Penalties create dark cloud over Ducks win: 'If you are going to get penalties, you can't be on the field'

by Erin Slinde

Mon, September 18th 2023, 12:56 AM UTC

Head Coach Dan Lanning on the Oregon sidelines as special teams comes off the field. Oregon dominated the Hawaii with a final score of 55 - 10. The Ducks are off to a 3- 0 start. Photo by Kelli Matthews.

Oregon dominated the Hawaii with a final score of 55 - 10. The Ducks are off to a 3- 0 start. Photo by Kelli Matthews.

Traeshon Holden, 5, runs for the final Ducks touchdown of the game. Oregon dominated the Hawaii with a final score of 55 - 10. The Ducks are off to a 3- 0 start. Photo by Kelli Matthews.

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Head Coach Dan Lanning on the Oregon sidelines as special teams comes off the field. Oregon dominated the Hawaii with a final score of 55 - 10. The Ducks are off to a 3- 0 start. Photo by Kelli Matthews.

EUGENE, Ore. — After the Oregon Ducks came back from Lubbock, a big focus throughout the week was eliminating penalties.

Even though Oregon played a pretty complete game in all three phases - offense, defense, and special teams - the number of penalties in Saturday's game against Hawaii was still a dark cloud over the Ducks’ win in a sunny Autzen Stadium.

“We have to learn how to be able to play with the ball in the air and not cause penalties,” said Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning. “If you look at the third down penalty that led to an opportunity for them to go down and have an opportunity to score. Really solid performance at times, but we are certainly looking for opportunities to get better."

“Penalties are a part of football,” added Ducks Defensive back Khyree Jackson. “They will happen. I don't think they reveal your emotion, based off penalties. I think it was just guys giving effort and maybe not making the best play that they should have. Even I had a penalty last week. Just trying to give the best effort and do what we can and help our team win, so I feel like next week we just got to keep locking in and not try to make the big play in one play. Just take it play by play. I think that will cut down on some of the penalties.”

Coach Lanning also said if players can't stay penalty-free, then they simply won't be able to see the field.

“I am not going to do the same thing again and again and expect a different result, so we are going to do something different and figure out if we can get it fixed. And if we can’t then they can’t be on the field. If you are going to get penalties, then you can’t be on the field, and it is going to be that simple. If you get a penalty, you can’t play for us; you are hurting the team.”

With Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffalos coming to Eugene next, it is crucial that the Ducks make some necessary changes to get as sharp as possible before Saturday when Oregon and Colorado go head-to-head at Autzen stadium at 12:30 p.m.

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