Dan Lanning's Raw Message to Fans After Saturday's Ducks Win Over Nebraska

It has been one heck of a season already for the Oregon Ducks as they continue to try to sift their way through this challenging season.

It has been one thing after another for the Ducks, but to their credit, they have stuck in the fight and continued week after week to compete. 

The main issue with this season, and it is an absolutely fair gripe, is that this Oregon team was never expected to be in this position. They have the most expensive roster in all of the country, the most veteran quarterback, and one of the most hardened coaches in the league. 

There is no way that they should be on life support on the way outside looking in for the College Football postseason. But that is the reality. Stinkers against Oklahoma State and UCLA have knocked them out of the Top-25, and they need to run the table to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Saturday's win over Nebraska didn't do all that much to calm the fanbase down from where their frustrations are. The Ducks needed a miraculous comeback to chase down the Cornhuskers, and they got it, winning 17-14. 

After the game, Ducks coach Dan Lanning was asked what message he would send to his fanbase, who might still be frustrated with the team, even after the win. His answer was a really raw one.

The spirit of the question was about fans not wanting to hear that the team is working hard to fix the problems and calling for some public accountability (a firing).

Lanning, in a totally genuine way, went back to the reporter saying, "What would you say? Seriously, what would your answer be?" It was a totally fair response because he continued, saying that it is his job as a head coach to continue working to find the problems that exist in his team. It is his job to correct those problems and get his team back into winning football games.

This entire back and forth was, of course, before the happenings of Sunday night when several Ducks players got into trouble with the law, speed racing around Eugene, and Evan Stewart even got booked for a DUII. 

It has been anything but ideal for Lanning and his Ducks as they have been trying to navigate a very trying season, but the work continues. 

That journey continues for them on Saturday against the Illinois Fighting Illini in a game they have to win. There is no way around that, and they'll work their tails off to outscore the other team.

I give credit to Lanning for navigating this tough year. Exactly nothing has gone right for them but they are still alive. The moment something breaks their way, things could start to snowball in a positive direction. Once that happens, the Ducks could make a little bit of a run.