When it’s Dan Lanning some numbers tell a lot on his behalf. Firstly, the 35-6 overall record in three seasons as head coach. Secondly, the third-most wins among FBS head coaches during that stretch. However, enough stats and numbers. It’s now time to know Lanning as the person. After all, it marks a very crucial timeline.
The new recruits are on a visit spree to finalize their new homes. And for the ones considering Eugene to be their next address, HC Lanning stands as the biggest USP and Oregon defensive back Brandon Johnson gives a real glimpse of who Lanning is as a person on and off the gridiron.
Dan Lanning’s dual persona that changes the game with the Ducks
It has been only a few months that the ‘firecracker’ has transferred from Duke to the Ducks squad. Johnson happened to be the third defensive back that Lanning locked in last offseason. However, he did not take much time to make Oregon proud. For instance, he dominated the defensive back. He had five tackles and an interception in the end zone. So, it’s likely that the recruits who must be considering boarding Lanning’s ship might be looking up to Johnson. And guess what? The DB made the most out of it to convince the new players. On The Sitdown Podcast, he was all head over heels for the HC. The player started with, “Yeah, just to talk about Coach Lanning a little bit from day one. I could appreciate his authenticity, just who he was. He’s himself in every room that he steps in.”
Now that’s true. Oregon took its first season in the Big Ten by storm under Lanning. The HC helped them to go undefeated in the conference play and bag the Big Ten Conference championship game. With this, came the No.1 seed reward in the 12-team College Football Playoff. And what about Lanning’s forte as the recruiter? Well, when Lanning arrived at Eugene he was ranked as the No.8. However, in between 2023-2024 he had led the Ducks from No.13 to No.3 as the recruiting class, That’s mainly because Lanning minds his business very well. As Johnson stated, “He definitely connects with players.” However, there comes a catch.
As the defensive back came with some more clarity, “You could have a regular conversation with them at any given time. It doesn’t always have to be about football. But when it is about football it’s about football. Respect that about Coach. Because if you try to go up talking to him about something that doesn’t concern football when it’s time to talk football – he gonna look at you crazy.” But as soon as the practice is over, Lanning instantly switches off his HC mode and turns on his buddy mode. Meanwhile, Oregon came up with another bold move to keep Lanning close.
A hefty raise to secure Dan Lanning’s future in Eugene
The University of Oregon has reportedly agreed to a new six-year deal that pays him $11 million annually – a $2 million a year raise. The 38-year-old HC received $8.2 million from the Ducks last season. The figure made him the 14th-most among college football coaches. But this time, with the raise, Lanning is likely to move inside the Top 5 among the highest-paid coaches in the country in 2025. Now this might lock the HC for some more time in Eugene. Will that lead to the players changing their minds?
For instance, the Ducks have already been left behind in the race to land 5-star Immanuel Iheanacho. Lanning and Co. happened to be his biggest suitors. Unfortunately, right now, the Big Ten competitor, Maryland Terrapins is on the steering wheel.
As analyst Hudson Standish said on the 247Sports show, “There was a lot of buzz for Oregon early on. Maryland is the hometown favorite. I would say Maryland is the team for him right now… I give them the edge over the Ducks at this point.” Now if the Iheanacho plan does not fall into place, will it be a big loss? Not much. Dan Lanning is already boasting the top class of 2026 commits — with two 5-stars and six 4-stars committed. However, a couple more elite recruits could make Lanning’s dream roster even sweeter.
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