Dan Lanning wasted no time getting cheeky with Penn State before their hyped Whiteout clash. With the Nittany Lions’ trademark “We Are…Penn State!” roar filling the air, Lanning leaned into the taunt, telling his squad, “‘We are about to get our a-s kicked,’ is what they’re about to say.” Cameras captured the one-liner jab, and it quickly spread across social media. And as the Ducks gutted out a 30-24 double-overtime win, Lanning kept the trolling alive in postgame. He added Penn State’s beloved “Mo Bamba” song to his playlist and posted it on his Instagram story.

In a game that had every reason to rattle Oregon, Lanning’s banter and swagger turned a legendary road test into fuel. People in Eugene are murmuring another hilarious story about what happened in the Lanning household. Dan Lanning joined George Wrighster for an interview during the Ducks’ bye week. And guess what? Lanning didn’t shy away from admitting the feedback he received from his family after his bold Penn State jab.

“They know that I’m crazy,” Lanning said to George. “You know, you had a little sit-down with them. You’re like, “Hey, you see what they’re all laughing at it. They think it’s hilarious. So, it’s fun cuz at home I’m dad, right? I’m not [a] coach. So, they can have fun making fun of me, too, whenever I get a little bit juiced.”

Imagine Sauphia and the three kids, Caden, Kniles, and Titan, seeing their dad sledging the opponent like every other teenager filled with adrenaline. But it’s all in good faith, especially when you are head coaching a high-power program like Oregon.

To put things into perspective, Lanning’s ability to motivate his team finds really bizarre ways. And it does work. Before the game, Lanning legit used statements like, “100,000 people in white. Looks like a white canvas to me, and we are about to go paint our f–king masterpiece.” Dante Moore was under center, so before the game, Lanning made sure his quarterback felt the team’s confidence, saying, ‘We’ve got a lot of confidence in this dude.’ And when Moore walked out, completing 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards, Lanning made sure to point it out, saying, “Dante F–king Moore!”

And let’s not forget the defense that allowed just three points through three quarters. But the nail-biter? The Ducks’ comeback in overtime. Jamari Johnson’s own touchdown run did its magic. Then out of nowhere, Dillon Thieneman snatched an interception from Drew Allar in the second overtime, which sealed the deal. The Ducks were all in during the game, and Lanning would back that up in the postgame conference. “Never lost our composure one second,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Highs and lows in this game. That’s a great football team. Threw some punches; we punched more and hit a haymaker at the end.”

Performance so good that former players couldn’t stay shut

Penn State fans don’t usually dish out praise for an opposing coach. And why would they? The 30-24 overtime loss stung deeper than anything. But then you find former Penn State player Adam Breneman singing Dan Lanning’s praise. Breneman’s words were a sort of public acknowledgment of what everyone saw, but most Penn State supporters wished they could ignore. “Oregon’s win at Penn State was not just a road upset,” Breneman said.

“It was proof that Dan Lanning is building a powerhouse in Eugene, Oregon. In front of 111,000 people, the toughest road environment they faced this season. The Ducks did not just survive. They knocked off number three, Penn State, in double overtime.” But wait! Breneman didn’t just shy away from praising the playcaller. Freshman Dante Moore also got his due credits.

“Moore is a first-year starter at Oregon, on the road, can’t hear anything in that whiteout, and I’ve played in it. And he showed complete poise.” Can you imagine? In just five weeks, he accumulated 1,210 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only one pick. It puts a lot of people in a pickle, thinking that Oregon is about to bring home its first Heisman since Marcus Mariota.