The No. 23 Oregon Ducks (5-3 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) recently found their way onto the College Football Playoff initial ranking list despite a season that didn't quite go as planned.

With one of the highest estimated NIL total roster costs in college football, injuries and personnel changes left plenty of challenges to manage for a team with a No. 2 preseason AP Poll ranking (the highest in program history). Many of the challenges Oregon faced this season are also arguably symptoms of the criticism levied by Oregon coach Dan Lanning when giving his thoughts on the modern era of college football.

Dan Lanning's Former Coach Kirby Smart Speaks Out

And it's not just Lanning giving his takes on the "Wild West" culture of modern-day college sports. Lanning's former coach, Georgia's Kirby Smart, recently made headlines after the No. 2 Bulldogs beat the No. 24 Florida Gators at home, 27-8. Lanning worked for Smart from 2018 to 2021 as an outside linebacker coach and defensive coordinator, helping the Bulldogs clinch their 2021 championship.

“I think about the teams we had in ’21 and ’22, and how physical they were and how they practiced. We can’t even get close to that now. If it’s a different culture that guys don’t want to as much, I don’t know," Smart said postgame. "They were definitely hungrier, because there was a motivation to make it. A lot of these guys, honestly, they make more than I did until I was 40. It’s just a different day and age.”

On Monday, Smart clarified his comments, saying he didn't want his words to be interpreted as "whining." The two-time National Championship winner also stated he thought it was "awesome" that players are getting compensated, though he believes the influx of cash being given to young athletes comes with an often-overlooked cost.

"It is more long-term effect of earning power, what is the value of a dollar, do I actually know how hard it is to go out in the real world, and gotta go work for $60,000?" Smart said on Monday in a pregame press conference.

Dan Lanning Gives Thoughts On Kirby Smart's Hot Take

With Lanning's connection to Smart in mind, and the relevance of Oregon's current record mixed with their reported NIL roster investment, Lanning was asked for his own take regarding Smart's thoughts on the matter. Lanning admitted he had yet to see Smart's comments, but gave his own take regarding the level of practice time and capital given to players.

"I think depth across college football is a lot different because it's spread out between a lot of teams. So, some of the physicality that you could have in the past because you felt like you had a roster that was stacked from top to bottom, it's not necessarily the case," Lanning said.

"You're talking about guys that are playing, really, maybe a really high level for you, and then the next guy in line is a freshman that maybe, at times, in other instances in our history in college football they might be waiting more of their turn," he added. "But yeah, it is a little bit different game from that perspective."

The Cat-And-Mouse Game

Lanning, who experienced the concussion of his starting quarterback Dante Moore against USC that ended the senior's season early, also dealt with the demands of adjusting practices once it became clear the Ducks' offense needed something different. For a team Lanning has admitted is stacked with talent, Lanning's been working to find that motivation for players Smart critiqued.

"And I think you're always playing that cat-and-mouse game of, okay, do we need more practice time? Do we need more physicality in practice? We certainly have adjusted the way that we do things at times. But then there's moments that it's just it has to happen. It has to look a certain way, and you get frustrated because somebody might get nicked or banged up, but that's just the reality," Lanning said.

Lanning also critiqued the length of the season, which he's done many times before (even suggesting a week zero opening with a championship on Jan. 1 during the 2025 Big Ten media days event) as another way to draw more motivation from athletes across college football.

"Now I also think players are bigger, faster, and stronger, and that probably leads to injuries as well. So, there's a lot of things that play into that, but it's a different game for sure. I think a lot of that starts with, like, the length of the season and the amount of time that we have our players. You also get to spend a lot more time with them in the off season," Lanning said.

"So, when you introduce something, you might have already walked through it 15 times in the summer or in the spring. So, different from that standpoint, for sure," Lanning added.