After getting humiliated by the Cowboys at Stillwater, the media was clearly waiting for Dante Moore for his post game press conference. But the former offseason Heisman prospect was nowhere to be found. Instead the media got a combative Dan Lanning who was not about to let his starting QB’s absence be misunderstood for cowardice.

“Well, I don’t think he chose not to,” Lanning told The Oregonian/OregonLive reporter. “Did you know he’s getting an IV? He’s getting two IVs after the game. He’s dehydrated… He’ll be speaking to you guys tomorrow.” Lanning gave some more context that makes it clear that Dante Moore is not at complete health.

The Ducks head coach added that his QB had been dealing with cramps during the game and needed treatment afterward. There was also a bus and a flight waiting, which made the usual postgame media routine even harder.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever given an interview and have the player getting an IV at the same time and getting treatment,” he added. Dante Moore is expected to speak with reporters Tuesday as Oregon prepares for Friday night’s game against Portland State. But the issue did not end there. The reporter later asked Dan Lanning whether the media should have been told that the QB was receiving treatment.

The idea was that his absence could be interpreted the wrong way. Lanning pushed back, asking, “Should it be?” When the reporter further explained that had they got the information earlier, it could have prevented Dante Moore’s intentions from being misconstrued, the head coach answered sharply. “Well, you misconstrued it,” he said and then added. “You can always ask me.” It was clear from his answers that the head coach understood the awful situation Oregon were in. To make matters worse, the Ducks just lost an offensive player for the year.

Junior left guard Trent Ferguson suffered a knee injury during the first quarter of Oregon’s 39-31 loss. “We won’t probably get to see him again,” Lanning said. “I feel bad for that kid because he’s worked really hard.”

The 6-foot-7, 322-pounder had played all all 15 games during his sophomore season. This year, Ferguson only played 12 snaps against Oklahoma State before being sidelined for good. His absence could force Oregon to shuffle the line, with Douglas Utu potentially stepping in at left guard if he is healthy enough to return. A shaky offensive line unit is not ideal. Especially when Dan Lanning admitted that the run game needs work.

“Yeah, I think we have to improve in the run game,” he said. “We have to find more creative ways to be able to run the ball. Obviously, we had some guys who got banged up as well. Trent got banged up. Doug (Utu) wasn’t really able to go today. So we have to evaluate that and continue to make sure that we can figure out our strengths and figure out what we’re able to do at a high level when it comes to running the ball.”

For Oregon, running the ball isn’t just about mixing up plays. It is the engine of their entire offense. Dan Lanning builds his teams to bully opponents up front, establish control early, and take the pressure off his quarterback.

Dante Moore opened the season by throwing for 378 yards and three touchdowns against Boise State. In Stillwater, he completed just 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns. His 48.3% completion rate was the lowest of his Oregon career as a starter. Oklahoma State recorded four sacks, three QB hurries, and 73 total tackles. The Ducks finished with only 90 rushing yards.

In today’s 12-team playoff setup, dropping an early game isn’t the end of the world, but losing your run game ruins the physical style Oregon needs to survive massive Big Ten matchups.

This isn’t the first time Lanning has faced an offensive line emergency in Eugene. Last season, when injuries banged up the front five, Oregon managed to survive by sliding guards into tackle spots and using tight ends to shield the pocket.

But losing a key starter like Trent Ferguson so early will test that unit’s depth to its breaking point. If Lanning can’t patch this line together fast like he did in past tight spots, Moore will keep taking hits, and Oregon’s playoff dreams could slip away before October even starts.

That is becoming the bigger issue for Oregon. The Ducks entered the season with national championship expectations. Now they are 1-1, their QB is coming off a rough performance, and their offensive line has already taken a significant hit. Friday’s game against Portland State should give Oregon a chance to settle down. But beating an FCS opponent will not erase what happened in Stillwater. The real test comes Sept. 26 against No. 12 USC.

Not to mention that if Lanning loses any more games, the hot seat conversations will begin. Eugene has been at the cusp of breaking through and get into the championship game for years now. The organization and the fanbase can only take so many misses before pulling a Penn State and cleaning house.