Matt Johnson
The Oregon Ducks are reportedly hiring Dan Lanning as their new head coach, choosing the Georgia Bulldogs defensive coordinator to replace Mario Cristobal.
Oregon recently opened a coaching search after Cristobal turned down a multi-year contract extension to join the Miami Hurricanes. After requesting permission to interview Chip Kelly, the Ducks are moving forward with one of the best defensive minds in college football to take over their program.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Chip Towers reported Friday that Lanning will officially be named Oregon’s new head coach on Monday. Lanning is reportedly amid negotiations with the university to determine whether or not he will coach through the College Football Playoff.
After Oregon denied the report Friday evening, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported Saturday that Lanning is now expected to become Oregon’s head coach.
Dan Lanning coaching background
Lanning began his coaching career in 2008 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Missouri. Following three seasons coaching special teams, wide receivers and defensive backs, he joined the Pittsburgh Panthers as a graduate assistant in 2011 after driving through the nit to convince Todd Graham to hire him.
A year later, Lanning took a position as a graduate assistant on Graham’s staff for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He became recruiting coordinator in 2013, then defensive backs coaching for Sam Houston State in 2014.
Lanning joined Saban’s coaching staff at Alabama in 2015 before serving as the Memphis Tigers’ inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator (2016-’17).
He finally made his way to Georgia in 2018, coaching the team’s outside linebackers. When Mel Tucker was named Colorado’s head coach, Lanning was promoted to defensive coordinator.
- Dan Lanning salary (2021): $1.7 million
The play-caller for the best defense in college football, Lanning will be tasked with stopping offenses designed by Lincoln Riley, Chip Kelly and Kalen DeBoer.
