Believe it or not, Dan Lanning still hasn't convinced the nation that he is happy with the Oregon Ducks in Eugene. Despite declining job offers at Texas A&M and Alabama throughout last year and into the offseason, Lanning is once again the subject of the rumor mill.
Of course, when you have a head coach that becomes as rapidly successful as Lanning has, he is going to bring a lot of attention to the program and said, head coach. However, for a man who has so adamantly said that he is staying in Eugene, are people really foolish enough to include him in possible hires?
REPORT: Dan Lanning is generating buzz in NFL coaching circles, per @JFowlerESPN https://t.co/JFfM4s20bo pic.twitter.com/shOYdjQYcI
— On3 (@On3sports) November 13, 2024
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler was the first reporter to bring up the idea that Lanning may take his talents to the next level, saying that a few people in the NFL have mentioned the Ducks' coach by name.
So far in his (very short) head coaching career, Lanning has led Oregon to an incredible 32-5 record, over less than three full seasons. This year, the Ducks are the No. 1 team in the nation and are racing towards a spot in the College Football Playoffs, currently resting at an impressive 10-0.
Sure, NFL organizations and elite college programs are always going to want to have people like Lanning at the helm of their programs. However, hasn't he done enough to squash the idea that he (and his family) are willing to leave Eugene?
— Dan Lanning (@CoachDanLanning) January 11, 2024
His sons love Oregon's culture, his wife is referred to as the 'First Lady' of the Ducks, and heck, people call Lanning 'Daddy Dan'. Isn't it obvious that the Lannings may want to stick around?
As more vacancies continue to pop up in the ever-rotating coaching carousel, Oregon fans may need just to trust the fact that their head coach is here to stay. After all, the grass is damn green in Eugene.