Northwestern Coach David Braun Addresses Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning: 'Exceptional Job'

Heading into his toughest scheduled game this year, here was Braun's opening statement about the Ducks during his press conference to begin the week:

"Incredible opportunity this weekend with Oregon coming into town, opening up Big Ten play. Coach Lanning has done an exceptional job. Not only are they very talented, but they are incredibly well coached. There’s not a single stone that will go unturned by him and his staff. They’re going to be aggressive. They’re going to try and apply pressure in a lot of different ways, in all three phases, on top of being extremely talented. Northwestern coach David Braun

"They're fundamentally sound, they’re physical, play hard, finish plays. Turn on the tape from their first two games, and it doesn’t take long to find a profound respect for the quality of football team that they have and the task we have right in front of us this Saturday.”Northwestern coach David Braun

If Northwestern has any chance of stealing a victory away from Oregon, limiting the explosive plays from redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore and the rest of the Ducks' well-tuned offense is where it begins. Through their first two games, Oregon is averaging the third-highest points per game in all of college football at 64.0.

“The way that they structure their plan early in the game, the way that they tempo, the way that they utilize their personnel quarterbacks playing at a really high level, there’s this balance. We need to limit the explosive plays. Oregon’s done a really good job of also just being efficient and staying ahead of the sticks. Not giving up tackles for losses, not allowing their opponents to get them behind the sticks. That’s where the challenge really presents itself."Northwestern coach David Braun

One player for Oregon that Braun is very familiar with and seems to be worried about on the defensive side of the ball is junior safety Dillon Thieneman. During his time with the Purdue Boilermakers in a 26-20 overtime loss to Northwestern in 2024, Thieneman finished with nine total tackles (six assisted) and a pass deflection.

"Really good player and super instinctual. (Assistant defensive backs coach) Grant O’Brien, who’s on staff with us now, actually coached him at Purdue. Not only a really good football player, but just is also all about the right things. Oregon’s lucky to have him.”Northwestern coach David Braun

Northwestern had a bumpy start to its season with a road loss in New Orleans to the Tulane Green Wave, 23-3. In his third season at the helm, Braun's group bounced back against the FCS's Western Illinois at home, 42-7.

How and where to watch Oregon at Northwestern

The first road game for the Ducks on Saturday, Sept. 13 will be broadcast on FOX, starting at 9 a.m. PT. It's being played at the temporary Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Fox's Big Noon Kickoff will also be putting on its show with host Rob Stone alongside Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, and Dave Portnoy in Evanston, Illinois, starting at 7 a.m. PT.