Massive Insights On Oregon Ducks’ Dan Lanning Bold Claims to Intentional 12-Man Penalty Over Ohio State
During his weekly pregame press conference, Oregon Duck Footballs’ head coach alluded to intentionally committing a penalty to run out the clock in Oregon’s marquee win vs. the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The discussion has been buzzing on social media since the Oregon Ducks’ tense win over the Ohio State Buckeyes: did Oregon coach Dan Lanning deliberately incur a penalty to run down the clock? Many football fans and analysts suggest that Lanning intentionally put 12 players on the field during the second-to-last play, resulting in a penalty for illegal substitution on Jamaree Caldwell. This call removed four seconds from the game clock and put Ohio State in a difficult position with limited time remaining.
When asked about it during his weekly pregame press conference before Oregon’s game against Purdue, Lanning provided some clarity on the situation.
“(Jabbar Muhammad) wasn’t in one-on-one coverage; we actually had a safety over the top. It’s called ‘dog’ coverage—he wasn’t in extremely tight coverage, but he was covered with a safety helping him. There was also a timeout before that. We put a lot of effort into situational plays, some of which don’t come up frequently in college football, but we clearly prepared for this one. The result speaks for itself,” Lanning stated.
While he was somewhat evasive in his response, it suggests more of an acknowledgment than a denial. Lanning’s admission that the team practiced this scenario implies a likelihood that he and his staff intended to have an extra defender on that play.
The pivotal moment occurred with just one play left in the game. After Oregon’s final offensive push resulted in a 19-yard field goal from Atticus Sappington, they led the Buckeyes narrowly at 32-31. Instead of running down the clock, Coach Lanning opted to let his defense finish the game.
“Yeah, we were focused on scoring a touchdown the whole time. But we recognized the advantage of keeping the clock moving so they’d have to use their timeouts, limiting their opportunities at the end. We didn’t want them to have all three timeouts remaining. On that third down play at the goal line, we tried to score, but they made a great stop. So we kicked the field goal and decided to rely on our defense,” Lanning explained in his post-game press conference.
The Buckeyes began their final drive from their own 25-yard line and, with only ten seconds left, reached Oregon’s 43-yard line needing 25 yards for a first down (10 yards shy of field goal range). After a lengthy timeout, as Lanning mentioned, the Ducks’ defense returned to the field for the snap. With an additional safety covering, the Buckeyes gained no yards but were awarded a 5-yard penalty. This left them with six seconds on the clock, faced with the choice of attempting a 55-yard field goal or having quarterback Will Howard throw a Hail Mary. In a surprising move, Howard opted to scramble, sliding down on the turf and handing the victory to the Ducks.
Many analysts, including sports media personality Dan Patrick and former coach Rick Neuheisel, have been lauding Lanning for his strategy online after the game.
“Here’s what I’ve learned about defensive coaches,” Neuheisel remarked. “They know every trick in the book.”
He then recounted a similar experience from his coaching days at UCLA when facing Arizona State.
“Years ago, Arizona State had thirteen players on the field during a second down and goal from the seven-yard line with eight seconds remaining in the first half. Our quarterback couldn’t find an open receiver and ended up throwing the ball out of bounds. As a result of the penalty, we got half the distance to the goal, but with only three seconds left, we had to settle for a field goal. They effectively outsmarted us by having that extra player on the field,” Neuheisel explained.
To Neuheisel and many others, it seemed Lanning was well aware of this penalty tactic. As Lanning mentioned, “you can see the result,” and Neuheisel praised the strategic maneuvering by the Ducks.
“Lanning called a timeout when he noticed the bunch formation. Typically, when facing a bunch of three receivers closely grouped together, you would match up in and out with someone on the point. But against two receivers going in or out, you usually end up at a leverage disadvantage. By placing an additional player on top of that bunch, you eliminate that issue. This was the twelfth player on the field. The five yards gained were worth the five seconds. It was a brilliant move by Oregon,” Neuheisel stated.
ESPN College Gameday analyst Kirk Herbstreit also ranked Lanning at the top of his weekly coach’s poll.
With Lanning’s subtle confirmation of the strategy, it seems the following post on “X” (formerly Twitter) may hold some validity:
if Dan Lanning purposefully sent 12 men out there to bleed clock and put OSU in an “impossible” situation
Statue
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) October 13, 2024