Why preparing at Wisconsin is a unique challenge for Dan Lanning

Head Coach of the Oregon Ducks Football Club Dan Lanning and the team prepares for one of its most intriguing challenges of the 2025 season — a matchup as unpredictable as any they’ve faced. The Ducks, ranked No. 6 nationally, host the Wisconsin Badgers football team Saturday at Autzen Stadium in a Big Ten matchup defined by uncertainty at the quarterback position.

The Badgers went through three quarterbacks this season after injuries to Billy Edwards Jr. and Danny O’Neill, leaving graduate transfer Hunter Simmons to take over the offense. Each passer brings a distinct style, making defensive planning unusually complex. In an article written by Dan Morrison of On3, Lanning spoiled the layered challenge of preparing for multiple offensive identities.

“Yeah, you have to prepare for all of them,” Dan Lanning said. “And then they’re all a little different, right? There’s a little more of a running game with 18 (Danny O’Neal). It’s a little different offense with each one, but they have an identity with what they’re trying to do no matter who’s in there. So we just have to be aware of which guy is on the field and what that looks like.”

That awareness defines Oregon football‘s approach this week. The Ducks defense, led by standout linebackers Brice Boettcher and Mataio Uiagalelei, is ranked No. 2 nationally in pass defense and top 15 in total defense. Their success has come from gap integrity, cover pressure and an elite secondary — traits that will be vital to a Wisconsin offense that is averaging just 18.4 points per game. Jerry Mixon has emerged as a playmaker in the middle with two interceptions and a forced fumble, while Peyton Woodyard and Brandon Feeney Jr. bring physicality on the back end.

Meanwhile, Oregon’s offense continues to thrive behind quarterback Dante Moore, who completed 176.8 passes for 1,686 yards, 19 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions in seven games. At 6-1, the Ducks remain firmly in the Big Ten football title race, but they can’t afford another misstep after their Week 7 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Wisconsin game will test not only the Ducks’ preparation, but their discipline as well. Against a team in search of rhythm, Oregon must balance aggression with structure – something Lanning has made a hallmark of his coaching philosophy. How they handle this unpredictable Week 9 showdown could define their path to the College Football Playoff.