Does Oregon Have a New 'Saban' in Dan Lanning?

[FishDuck Article]

Got to have a little fun, a little dreaming, yet there is evidence to show something extraordinary in the making...

 

Does Oregon Have a New "Saban" in Dan Lanning? | FishDuck

FISHDUCK.COM

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I know, the title above shouts "tap-the-brakes," yet Duck fans would admit they like what they see about Coach Dan Lanning, but we also know this is clearly a...

[Mike West]

Fantastic article Charles.

 

Great click bait as well.  The next Saban? Absolutely not.  Mad skills and ability? Absolutely yes.

 

He's a great communicator, leader, strategist, and he knows what he wants ( and is flexible enough to adjust his goals accordingly after measuring his progress).  He's realistic.  He's direct.  And he never backs down.

 

He checks his ego at the door, and it looks like he is far more interested in results than what it does for him personally.

 

I also believe he truly knows what kind of team he has, and he's moving the radar as fast as he can to get the ultimate results he's looking for.

 

The unit he adapted isn't as complete as his former team.  It isn't deep enough to withstand the rigors of facing elite teams constantly.  Fortunately, we only have three really good teams to outplay.

 

The rest of the schedule comes down to how much the players learn how to dominate a full four quarters.

 

Quarterback play, and defense.  And of course, winning the battle in the box.  I believe it's going to take two more years of getting more Bubbas on defense to go with the gifted ensemble in place along the back seven.  

 

Bo Nix hasn't shown elite play, but he does make plays.  Ty Thompson will have to demonstrate elite skills to beat him out however.  That should eventually happen.  But whoever starts will have to execute on the same level as the Heisman capable QBs in position to win a Natty.

 

If Lanning can coach up the QB position, this team will definitely make the playoffs this year.  Even if the defense is A-/B+ caliber.  Nix has his moments but against the very best defenses he couldn't elevate his game.  Let's hope Lanning and his staff can elevate that position- it's the most impactful part of winning a title.

 

This is going to be a very interesting year.

[Notalot]

One becomes a Saban only after many years of success and championships. Nick Saban, like him or not, is the gold standard of college football coaching.

 

Coach Lanning has a record of 0-0 as a Head Coach. Nick Saban is 241-64-1 with six national championship titles won.

 

This is a fun time to be a Oregon Football fan. There are many early "Dan Fans". Let us support him and his teams as the future unfolds. GO DUCKS!

 

 

[Haywarduck]

Remember the honeymoon is in Atlanta and the most expensive wedding in Oregon Football History is taking place as we speak. The wedding is where everyone dresses nice, the food is free, drinks often too, and the speeches are all planned out. The honeymoon is where the game is consummated and we begin to know what we got. The fantasy begins to end and the reality sets in.

 

We also must remember that if we are comparing Lanning to The Saban, Nick lost a lot of games early on. He was competitive, but he had a learning curve we seem to be skipping in our assessment of who Lanning is right now. We can't expect the wedding to continue as the real deal is happening before us. I do remember seeing many honeymooners on my vacations, sometimes they didn't look too good, not often, but the honeymoon sometimes begins with expectations which aren't met.

 

The four/two minute drill sounds amazing, especially with the goal Lanning has. I think part of the problem is we had a previous coach who seemed to think special team just happened, and being strategic was having your strength coach next to you on the sideline. Hearing a coach is actually planning and practicing these critical areas is astounding, but it is what the successful coaches do to help themselves as they go into real game time. Real game time is different though, as anyone who has had kids, or ran a business knows. All the planning goes out the door and you learn on the run while learning if you have it.

 

So what we have here is clearly the extended wedding period where we are living a fantasy. Some of that fantasy will continue, especially when you compare it to our past coaching staff. The fantasy though will end when Lanning's gambles don't pay off, injuries happen, and the oblong ball bounces the wrong way, the drinks won't be free anymore. I hope we can just appreciate Dan Lanning becoming the coach we, hopefully, will have for a long time.

 

That coach won't be Saban and he just might be like Tom Osborne who won a lot of games and only won the big one at the end of his career. Before that the Nebraska program became a program to emulate. They were extremely loyal and supportive.  While we are still learning about the Lanning era we should try and imitate that program. Lets keep our dreams in check and make sure, most importantly, we support our young coach on his path to greatness.

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Great article. I think what we're seeing in Lanning is what I refer to as the difference between learning and knowing.

 

Knowing is a dead end trap. When a person "knows" what they're doing, that is where they stop learning. That is where there knowledge about a subject comes to an end because once you "know " it, there's nothing left to learn.

 

Learning is an endless fountain of knowledge being accumulated because there is no stopping point. Learning only stops when people think they know it all.

 

And "know it alls" come of as conceited with a superiority complex. I'd say Mario fits into this category. Learners never get there but are on a life long journey of constantly getting better. They tend to be humble and down to earth even when there skills go off the charts. Guys like Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Lee fall into this group. I'd say Lanning does as well.

[Just Ducky]

Saban at this point is just a grumpy old man going thru the motions, which by the way are pretty good ones, and getting closer and closer to the end. DL on the other hand is full of energy and seems to be having the time of his life and his players are having a good time as well.

 

Would I trade DL for Nick? Don’t think I would at this point of time because there is nothing but upside with our new coaching staff and our new head coach. Not sure Nick could recruit much better up here than MC and DL. Some might think I’m nuts and maybe even I think I’m but I like what I see and certainly don’t want to see DL go anywhere soon. Or maybe ever.

 

Dan has the tools to work with and I think his staff is very capable of turning this program around in a big way. Going to be tough to do the first year because of the ridiculous schedule that has been dumped in his lap but Dan doesn’t seem to be bothered by it one bit. You know the trip to Georgia will be a homecoming of sorts for him and his family.
 

Be interesting to see if his wife and kids tag along. Love the enthusiasm around Eugene and hope his wife and children can settle in and want to stay. Maybe it’s my old age but I need all the energy I can get and seeing this energy filled, young, coaching staff is the ideal medicine.

 Go Dan Lanning.

[DUCKED]

On 4/13/2022 at 6:08 AM, Haywarduck said:

Remember the honeymoon is in Atlanta and the most expensive wedding in Oregon Football History is taking place as we speak. The wedding is where everyone dresses nice, the food is free, drinks often too, and the speeches are all planned out. The honeymoon is where the game is consummated and we begin to know what we got. The fantasy begins to end and the reality sets in.

 

We also must remember that if we are comparing Lanning to The Saban, Nick lost a lot of games early on. He was competitive, but he had a learning curve we seem to be skipping in our assessment of who Lanning is right now. We can't expect the wedding to continue as the real deal is happening before us. I do remember seeing many honeymooners on my vacations, sometimes they didn't look too good, not often, but the honeymoon sometimes begins with expectations which aren't met.

 

The four/two minute drill sounds amazing, especially with the goal Lanning has. I think part of the problem is we had a previous coach who seemed to think special team just happened, and being strategic was having your strength coach next to you on the sideline. Hearing a coach is actually planning and practicing these critical areas is astounding, but it is what the successful coaches do to help themselves as they go into real game time. Real game time is different though, as anyone who has had kids, or ran a business knows. All the planning goes out the door and you learn on the run while learning if you have it.

 

So what we have here is clearly the extended wedding period where we are living a fantasy. Some of that fantasy will continue, especially when you compare it to our past coaching staff. The fantasy though will end when Lanning's gambles don't pay off, injuries happen, and the oblong ball bounces the wrong way, the drinks won't be free anymore. I hope we can just appreciate Dan Lanning becoming the coach we, hopefully, will have for a long time.

 

That coach won't be Saban and he just might be like Tom Osborne who won a lot of games and only won the big one at the end of his career. Before that the Nebraska program became a program to emulate. They were extremely loyal and supportive.  While we are still learning about the Lanning era we should try and imitate that program. Lets keep our dreams in check and make sure, most importantly, we support our young coach on his path to greatness.

Excellent post Hayward. Landing appears to check all the boxes, and I hope he lives up to all the lofty expectations. But he has never been a head coach before, and there undoubtedly will be blips along the way. It is expected. But this guy appears to have the “It factor,” whatever that is, and the future of Duck football couldn’t be brighter.

 

So glad Cristobal is gone. He actually did us all a favor by leaving, not just because the formerly exciting Oregon brand was taking a hit under his guidance, but he also gave the Ducks a nice parting gift to help lure Lanning to Eugene……..his buy out of several millions of dollars.

[Jon Joseph]

Interesting and fun article.

 

Saban, was a HC at Toledo, at Michigan State, at LSU where he won a Natty, and with the Miami Dolphins before coming to Alabama. In his 1st season at Bama, Saban posted a losing record including a loss to LA Monroe.

 

Nick Saban is the CFB coaching GOAT. One reason he is the GOAT is because every year he brings in a recruiting class ranked in the top 3 and these days, plugs in positions of need from the transfer portal. He went 1-1 against UGA last season, losing to UGA only when WR Williamson went down in the champ game after WR Metchie had been injured and could not play in the champ game. 

 

It took coach Kirby Smart with a roster stronger than Dan will ever have at Oregon, six seasons at UGA to win a big game against Saban. Will Smart be able to sustain the 2021 success and come anywhere close to winning the number of national titles Saban has won? Will he, or Dan at Oregon, win 100 games in a row against unranked opponents? Saban accomplished this incredible run at Bama.

 

Conerly was a terrific get. But I don't see Lanning or any other Ducks HC reeling in top 3 recruiting classes season after season. Or, sending double digit number of guys on to the NFL season after season.

 

I'd be more than happy if Dan, like Brian Kelly at ND and Riley at OK, could consistently get Oregon into the Final 4. (This means going at least 12-1.) And then wins a semi-final game(s) and wins a single national championship. Will Dan be at Oregon long enough to accomplish these lofty goals?

 

Make no mistake, I love the enthusiasm. However, I am concerned that many Ducks fans are placing unrealistic expectations on a guy who has never been a HC. And in 2022 Oregon has one of the more difficult schedules in CFB.

 

The schedule lightens up in 2023. Dan will have had a year's head coaching experience. Hopefully the starting QB in 2022 will return in 2023? I'm looking at 2023 as the season when the Ducks, notwithstanding having to play what will be an improved USC team, will make a legit run at the Final 4.

 

Again, fun article Charles. Thanks.

[Wrathis]

I do think we're getting out ahead of our skis here and yet still have a lot to look forward to.

 

I see a lot of similarities between the situation (and our expectations) on Lanning and Thompson. Both are highly touted with tremendous upside. Both appear to have the talent and desire to do huge things.

 

That being said, I think we need to temper our expectations on both, or we might stand to be disappointed and start preaching knee-jerk reactions before the season has even concluded.

[Charles Fischer]

On 4/13/2022 at 9:02 AM, Jon Joseph said:

I am concerned that many Ducks fans are placing unrealistic expectations on a guy who has never been a HC

And I stated in the article that I will simply watch to see if the wins happen over the next three years...no declarations of an upcoming 'Natty....no predictions of glory this next season....nothing. 

 

"Just the wacko-wailings of a fan who wants to believe."

 

And who wants to have fun watching the football program progress and discussing it with his Duck-Buddies.

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/13/2022 at 8:26 AM, Just Ducky said:

Saban at this point is just a grumpy old man going thru the motions, which by the way are pretty good ones, and getting closer and closer to the end. DL on the other hand is full of energy and seems to be having the time of his life and his players are having a good time as well.

 

Would I trade DL for Nick? Don’t think I would at this point of time because there is nothing but upside with our new coaching staff and our new head coach. Not sure Nick could recruit much better up here than MC and DL. Some might think I’m nuts and maybe even I think I’m but I like what I see and certainly don’t want to see DL go anywhere soon. Or maybe ever.

 

Dan has the tools to work with and I think his staff is very capable of turning this program around in a big way. Going to be tough to do the first year because of the ridiculous schedule that has been dumped in his lap but Dan doesn’t seem to be bothered by it one bit. You know the trip to Georgia will be a homecoming of sorts for him and his family.
 

Be interesting to see if his wife and kids tag along. Love the enthusiasm around Eugene and hope his wife and children can settle in and want to stay. Maybe it’s my old age but I need all the energy I can get and seeing this energy filled, young, coaching staff is the ideal medicine.

 Go Dan Lanning.

Love the take, but Saban, especially since becoming a Grand Dad, has been far less grumpy in recent years. He could not have been a more gracious loser in 2021 to former assistant coaches Jimbo Fisher and Kirby Smart.

 

At 71, I'm fairly certain that Nick Saban has no desire to leave Bama for any other job college or professional. I don't see a drop off in Saban's energy, like we saw with Bobby Bowden at FSU. I don't see the out-of-control grumpiness we saw from Woody Hayes.

 

I think Dan Lanning has a terrific upside but he has yet to coach his 1st game as a head coach. I too hope he and his family love Eugene. But Dan gets on a Saban-like run and it will cost a boat-load of money to keep Dan at Oregon. The mediocre coach at Purdue and the hasn't done anything yet Mel Tucker at Michigan State are both being paid a lot more money than is Dan Lanning.

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/13/2022 at 12:14 PM, Charles Fischer said:

And I stated in the article that I will simply watch to see if the wins happen over the next three years...no declarations of an upcoming 'Natty....nothing.  "Just the wacko-wailings of a fan who wants to believe."

I don't see anything 'wacky' at all. So far, everything we have seen out of Dan Lanning, his staff and the players has been nothing but positive.

 

The potential is enormous; however, 'potential' is a scary word.

 

Keep on keepin' on with the enthusiasm; it's all good.

[woundedknees]

Re: Lanning's family...

 

It looked to me in the coach's family may have been on the end of the video of staff reactions to Conerly's commitment. 

If DL's extended family has indeed bought in to the Oregon experience,  this could be a long term love affair, instead of a passing fling.

[Haywarduck]

One item we must remember about our previous two coaches and the enthusiasm they created was they were salesmen. Dan Lanning is also arguably a great salesman too. With a salesman we have to be careful as they know how to sell you on what you are looking for. Fortunately I agree Mr. Lanning is proving he is more than a salesman, which was undoubtedly the strongest aspect of the two previous coaches. 

 

The question still is out there, is Mr. Lanning selling us on more than he can deliver early on. We seem to be buying into every positive sign he gives us. We must remember our job isn't just to buy, but to hold accountable for what our program is and needs to become again. Fortunately Charles and FishDuck have proven to be up to that task.  

 

I look forward to the journey of finding out who Mr. Lanning is and seeing him bring back our Oregon Football Program and at some point even improving on what we view as the golden years of the Oregon Program. I look for a renaissance or renewal with the Oregon Football Program and Mr. Lanning becoming the leader of this movement for the fans and players, and really the nation taking note of Oregon again!

[Log Haulin]

  Idk if Lanning will be the next Saban. I do know it's going to be fun to watch the process as he progresses towards greatness in the years to come. 

 

  Duck fans will get a front row seat as Bama fan did with Saban. Saban is "The GOAT". Hard to replicate. Those guys stand alone. Jordan, Gretzky,  Ruth, Lombardi, Brady... there are greats behind them but few that have captured the imagination as these men did.

[Wood Duck]

Knowing is a dead end trap. When a person "knows" what they're doing, that is where they stop learning.

 

"He who says he knows, doesn't. He who admits he doesn't know, knows." - Buddha (At least I think it was Buddha, I wish I knew!)

[30Duck]

Great article. Charles, I was thinking the same thing last night. Well, not the "Next Saban" exactly, but the potential I see in our new coach. Hindsight of course is 20/20 but I see a vast difference in Cristobal and Lanning, and I think one of the differences in the two is that Cristobal had what we think of as an advantage.

 

Cristobal had head coach experience before taking over at Oregon. He believed he absolutely knew what he was doing. He didn't need to listen to his coordinators, or waste time on FG kicking and special teams. The players just needed to be tough, and as long as Oregon finished with more points at the end, it was good.

 

Lanning on the other hand has watched and absorbed coaching greatness. He has surrounded himself with assistant coaches, some with NFL experience, and there is a mutual respect that seeps out to the players.

 

I am very enthusiastic about the future of Lanning's Oregon teams, but not just the future, he and his staff have already accomplished tangible results that rocked college football. As far expectations? I don't buy that realistic is by default pessimistic or skeptical. It could be that everything is pointing towards success. 

[Drake]

When the coaches start hanging their hats on the moniker SEC West, then something very good, or bad is about to happen ; )

 

I am leaning heavily to the good side. 
 

Lanning would not allow what happened to the puppies 2022 recruiting class to happen at Oregon. He wanted to finish the season at Georgia (respect) and through sheer effort and hard work ended up with arguably the best staff and the top ranked recruiting class in the PAC 12. Impressive results. 

 

Unlike most coaches who bail on their teams before the ink dries on a new contract at another program Lanning opted to stay at Georgia. Helping the team win a National Championship establishes credibility beyond just the X’s and O’s. 
 

Players obviously listen and relate well to his vision and expectations. They are working their tails off to compete for starting positions and having fun. That ingredient alone keeps the highly competitive nature of proving oneself at this level fresh. 
 

Having Division Street in place for NIL support is also huge. It will be copied by many programs. Phil Knight wants this to be successful because he knows people are watching very closely. Therefore, Division Street is going to be very successful, and most importantly sustainable. 
 

With that type of NIL support Dan Lanning is equipped to land top talent. We just saw that happen and all of us were surprised.
 

The future belongs to those who have a vision and a dream. Now let’s see what you can do with your vision and dreams Coach Lanning. 
 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by Drake

[Duck 1972]

I believe personal relationships are the foundation of any great leader. Check

 

I believe vision is the culture that everyone buys into from the fans, lowest employee to the top.

Check

 

I believe talk is cheap. It's what your organization does, not what you say you're going to do that is important.

Check

 

I believe organizations from top to bottom that have goals of always learning and to be better than the day before will perform at the highest level possible.

Check

 

I believe competition, repetition and a shared belief will result in success.

Check.

 

No one knows for sure what the future will be but if you do everything you can every day you can't fail especially if you're realistic with the reality of the world.

Still to be determined.

[Steven A]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:22 AM, Drake said:

Having Division Street in place for NIL support is also huge. It will be copied by many programs. Phil Knight wants this to be successful because he knows people are watching very closely. Therefore, Division Street is going to be very successful, and most importantly sustainable.

And properly administered.

[Steven A]

I hope the coaching staff listened to Kenjon Barner's interview with John Canzano.  He said when he was at Carolina several veterans were very helpful, especially Steve Smith who would ask him what he did the day before after practice that made him better the next day.

 

We want that type of culture instilled.

[Log Haulin]

Lanning is living life really well, having a great time doing it! Infectious,  I don't see why this recruiting staff can't bring in a #3 class. 

 

  Facilities,  a respected program nationally,  absolute Dudes on this team already, MC left the cupboard full. three years and the Ducks are in the NC. 

[Notalot]

On 4/13/2022 at 3:54 PM, Log Haulin said:

Lanning is living life really well, having a great time doing it! Infectious,  I don't see why this recruiting staff can't bring in a #3 class. 

 

  Facilities,  a respected program nationally,  absolute Dudes on this team already, MC left the cupboard full. three years and the Ducks are in the NC. 

Pedal down, air horn blasting. No Jake. Running fast toward the Natty.

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/13/2022 at 1:09 PM, Log Haulin said:

  Idk if Lanning will be the next Saban. I do know it's going to be fun to watch the process as he progresses towards greatness in the years to come. 

 

  Duck fans will get a front row seat as Bama fan did with Saban. Saban is "The GOAT". Hard to replicate. Those guys stand alone. Jordan, Gretzky,  Ruth, Lombardi, Brady... there are greats behind them but few that have captured the imagination as these men did.

Bobby Orr?

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/13/2022 at 3:54 PM, Log Haulin said:

Lanning is living life really well, having a great time doing it! Infectious,  I don't see why this recruiting staff can't bring in a #3 class. 

 

  Facilities,  a respected program nationally,  absolute Dudes on this team already, MC left the cupboard full. three years and the Ducks are in the NC. 

A #3 class? Your post to the football gods' ears. If it takes 3 years to be in the final 4 then he will not be close to Nick Saban.

 

I love your enthusiasm but bringing in the #3 class at Oregon would be astounding.

 

I sure hope your optimism is realized.

[PittDuck]

Great article Sir Charles, thank you for getting our juice flowing and our Ducks in a line!

 

OK,  many Duck fans think Chip was the greatest Duck coach of all time, and his W/L ratio speaks for itself.  Was he a salesman? CEO? Recruiter? Leader?  I think we’d be hard pressed to give CK an A in all of the above.

 

This is admittedly looking at the world through green and yellow glasses, but I don’t see DL as the next NS, but rather I see him as the guy who replaces NS as the GOAT of CFB.