Oregon's Coaching Carousel

[Mic]

Speaking of Utah in their upcoming battle with Florida, most fans here I think are hoping for the Utes to do well and win.  A win for them is a win for the Pac-12 and that's good for the Ducks, etc.  No argument.  But why is Utah doing so well of late?  Well, there's Kyle Whittingham, for one.  Not only has he proven to be a great coach, he's been in place there since 2005. That's 18 seasons! 

 

Not since Rich Brooks' 18 seasons and Mike Bellotti 's 14 seasons has Oregon had a Head coach in place for more than four years (five, if you count Cristobal's covid-era shortened 2021season). Len Casanova, another of Oregon's great coaches, headed the program for 16 seasons.  

 

Now, my question is this: IF Dan Lanning, the 36-yr old Head Coach, has success at Oregon (and we all hope he will!) how long do we expect this man to remain in Oregon?  Are we realistically thinking it will be as long as Bellotti's 14, or Brooks' 18?  Not likely, but who knows?  

 

I guess my point is:  this coaching carousel the Ducks have been on since Bellotti's retirement (14 years & five coaches ago) is not (in my opinion) going to get the Ducks to the pinnacle of College Football world.  Or if it does, it might be a very, very brief period.  By "pinnacle" I'm referring to, say, a Top 5 final ranking in more 5 years out of a decade.  You know, like Ohio State.  And Alabama. And Clemson.  And Georgia. etc.  

 

Utah, on the other hand, may be heading that way as we write.  Certainly finding and keeping a Head Coach is a huge part of building a program that lasts.  Rich Brooks had an idea how to do it. Bellotti certainly improved on that idea.  And Kelly made it happen... if only he had stayed for another 5 years at least.

 

What's your thoughts on Lanning's future, if he builds a winning program at Oregon?  Will he use it as a springboard to a bigger program and leave Oregon on the coaching carousel for another decade?   Go Ducks.

[ManhattanDuck]

And it wasn’t that long ago that ‘we’ took great pride in the longevity of the coaching staff: Campbell, Greatwood, Neal, etc because the transition of head coaches was ‘in the family’….

[bretcole]

If we go to big 10 then there's no reason to leave!

[Tandaian]

Kyle is a very good coach, however he has exactly 1 top 5 finish and then zero other top 10 finishes.  He has 1 top 15 finish, which was last year.  After 18 years, a coach is who he is.  I don't expect Utah to be finishing in the top 10 consistently.  They will have good seasons and jump in with a great season every once in a while, but after 18 years I'm not sure what has anybody thinking Utah is suddenly going to make the jump to greatness.  

 

Does Utah have an uncle Phil?  The only way Utah makes the jump is if they get millions to poor into football.

 

Shaw started out strong and then fell off the map.

 

Helfrich if he had won, would have been a life time Duck.  Taggart and Cristobal had strings pulling them to another school.  

 

I believe if Lanning wins, he can be a long time coach.  However, the only school that currently scares me is Alabama.  Nick Saban is 71 and isn't going to be coaching forever.  If Lanning takes the Ducks where we want to go, then in 4 years(?) when Saban finally decides to retire, I would think Lanning would be on the short list of coaches.

 

I have read that uncle Phil has plans in place to keep Oregon Football with money.  Hopefully, that includes making sure we keep a head coach with a high salary.

[Mic]

I'd think Lanning would be wooed by a number of schools if he does well here and yep, Alabama chief among them.

[Charles Fischer]

I've written this before, but my "take" on Lanning revolves around how he enjoys the intellectual challenge posed by offenses.  I believe that "when" he gets a 'Natty at Oregon, he will not have to prove anything further in the college game.  He would have brought a national championship to a program that has never had it.  Continuing what is built at Alabama is not the same...

 

I believe he would go to the NFL...to match wits with the best in the game.  And eventually he would be a HC there too.

 

But that is only if a ton of items happen, and if they do--I would wish him well.  But I do think it will take him a while in Eugene, and he wants to put down roots...

 

[Mic]

It's also possible that Lanning, (if he wins a National Championship here) decides he likes it here, and Phil Knight helps Oregon keep him satisfied with his salary & benefits.  

 

And it's also possible that the shoes Saban leaves to fill when he retires might not be ones he wants to try on.  I mean, what a tough act to follow!

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Lanning seems to be intent on setting his own path. I don't see what the appeal of Bama would be for him. It seems to be more of a Kelly/ Helfrich transition. "Here's the keys to the Ferrari kid. It's all souped up and has a full tank of gas. Don't wreck it." Keep winning championships and it's just par for the course. Stop winning championships and you're a failure.

 

The only move I'd be concerned about would be going pro. If he likes the advantage recruiting gives him, he may stay at UO for awhile. If he wants the challenge of a level playing field, he may leave. If he leaves after the Ducks win some championships, I'm sure they land on their feet just fine.

[CalBear95]

Let’s just get through this season before we worry about a problem that would be down the road a ways.  
 

One day at a time.  

[TexasDuck]

I'm grateful that Rich Brooks played a big part in turning the program around.  I also remember that he applied for numerous other jobs during his years at Oregon.  I also remember that he parlayed the Rose Bowl into his gig with the Rams.

 

I'm just offering a contrarian opinion here. 

[Mic]

On 8/23/2022 at 11:06 AM, The Kamikaze Kid said:

Lanning seems to be intent on setting his own path. I don't see what the appeal of Bama would be for him. It seems to be more of a Kelly/ Helfrich transition. "Here's the keys to the Ferrari kid. It's all souped up and has a full tank of gas. Don't wreck it."

 

 

That Ferrari Bellotti and Kelly built has been traded.  Oregon's driving a sedan right now.  If Oregon were still operating like a raging Ferrari who better to have driven it than Herbert?  Time to build a new one.  Or maybe a Tesla/HumVee.  One to out-speed ya and one to run over you.  I think Lanning's got the HumVee idea going but does Dillingham have the Tesla in the works?

[David Marsh]

On 8/22/2022 at 7:42 PM, Mic said:

Now, my question is this: IF Dan Lanning, the 36-yr old Head Coach, has success at Oregon (and we all hope he will!) how long do we expect this man to remain in Oregon?  Are we realistically thinking it will be as long as Bellotti's 14, or Brooks' 18?  Not likely, but who knows?  

I think we may be surprised how long Lanning sticks around. As long as the money is competitive enough and he has the program he built, he may stay for quite awhile. 

 

The Changing Face of Loyalty in CFB Coaching

FISHDUCK.COM

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Loyalty for aspiring top-tier programs is dead in College Football. The desire for loyalty is commendable and...

 

 

If Lanning has the program he wants and he is competing at the highest levels why would he leave? 

 

Well... Let's assume NIL is sorted out soon-ish because having boosters who will buy the recruits for you would be a reason. But let's assume that that's fixed by the time Lanning has to decide. 

 

[Mic]

On 8/23/2022 at 7:01 PM, David Marsh said:

 

Well... Let's assume NIL is sorted out soon-ish because having boosters who will buy the recruits for you would be a reason. But let's assume that that's fixed by the time Lanning has to decide. 

 

Not sure what 'NIL' is that you refer to, but "having boosters who will buy recruits..." is not legal nor ethical.  

 

I seem to remember something about one of our new coaches (Lupoi) being embroiled in a controversy (later dropped) about just that at Cal.  Lanning has inherited a good, solid, clean program at Oregon and that's what all Duck fans want. Coaches with integrity like Mike Bellotti should be our goal.

[David Marsh]

On 8/23/2022 at 9:21 PM, Mic said:

Not sure what 'NIL' is that you refer to, but "having boosters who will buy recruits..." is not legal nor ethical.  

 

I seem to remember something about one of our new coaches (Lupoi) being embroiled in a controversy (later dropped) about just that at Cal.  Lanning has inherited a good, solid, clean program at Oregon and that's what all Duck fans want. Coaches with integrity like Mike Bellotti should be our goal.

NIL is Name, Image, Likeness where players are able to get paid for the use there in. 

 

And boosters are able to create organizations right now that pay players for the use of their NIL which is how they pay players. Tennessee's 2023 QB recruit is getting paid 8mil for going there and Miami's 2023 QB is getting paid around 9. This is from information that is made public as none of it is required to be at this point. 

 

I fully agree we need coaches with integrity. And coaches are under current rules not allowed to pay players at all. But boosters are allowed to pay players through NIL contracts. 

 

So it is riddled with loopholes right now and all of it is problematic. 

[Haywarduck]

I agree with Charles, I wish Lanning all the luck in the world, and if he is successful the pro game would seem the next challenge. I am not sure who would want to get behind the shadow Saban will have at Alabama.

 

As far as Whittingham he is a great coach, right up there with Brooks. The Oregon program took a lot of steps after Brooks to get where we are. I don't see Utah making those leaps.

[Notalot]

No one knows what Lanning will do, and when and if he moves elsewhere. It's a personal decision based on his personal situations and goals, aspirations, opportunities, and career planning (rhymes with Lanning).

 

Coach Lanning's spouse and family play into such decisions big time. Personal and family health are influencing factors. I have to imagine that job satisfaction, success, tools of the trade support, and relations with the university, community, donors, AD, and the President of Oregon are influences that will weigh heavily into the stay or move-on issue.

 

The rabbit-in-a-hat mystery of conference alignments will surely play a big part in Coach Lanning's future. Assuming that Oregon Football stays in the elite top tier of college football, then it will come down to a benefit analysis as fork-in-the road opportunities come up in the future when he will decide if Oregon or the new opportunity are best for him and his family.

 

Will Lanning have an urge or a pull to return to the Southeast? What if he builds the brand and competes for or wins that national championship? Will that be enough to settle long term in here at Oregon, or with the offers and acclaim will there be the irresistible pull (with more compensation) to go elsewhere to build a program?

 

I worked on and led some major global start up and reorganization projects in my career. I was pulled to the biggest and most difficult ones by the challenge. My family, making many sacrifices, came along with me . Might Dan Lanning feel that pull after success at Oregon?

 

We hope and cheer for Coach Lanning's success here at Oregon, but what if his record is mediocre during the term of his contract? It doesn't seem that the AD, donors, and fans at Oregon want to return to  7-6 or 8-5 seasons again. 

 

 

[DazeNconfused]

I don't know if Duck fans get Coach Whitt has been at Utah almost 30 years.

 

He's Utah's - Brooks or Bellotti on steroids. He spent around a decade as the DC at Utah.

 

KW has had some great coaches on his staff that have put in some years with him. Ludwig the OC is on his second run as OC for KW.

 

In 2005 when they hired him KW as head coach, he promoted Gary Anderson as Asst HC and his DC.

 

After Anderson left, he had Kilani Sitake as his DC until he left to join Anderson withe the Bark Eaters for the 2015 season.

 

Current DC Morgan Scalley who played for KW at Utah has been on the staff for 15 years and been the DC for around 8 years. 

 

KW has had 3 good DC's that have all come out of his system to be the DC. Scalley is the best DC in the Pac-12 for years if you ask me.

 

His OL and DL guys have been there longer than Scalley has been the DC, Ludwing is close to a decade in his two stops. 

 

Coach Whitt hasn't had some of the insane long term staff retention like the Ducks did. But he has had his share, and they have been much in line of the old Ducks staff that do less with more. The twist is the Ducks were known as an offensive team and Utah has been all about the hardnose defense. 

 

Utah football - like the Ducks, did have become a known football hotbed. They are now getting better recruits the add to the 3-star kids they have always developed. They are a Top 10 team in the pre-season polls and favored to win the pac-12. 

 

What happens to Utah football when KW hangs it up? Scalley the DC had an incident that probably taints him from getting the HC job. Scalley would be the best long-term HC hire and would carry the Utah culture on. 

 

Add in possible B1G expansion move for Utah, the NIL new world. Does Utah go outside the family like the Ducks did with the Taggart hire?  

 

KW and Utah football has been something similar to that special Duck era of the past, but they too may see that type of era end. 

 

The bigger the Ducks became on the national stage the more the old system passed away - Utah is facing the same thing at some point. 

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by DazeNconfused

[Mic]

On 8/23/2022 at 9:31 PM, David Marsh said:

NIL is Name, Image, Likeness where players are able to get paid for the use there.

 

So it is riddled with loopholes right now and all of it is problematic. 

Ah, yes.  Now I remember.  And how could I forget when the whole idea caused me to think we were about to see the end of collegiate amateurism as we knew it for over 140 years?  $9 million you say, for the Miami QB?  That puts him on a par with the Head Coach.  Just like the NFL.  Egads...

[Mic]

On 8/24/2022 at 5:49 AM, Haywarduck said:

As far as Whittingham he is a great coach, right up there with Brooks. The Oregon program took a lot of steps after Brooks to get where we are. I don't see Utah making those leaps.

I think I see the 'tongue-in-cheek' there with the 'Brooks great coach' comparison.  

 

Yeah, I remember thinking: "Finally (!) we can get an new coach and from there Bellotti helped Oregon get better fast."  But in hind sight, we should remember Rich Brooks for running a clean program, keeping the Ducks competitive (for the most part) and building a solid program base for Bellotti to build off of.

 

Whittingham should be credited with making Utah good enough to beat Oregon twice, convincingly.  Comparing him to Rich Brooks may be a good one.

[Haywarduck]

On 8/24/2022 at 3:04 PM, Mic said:

I think I see the 'tongue-in-cheek' there with the 'Brooks great coach' comparison.  

 

Yeah, I remember thinking: "Finally (!) we can get an new coach and from there Bellotti helped Oregon get better fast."  But in hind sight, we should remember Rich Brooks for running a clean program, keeping the Ducks competitive (for the most part) and building a solid program base for Bellotti to build off of.

 

Whittingham should be credited with making Utah good enough to beat Oregon twice, convincingly.  Comparing him to Rich Brooks may be a good one.

I am one of the biggest fans, supporters and defenders of Rich Brooks. What he was able to do, with what he had was phenomenal, end of story. It is with great respect I compare Brooks to Whittingham, not a perfect comparison, but they are comparable. Utah should be and I am sure the vast majority are very proud of what Whittingham has done, much like at Oregon with Brooks.

 

[Mic]

On 8/24/2022 at 4:07 PM, Haywarduck said:

I am one of the biggest fans, supporters and defenders of Rich Brooks. What he was able to do, with what he had was phenomenal, end of story. It is with great respect I compare Brooks to Whittingham, not a perfect comparison, but they are comparable. Utah should be and I am sure the vast majority are very proud of what Whittingham has done, much like at Oregon with Brooks.

 

His (Brooks) work at Oregon has "aged well", if you know what I mean.  We wanted more at the time.  Got it in Bellotti & Kelly.  Then began to lose it with Mark Helfrich (whom I liked) and saw it almost evaporate with WT.  Cristobal saved O from slipping out of the picture but left before the program was back where fans wanted it to be.  It's still got a good ways to go.

[Duckdude]

We can only hope that Lanning’s Oregon teams are soooo successful that other programs, or the pros, will throw an “offer he can’t refuse” at him.  After all, isn’t that the kinda success we Duck fans want?  We can only hope, that, if we are able to achieve such giddy success, that the Coach has an even more compelling reason to stay at UO.   But,…….let’s not get ahead of ourselves.   We’ve got a lot of winning to do first!

[Mic]

Realistically speaking, (keeping in mind Oregon has yet to play a single game under Dan Lanning) Oregon has about as much up-side potential as any team in college football right now.  More than most.  Whether they'll get there or not is the question.