under Dan Lanning, I have been a major proponent of the program. No marketing department in the nation can top what Oregon’s does. Look at the various Heisman campaigns or having The Duck visit all the campuses during this offseason, even being chased out by Brutus at The Rotunda. What seems to be a combination of everything great Oregon possesses has yielded something that reeks of desperation and wanting something sooner than they can have it.
In your life, have you ever encountered that person that seeks validation? You probably have, and think of that encounter with an individual that tries so hard to receive validation from you. How annoying was it?
This is what Oregon is doing right now.
It is desperate to get validation from Big Ten rivals and wants Big Ten opponents to give it to them.
On the “Bleav In Oregon” podcast, one of their hosts said the following, “If you’re an Ohio State fan, we want you to hate us.”
“If you’re an Ohio State fan, we want you to hate us. That’s the goal."
For over 100 years, the Buckeyes have called Michigan “That Team Up North” to avoid saying the Wolverines' name.
Well, here come the Oregon Ducks — That Team Out West.
(@BleavNetwork @BetOnline_ag) pic.twitter.com/BF5Zx6xIyf— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) August 1, 2024
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Here is a newsflash for Oregon, Ohio State hates one school and one school only. Yes, they don’t refer to them by name. For a certain week of the year, the alphabet in and around the state of Ohio has 25 recognized letters. Even programs like Penn State, who have now been in the Big Ten for 30-plus years, who have had many classic encounters with Ohio State winning the lion’s share of them, doesn’t even move the needle. Michigan State joined the Big Ten in 1949, and over the years had epic clashes, and even shares the same state as a school they don’t like to mention and the hate meter isn’t close to the same level as a certain school in Ann Arbor.
While it may seem I have zeroed in on a certain podcast that isn’t school-related, have you caught the trailer for the school-produced “Hard Knocks” style called appropriately, “That Team Out West”?
In the trailer, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning doubles down with the following, “When they come play The Team Out West, we should be a pain in the ass.” Again, I get the “coach speak” to motivate players, it’s no different than prior to Colorado, “They’re fighting for clicks, we’re fighting for wins,” but everything Lanning does is calculated. Even in the announcement video of Lanning staying at Oregon, Lanning was measured in saying that he was a “finisher,” and even during the video it said “if you’re scared your coach is leaving, then come play for us, the Ducks aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not leaving.”
What Oregon wants to be through promotion and trying to speak it into existence is where Southern California is already as a program. Southern California against Big Ten teams that have never been part of the Pac-12 has a record of 75-30-3, with a combined record against Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Nebraska of 29-18-2, and a winning record against 17 of the 18 Big Ten teams (4-4 against Michigan State). Oregon has only winning records against Purdue, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan State with a combined record of 12-7.
Southern California is the bluest of blue bloods, their 24 Rose Bowl wins – mainly against Big Ten foes – is more than Ohio State and Michigan’s combined total (18).
No one hears Lincoln Riley or Southern California trotting around boasting their “That Team Out West.” No one in Troy is bolstering; they are going to be a pain in the ass for opponents. Southern California spent a century walking the walk and talking the talk. They have the trophy case and resume to back it up.
As Dan Lanning said at Big Ten Media Days, “We’re mighty different, mighty different in a lot of ways. You look out there in the pond, you’ll see a big old duck. I hope we get to travel that duck to all our away games this year. We’re mighty different when it comes to the jerseys we get to wear or the facilities we’re in. We’re innovative. We’ve always been on the cutting edge of everything we do. We certainly positioned ourself to be on the cutting edge, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to compete in the Big Ten,” maybe just keep some things internal to your team.
There is nothing wrong with believing in being the best team, and look, Lanning is the hottest coaching commodity in the country and Oregon might be the hottest they ever been as a program. To quote the “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “Space Mountain maybe the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line,” Oregon has a long way to go to ever catch Southern California in prestige and earn the title of “That Team Out West.” To be honest, they may never even come close.
