Oregon’s offense over the past two weeks has been nothing short of a symphony of big plays and relentless pressure, keeping defenses gasping for air. That said, head coach Dan Lanning has been clear that the Ducks’ offense still has room to grow into a more dominating force. Against Montana State, the Ducks cruised to a 59-13 victory, scoring on nine of their 10 offensive possessions, showcasing a balanced attack that amassed 506 total yards. Then against Oklahoma State, they exploded for a historic 69-3 blowout, amassing a commanding 631 yards of total offense. But there’s a problem…

Despite the eye-popping 69-3 win over Oklahoma State, Lanning pointed out that the offense’s execution compared to their season opener against Montana State actually dipped slightly. It grades out to a 72% execution rate versus 73% in Week 1. To Lanning, it’s about doing the right job with precision on every snap. He wants to see the offense clean up its details, especially as the season heats up and competition stiffens. And this echoes a clear ultimatum to his coaching staff, who are prepping the Ducks’ offensive dominance. “We grade ourselves a little bit different,” Lanning said during a presser.

“This past game, we were 72%; we actually went the wrong direction. Again, we play with unbelievable effort. I think that is really clear on film. It is about executing and doing the right job, as well. Hopefully, we walk away from this game and we can say we have improved in that category.” Oregon’s offense, though dominant on the scoreboard, showed some cracks beneath the surface that are really difficult to ignore by Lanning and his staff. One glaring issue? The team racked up five pre-snap penalties on offense during their home game against Oklahoma State. Those are mental mistakes that kill momentum before the ball is even snapped.

Add to that a wild busted coverage on third-and-10 that leaked big because of a risky blitz sending eight defenders, but still having that one major gap. That moment was a reminder that the Ducks’ aggression on defense and their execution on offense are intertwined. And Lanning actually takes accountability for these gaps. “It’s clear what we could coach better and what we can execute better,” he said. See, what Lanning is trying to say is that even in dominant performances, small lapses in concentration or execution can sneak in and give opponents a brief hope. Dante Moore was on fire, going 16-of-21 for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

One of the highlights? A 65-yard bomb to Dakorien Moore that put Oregon up 13-0 just a minute and a half into the game. After the play, Moore gave a shoutout to RB Noah Whittington for picking up a blitzer so he could roll out and hit the freshman on what basically turned into a scramble drill. It was a sweet play, no doubt—but with Dan Lanning running the show, ‘good’ doesn’t cut it. He wants perfection. “Everybody sees that play, and they see an unbelievable play by Dante, unbelievable play by the offensive line, unbelievable play by Dakorien and Noah, and there [are] a lot of people that were a part of that play,” Lanning said. “We see that play and we say, ‘Man, I wish we could have redirected our protection here.’ It would have made it even easier to execute.”

See, that’s how you think when you are a QB learning under Dan Lanning. But Lanning knows those mistakes are fuel for rapid improvement. You can bet that on Saturday against Northwestern, those slip-ups won’t be repeated.

Fix the hole before the past horror comes haunting

Oregon rode a wave of pure destruction in Week 2. The defense? Bullied OSU into just nine first downs. On paper, this Oregon team looks straight-up terrifying. But former Ducks tight end George Wrighster is not popping the champagne just yet. Wrighster, speaking from a place of raw emotion, isn’t blinded by the hype and flashy stats. He’s been heartbroken before. Last season’s playoff exit still leaves scars, with Oregon going undefeated, owning the Big Ten, and looking like a national title favorite—only to watch Ohio State steamroll them in the semifinals.

For Wrighster, that loss felt like walking in on a betrayal. For him, all the regular-season wins, all the blowouts and highlight-reel plays, mean little unless Oregon can finally make it count in the playoffs. And Oregon needs to use this insane momentum the right way. But not just that, they also need to fix their issues, no matter how small there to avoid any sort of hindrance to the title.

The Ducks roster is loaded, no doubt. Moore is the QB version of a cheat code. The backfield has Makhi Hughes and Noah Whittington. Dakorien Moore is already torching secondaries, and Malik Benson brings steady veteran savvy. The offensive line, boosted by Emmanuel Pregnon, keeps everything tidy. Then, on defense, Matayo Uiagalelei wrecks pockets, and Jerry Mixon flies sideline to sideline. And the secondary may be the deepest in college football. So with all that talent, the real test comes in the Big Ten gauntlet and, ultimately, the playoffs.