NJDuck Moderator No. 1 Share Posted January 12 "It's rare in sports, especially college football, to see a coach demonstrate as much loyalty to a team as Dan Lanning has shown to the Oregon Ducks. The benefit of that for Oregon football is a coach with an unclouded vision for the future, ready to take on the Big Ten and bring the best talent with him." Yes, this is rare in today's college sports to have a coach like Lanning. We need to count our blessings and enjoy the ride! The future is bright for our Oregon Ducks! This could have been a different story instead of a victory march heading into the Big Ten conference. Oregon Football: Dan Lanning talks move to the Big 10 and Recruiting DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Dan Lanning appeared on the Pat McAfee Show where he talked about his excitement to join the Big Ten and his love of recruiting. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utki No. 2 Share Posted January 12 Was he offered Bama? Otherwise I'm not sure the loyalty angle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Author Moderator No. 3 Share Posted January 12 On 1/12/2024 at 11:46 AM, Utki said: Was he offered Bama? Otherwise I'm not sure the loyalty angle. You are correct. We are not sure who's all on Alabama's short list. But, he did not wait in silence hoping to see if he made it on the short list. He made sure to put himself out of the equation. Especially with all the noise that was being put out there almost crowning him as Saban's successor (please read below the post titled "Flock Talk: Family and Privilege") Listening to the video, even on Game Day, he told them he was not leaving Oregon which was before Saban's announcement. Great information in this video. Yes, Oregon is making sure Lanning is well compensated (they should). But I see Lanning is cut from a different cloth, old school loyalty, true to his words, faithful with a vision for Oregon. Alabama is considered THE pinnacle school in college football, but he wasn't fazed by that. Bringing in the news for OBD I've read a lot on Dan Lanning, his story growing up, who he is as a coach, a family man, as a person. I believe Oregon has a rare jewel. 1 1 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllOregon No. 4 Share Posted January 12 (edited) On 1/12/2024 at 9:23 AM, NJDuck said: Listening to the video, even on Game Day, he told them he was not leaving Oregon which was before Saban's announcement Exactly! And it was in a reply to a direct comment from Herbstreit to Dan that he’s top guy to replace Saban when he leaves. Dan already decided Oregon is the better place and showed his Loyalty. Does not matter whether he was actually offered or not. Edited January 12 by AllOregon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solar No. 5 Share Posted January 12 On 1/12/2024 at 8:46 AM, Utki said: Was he offered Bama? Otherwise I'm not sure the loyalty angle. If Lanning wasn't loyal he would have been offered, because he was most likely at the top of Bama's list by all accounts. So whether he actually was or wasn't offered is an irrelevant technicality. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Author Moderator No. 6 Share Posted January 12 Flock Talk: Family and Privilege ScottRead - DuckSports Authority Staff Writer Sharing some excerpts from Scott Read. What's interesting to take note of is starting in the 5th paragraph below: Wednesday night was different. It never felt like it did with Taggart or even Mario. Part of that is simple, Dan Lanning is – in my opinion – at his dream job. He has taken Oregon recruiting to unprecedented heights. And, you know what, if he has a year where the class is ‘only’ ranked number 15, the fans in Eugene probably will not have the kind of melt down they would in Tuscaloosa, or Athens, or Columbus, or Texas, or a few other places where there is no off switch; where there is no such thing as an acceptable down cycle; where expectations are to win a national championship within four years or be looking for a new job. What a few coaches have not realized is that Oregon offers something that is sustainable long term: exceptional resources and much more reasonable expectations. I know some local journalists are still torqued about how Oregon fans treated Mark Helfrich, but remember, his ouster was not about the record in 2016. That season was a symptom of a bigger disease. It was the result of apathy on the recruiting trail, an arrogance that Xs and Os could overcome a significant deficiency in talent, and a culture that had rotted from within based on the apathy. Had Helfrich not bought the trite belief that Oregon could not be an elite recruiting school and recruited like the last three coaches have, I think he would still have a job. But that kind of effort on the recruiting trail was not in the DNA of the former staff. The announcement by Dan Lanning that he is returning should put to rest the yearly concerns about the ‘next big thing’ job that opens up. I know that many Alabama pundits are spouting off that Lanning was ‘never really a candidate’ but they are simply inaccurate. Athletic Directors never, ever want to let the world know how many guys they missed out on so they saying that ‘there is no offer until someone accepts’ has become dogma. Lanning was asked about his interest very early in the process. He was absolutely the first guy that Greg Byrne wanted. Lanning was adamant that he was happy at Oregon. Byrne contacted Lanning’s agent on multiple occasions this season to continue feeling out the interest level. Is it true Lanning was not officially offered? Sure. But that is because Lanning said he was not interested in leaving long before the sides could even discuss potential terms. Don’t buy the negative spin that Alabama did not want Lanning. They did. He said no. That sends a message loud and clear to the Oregon faithful, to recruits, to current staff members, to potential future staff members, and to families of recruits that Oregon is not going to be a stepping stone any longer. Rob Mullens took a chance on Lanning and Lanning is going to continue to pay dividends (and receive some as well!) with that opportunity. He said no to Alabama. I don’t know that there is anything out there that will top what he could have had – because he feels he has all of that and more in Eugene. Flock Talk: Family and Privilege OREGON.RIVALS.COM Today in Flock Talk, how Dan Lanning just reshaped college football, plus a look ahead to another Polynesian Bowl. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 7 Share Posted January 12 High Ceiling? The folks at the B1G Network concur. Yesterday Dan Revsine, BTN lead announcer, and Jake Butt who won the Mackey Award when playing TE at Michigan and had a solid NFL career, agreed that Oregon football was the B1G 2024 front-runner if DL stayed in Eugene. He's back! The 2 guys also opined that with Dillon and Moore, the Ducks look to be in great shape this season and down the road. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikethehiker No. 8 Share Posted January 12 On 1/12/2024 at 8:46 AM, Utki said: Was he offered Bama? Otherwise I'm not sure the loyalty angle. This is an interesting point. Our loyalty to the Ducks and Lanning's loyalty to the Ducks are likely two different things. Maybe Lanning's loyalty is more commitment. I think the following can all be true at the same time: 1. Alabama reached out and showed interest in hiring DL to replace Saban as their next head coach. 2. Oregon proactively sweetened the pot and did everything they could to entice DL to stay at Oregon. 3. DL was already committed to stay at Oregon and finish the work he, his staff, and his players have started. 4. DL may develop a loyalty to Oregon over time that will keep him in Eugene for as long as Oregon will have him. #3 is the very rare and commendable part of this sequence - a coach keeping his word to the program and his players. What a tremendous example that is to young men in the program and across the country! It should be applauded and frankly, I hope it catches on. 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woundedknees No. 9 Share Posted January 12 On 1/12/2024 at 11:24 AM, mikethehiker said: This is an interesting point. Our loyalty to the Ducks and Lanning's loyalty to the Ducks are likely two different things. Maybe Lanning's loyalty is more commitment. I think the following can all be true at the same time: 1. Alabama reached out and showed interest in hiring DL to replace Saban as their next head coach. 2. Oregon proactively sweetened the pot and did everything they could to entice DL to stay at Oregon. 3. DL was already committed to stay at Oregon and finish the work he, his staff, and his players have started. 4. DL may develop a loyalty to Oregon over time that will keep him in Eugene for as long as Oregon will have him. #3 is the very rare and commendable part of this sequence - a coach keeping his word to the program and his players. What a tremendous example that is to young men in the program and across the country! It should be applauded and frankly, I hope it catches on. I believe Lanning is sharp enough to realize that if he minds his P's and Q's. he is already set for life, by any reasonable metric. Why move to a bigger pressure cooker, when opportunity and potential are already in your lap? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike West No. 10 Share Posted January 12 On 1/12/2024 at 11:24 AM, mikethehiker said: #3 is the very rare and commendable part of this sequence - a coach keeping his word to the program and his players. What a tremendous example that is to young men in the program and across the country! It should be applauded and frankly, I hope it catches on. I believe you got it right in your first sentence of this paragraph. I believe it will still be rare, and one recognized, celebrated. One of the reasons Saban is retiring is that recruits are bringing in Reps demanding the top programs (Bama, Georgia, Michigan, to some extent Ohio State) match ridiculous NIL offers. The Ole Miss RB left for money. It's annoying a LOT of coaches and there are murmurs several are considering retirement rather than deal with an arms race for recruits. Perhaps Lanning saw the forest for the trees once his wife beat cancer. He of all people recognize the hassle of running a program like Bama. Keep this in mind: The GOAT is staying in Tuscaloosa. If DaBoer goes there, he won't have as much a burden recruiting. Saban can be an ally on that one. Talk about setting an example. The greatest of all time will stay committed to the program he's leaving. FishDuck brought up that brings an albatross to the next Bama coach. I don't think so in that case. DaBoer can focus on coaching all that great talent the program would still attract with Saban still there ( and I bet my bottom dollar that will be the strategy). Bama doesn't need recruits, recruits need Bama, and DaBoer is a proven entity- one of a very small group of head coaches that can actually coach elite talent, develop said talent, and continue the Bama to the NFL pipeline. So kids are going to have to decide:. Georgia , Bama to the NFL, or take the money and roll the dice ( because I know for sure Bama and Georgia are going to expose every flaw you've got kid, and you won't be able to run and hide). Let's hope DL becomes the next blue blood coach to pipeline talent to the NFL. He already is a major influence in showing these kids they need to fully develop before stepping into the thunderdome. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 11 Share Posted January 13 Two observations today re. Lanning (and the decision to stay in Eugene): Guys on the Dawgnation Daily podcast also see Lanning as having an immediate impact on the B1G next year and expect the Ducks to become a powerhouse in that league (I concur) Former Tide QB Greg McElroy, who is well connected to the Bama program confirmed that DL was contacted first in their coaching search and backed off for two reasons, Lanning's interest in finishing the job he had started in Eugene AND the fact that his buyout for leaving was 20 million dollars. But I think the first of those reasons was the more important in my mind. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
