The Oregon Ducks are facing intense criticism following a disappointing loss to Illinois, and one former SEC player believes the program should make a drastic change involving head coach Dan Lanning.
Former LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko unloaded on Lanning after Oregon’s 21-10 loss to Illinois on Saturday. Fehoko did not merely criticize the Ducks’ performance, either. He questioned Lanning’s success as a head coach and called for Oregon to fire him.
The criticism was especially harsh considering the resources and expectations surrounding Oregon’s football program.
“Dan Lanning is one of the biggest frauds in America,” Fehoko said. “He rode Kirby Smart’s coattails into a head coaching job. With unlimited resources, he hasn’t done sh*t at Oregon except jump in pools with recruits and act like a fake tough guy in the media. Fire him today.”
Dan Lanning Faces Harsh Criticism After Oregon Loss
There is certainly no ambiguity in Fehoko’s message.
His criticism centered on more than Oregon’s performance against Illinois. Fehoko took aim at Lanning’s entire tenure with the Ducks and specifically referenced his previous time working under Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.
Lanning served as Georgia’s defensive coordinator before Oregon hired him as its head coach. Working under Smart gave Lanning an opportunity to establish himself as one of college football’s prominent young assistants before receiving the opportunity to run his own program.
Fehoko clearly does not believe Lanning has done enough since getting that opportunity.
That is where Saturday’s loss becomes particularly damaging.
Oregon entered the matchup with the talent and resources expected of one of college football’s premier programs. Instead, Illinois held the Ducks to 10 points and walked away with a 21-10 victory at Gies Memorial Stadium.
One loss does not erase everything Lanning has accomplished during his time at Oregon. However, games like this inevitably create questions when a program has national championship expectations.
Fehoko took those questions to the extreme.
Rather than focusing solely on coaching decisions from the Illinois game, he attacked Lanning’s reputation and suggested the Oregon coach has benefited from circumstances around him more than his own accomplishments.
The “unlimited resources” portion of Fehoko’s criticism may be particularly notable.
Oregon has become one of the most recognizable programs in college football and has consistently attracted high-level talent. That naturally brings significant expectations for whoever is leading the Ducks.
When those expectations are not met, the head coach will receive much of the criticism.
Calling for Lanning to be fired immediately is obviously an aggressive reaction to one result, but Fehoko’s comments illustrate how quickly the conversation can change around a prominent college football coach.
Winning at a program like Oregon comes with praise. Losing games the Ducks are expected to win brings an entirely different level of scrutiny.
Lanning now has to make sure Saturday’s performance does not become something bigger.
The easiest way to quiet criticism like Fehoko’s is straightforward: win.
Oregon’s response following the Illinois loss will ultimately matter far more than any social media criticism. However, Fehoko made sure Lanning and the Ducks will hear plenty of noise in the meantime.
Calling Lanning one of the “biggest frauds in America” and demanding his immediate firing leaves little room for interpretation.
Now, Oregon has to respond on the field.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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