McLaughlin: Disappointment, Not Failure, For Oregon Ducks In 2024
By SPENCER McLAUGHLIN
Contributor, 750 The Game
Oregon fans have a sour taste in their mouths. That’s not likely to dissipate for many weeks, perhaps months. What looked like it could finally be the “dream season” for fans in Eugene ended with them instead mentally tucking their tail between their legs and hiding.
The Ducks allowed Ohio State to score the first 34 points of the Rose Bowl Quarterfinal last week and that’s the lasting image fans will have of the 2024 Oregon Ducks. It shouldn’t be.
This was a disheartening and disappointing end to a season that had all the makings of a national title run, that’s not what I’m arguing here. I’m not saying Duck fans should be happy to have just had a shot in the Playoff, the program has certainly moved beyond that. There is just no way that a 13-win season with a Big 10 Championship can ever be viewed as a failure by anyone.
Florida State was a failure, going from a preseason top 10 team to finishing 2-10 with only 1 victory over a P4 opponent. Auburn was a failure by failing to make a bowl game, ergo regressing in Hugh Freeze’s second season. Alabama was a failure in Kalen DeBoer’s first year in Tuscaloosa by missing the Playoff thanks to losses at the hands of a pair of 6-6 teams. That’s what FAILURE looks like in college football. Falling so short of expectations that the warmness of a coach’s seat ticks up at least mildly. I don’t think anyone is starting a “fire Lanning” campaign in Oregon circles.
The Ducks blew out Oregon State for a 2nd straight meeting, beat Washington for the first time since 2021 in resounding fashion, went unbeaten at home, and beat 3 Playoff teams in the process. The only other season in which an Oregon Football team has won more games than this 2024 team was in 2014, when this guy named Marcus Mariota led Oregon to the national title game. Ohio State got the better of them that day, too.
I felt that Oregon’s floor was 10-2 coming into this season, and that a 10-2 record would get them into the Playoff. Defining failure/success solely based on winning a national championship is not a fair metric, especially for a head coach who just wrapped up his third season as a head coach. There are currently just two head coaches who have a national title: Kirby Smart at Georgia and Dabo Swinney at Clemson. A third will add his name to that list for the first time by the time this season comes to a close. Those options are as follows:
Ryan Day, who is 7 years older than Lanning and has been a head coach for 3 seasons more than Oregon’s head coach. James Franklin, who has been a head coach at the P4 level for over 12 years. Steve Sarkisian, who should have lost to Arizona State and is in his 11th year as a head coach. Then there’s Marcus Freeman, who has been a head coach 1 year longer than Dan Lanning and is the most comparable of the options here.
One of those guys is about to win his first national title. Yes, Dan Lanning had a team that I believe could have done it this year. The Rose Bowl blowout does not change Lanning’s long term trajectory as a coach in Eugene. He’s recruiting incredibly well, they make good additions in the transfer portal, and his teams have improved every year he’s been there.
The loss stings, no doubt about it. It was hard to watch. I’m not sure Oregon can build a similar caliber team in 2025 with all the departures they’ll have from this year’s team. This was ONE missed opportunity to win a title, but history shows us you generally need to create these chances for a long time to have a shot. Lanning will keep putting Oregon in that position, and as tough as it may be for those fans who have waited so long for a title, patience is absolutely warranted.
Just hopefully not too much.
Spencer McLaughlin is an Oregon Ducks football contributor to 750 The Game. He also hosts the “Locked On Oregon Ducks” and “Locked On College Football” podcasts and has work featured throughout the season here.