Oregon’s offseason is going global. In a move that extends the Ducks’ brand far beyond Autzen Stadium, head coach Dan Lanning is taking a handpicked group of stars, including quarterback Dante Moore, to Japan to pioneer a new football frontier.

As per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Lanning will lead several of his players to Tokyo in June for the inaugural ‘Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase,’ “where the Ducks will hold live exhibitions to teach fundamentals and techniques to the Japanese football community.”

The Tokyo Oregon Football Showcase was announced by Division Street Events in partnership with the Japan Gridiron Association. It is set to take place June 25-27. Presented by Flight Club, the event aims at “celebrating the deep-rooted historical connection between Oregon and Japanese American Football and working to grow enthusiasm for the sport in that region.”

The showcase has also been planned to introduce 7-on-7 American football to the Japanese community. According to the press release, American football has been played in the Asian country for over 100 years, but the 7-on-7 competition remains a novel idea to them. During the showcase, head coach Dan Lanning will train coaches and introduce them to technical plays, route combinations, and other American football concepts.

“The opportunity to represent the University of Oregon in Tokyo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lanning said in a press release from Division Street. “Football has taken all of us to incredible places, and it will be special to connect with players and coaches who love this game as much as we do. We are excited to share how we approach the game and to be part of something that’s much bigger than one trip.”

Lanning will be joined by key offensive players, including quarterback Dante Moore and receiver Evan Stewart. The group of future stars, which also includes Dakorien Moore, Jamari Johnson, and others, will lead the exhibition.

Division Street also hopes the event can help establish a permanent league system for youth and high school players, as is the case in the US. The event will take place at The American School in Japan. Following the event, Dan Lanning and his players will return shortly before their fall training camp begins.

Dan Lanning on the Ducks’ off-season 

With the understanding that they have a trip to Tokyo in June, Dan Lanning must ensure the traveling players are not overly distracted by the trip and remain committed throughout the off-season.

“Well, I think the intelligence of this group is really high,” Lanning said about the team’s displays in spring practice. “In the acumen and ability to execute offense and defensive plays is really up there. So they know and understand what we’re trying to do. We’ve got a lot of stuff packaged well that these guys can operate really well.

“So, l’d say that part’s ahead. We become a much more connected team this spring that’s got to continue as we go through the remainder of this offseason. We got to get stronger. We got to continue to become the physical team that we’ve been here in the past, so there’s a lot of areas still for growth, but I think we’re a really smart team right now and understand what we want to accomplish,” Lanning said.

While the Tokyo trip is a significant branding opportunity, the real measure of success will be whether this off-season focus translates to improving on last year’s 13-2 record when fall camp begins.