On December 11th, 2021, the University of Oregon athletic department made a decision that would change the trajectory of Oregon football. Following the departure of former Oregon football coach, Mario Cristobal, Oregon's athletic director Rob Mullens and his staff decided to hire Dan Lanning as the Ducks new head coach.
Coach Lanning is entering his third season as head coach of the Ducks football team. While at Oregon, Lanning has compiled a strong record of 22-5 in his first two seasons. These victories include both bowl games (Holiday Bowl in 2022 and Fiesta Bowl in 2023).
Lanning's early successes at Oregon had fans speculating that he might leave the Ducks for a different program. These speculations only heightened after football legend, Alabama coach Nick Saban retired.
The Lanning-to-Alabama speculation lasted less than 24 hours before coach Lanning released a statement stating he is “10 toes down” in Eugene. According to reporting from Christopher Kamrani of The Athletic, it appears that Lanning's time at Oregon isn't ending anytime soon.
When asked about if he turned down the Alabama coaching job Lanning said to the Athletic, “When you’re in a situation where your answer is already going to be no, people don’t ask you those questions.”
“He told me he wanted to retire here,” said tattoo artist Alec Turner to Kamrani, after recently giving the coach some new ink.
Coach Lanning's loyalty is nothing new. His loyalty extends beyond the playing field according to Lanning’s former teammate and roommate, Trent Figg, now the head coach at Division III Calvin University.
“He’s the most loyal person I’ve ever been around,” said Figg to the Athletic. “Like, if you talk about why he stayed in Eugene instead of going to Alabama, he sees the value in how people have invested in him, and he fully believes in himself. He’s a very confident person. And he totally believes in what he has at Oregon.”
And what he has and has built at Oregon is a team that could be a contender for a national championship. The national championship favorites for the upcoming year are Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, and Oregon.
Lanning is also known for his success on the recruiting trail. According to a list compiled by 247 Sports, Oregon is ranked fourth overall for the class of 2024 commits and has the second-best transfer class in the nation.
Oregon is viewed as a favorite due to its impressive transfer and incoming class. How does Oregon, a team that has never won a national championship, have so much success on the recruiting trail? The Answer: Dan Lanning and his staff.
“That coach is the guy everyone wants for the right reasons. He’s great at connecting with people, he listens, he understands, he can translate that into action from a guy who’s been in it for a long time” said Oregon transfer quarterback, Dillon Gabriel per the Athletic.
“Everything he’s said has come to fruition. He just keeps it real, and I think you can appreciate that. He just does the easy things at an elite level. He’s mastered it. That’s exactly why people want him.”
While coach Lanning knows how to form relationships and connect with his players, it appears his connection to Oregon might be stronger than most think. Unlike the players who come and go, coach Lanning might be planning to put down his roots in Eugene soil.
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OLIVIA CLEARY
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