Dan Lanning not looking to leave Oregon, but now would be the perfect time originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As the coaching carousel spins once again, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning’s name continues to surface as one of college football’s most sought-after coaches. With top jobs now open at LSU, Florida and Penn State, speculation is growing about Lanning’s status.
Advertisement
In June, Lanning sat down with On SI reporter Bri Amaranthus and addressed his future and made his stance clear.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Lanning said. “It speaks to what we’ve done here as a program and what we’ve been able to build. It’s a really special place.”
At the time, no major jobs were open. Since then, however, multiple high-profile positions have become available and questions about whether his commitment might waver. But if Lanning’s words are any indication, his focus remains. “Yeah, we don’t have to answer it again,” he said when asked about future openings.
Lanning will be one of the names heard over the next two months. In three seasons, he has produced top-five recruiting and transfer classes, with his sights set on getting the program back to a national championship game. It a feat over a decade in the making.
Advertisement
The other side of this is if a powerhouse school come calling, will Oregon match any offer? Lanning is sixth on college football’s highest-paid list at $10.4 million per year, according to USA TODAY Sports. This is on par with what Brian Kelly was making at LSU with $10.1 million.
We’ll see if Lanning’s is true to his word and stays with the Ducks. If not, the deal has be to one that’s unbeatable.
