Did Dan Lanning keep Dylan Raiola in too long? 'Probably a fair question'

Oregon quarterback Dylan Raiola had a challenging performance against UCLA, leading to speculation about whether coach Dan Lanning left him in the game too long. Raiola's first start at Oregon was a stark contrast from his previous win over Southern California, with the latter resulting in a 17-15 victory over the Ducks. After completing his first three passes, Raiola's performance declined significantly, completing only three of his next 16 attempts for 43 yards and two interceptions, and fumbling.

As a result, Lanning substituted him for backup Brock Thomas, who nearly orchestrated a comeback with a stellar 11-for-15 performance, 156 yards, and a touchdown.

Lanning acknowledged that Raiola wasn't good enough during the game, but shared responsibility for his performance, stating that he and the coaching staff didn't put him in the best position to succeed. Lanning emphasized the need for Raiola to be his best self moving forward, noting that he had previously displayed phenomenal play. The Oregon coach also expressed the team's support for Raiola and plans to have a conversation with him to help rebuild his confidence.

The Oregon Ducks suffered their first loss of the season since November, with the loss to UCLA bringing their record to 3-2. The team's playoff hopes are now more challenging as they prepare to face Nebraska, Raiola's former team, on October 17. Lanning assured the press that the coaching staff would continue to support Raiola, urging him to focus on improvement and downplaying the impact of negative news.