After the Oregon Ducks lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes in a Rose Bowl Game that was never close, criticisms arose about Oregon coach Dan Lanning and his ability to win big games, including a potential national championship with the Ducks.
On "Josh Pate's College Football Show," CBS Sports' Josh Pate answered a question about Lanning and if he can lead Oregon to the top spot.
"Dan Lanning, 'I don't know that he's ready to seize the top dog spot in the industry.' Well, he's not ready," said Pate. "He's ready to be the head coach at Oregon. He's ready to learn on the fly, just like everyone else has done, but, you know, it's not the biggest indictment in the world to tell me a 38-year old dude who had never had head coaching experience before Oregon lands at Oregon and and a few years in, he's not the best in the country. Well, the sport wouldn't be worth a whole heck of a lot if it were that easy to ascend to the top dog spot."
In three seasons as a head coach, Lanning is 35-6 with the Ducks. His record has improved each season, from three losses in 2022 to an undefeated season and 13 wins before the loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Still, in Oregon's first year as members of the Big Ten, Lanning and the Ducks won the Big Ten Championship over Penn State.
MORE: Denver Broncos Rookie Bo Nix Breaks NFL Record, Clinches Playoffs vs. Kansas City
MORE: Oregon Ducks' Tez Johnson Declares For NFL Draft: Thanks Biological, Adopted Family
MORE: Can Oregon Ducks Win National Championship in 2026? Schedule Analysis, Prediction
MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dante Moore Ready To Lead? 'Heisman Finalist' Says Receiver Tez Johnson
After the disappointing loss to the Buckeyes, Lanning took accountability for the lopsided result.
"I didn't get our team prepared, and that's a great team. When you play a great team like Ohio State, you can't not be clicking on all cylinders. And they were, they were clicking on all cylinders," said Lanning. "We didn't really have the ability to stop them and the ability to get something going for us on offense. And we haven't faced a lot of moments like that this year."
Lanning's 2024 team was led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, wide receiver Tez Johnson, and offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line was anchored by Jordan Burch, Derrick Harmon, and Matayo Uiagalelei. The Ducks coach has shown an ability to sign talented players out of the transfer portal and high school ranks.
Oregon's 2025 recruiting class is ranked No. 4 according to the On3 Industry Rankings, featuring five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, five-star safety Trey McNutt, and five-star cornerback Na'eem Offord.
While Lanning has proven the ability to recruit, Pate argues that Lanning's age puts him at a disadvantage when it comes to leading a program.
"Do you realize Lanning could coach another 13 years and he'd still be younger than Nick Saban was when he won his first title, out of seven. It's a little warped, is my suggestion. What Saban did kind of ruined the mechanism for everyone, cause everyone holds their head coach to that standard, which is insane. But it also completely ignores the context of how older you had to be in the past before you got a major job," Pate said.
The Ducks hired Lanning when he was 35 years old, and he has improved in every season as a head coach. Before coming to Eugene, Lanning worked under coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs for three years as co-defensive coordinator.
Lanning is certainly qualified for the job, and the lofty expectations for him at Oregon are evidence of his program's ability to consistently compete at a high level.
MORE: Five-Star Recruit Elbert Hill Visiting Oregon Ducks, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan
MORE: Nick Saban Upset With Oregon Ducks' College Football Playoff Path vs. Ohio State
MORE: Why Oregon Ducks 5-Star Quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele Entering Transfer Portal
MORE: Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Takes Blame For Loss To Ohio State Buckeyes
Charlie Viehl is a 23-year old Boston College graduate and is an Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans beat reporter for On SI. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.
© 2025 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
