Confirmed: Dan Lanning isn’t going to Alabama.
The sports world was hit with a major surprise when Nick Saban announced his retirement as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide yesterday.
While many people celebrated (namely Auburn fans), people immediately began speculating who would be taking lead of one of the most successful college football programs of all-time, and a name that was floated early and often was Dan Lanning, head coach of the Oregon Ducks.
This move seemed to make sense, as Lanning lead the Ducks to two straight 10+ win seasons and two bowl victories since taking over for Mario Cristobal in 2022. Adding fuel to the fire was a post on X which showed a private charter flying from Eugene, OR to Tuscaloosa, AL just yesterday.
Well, it seems that wasn’t Lanning on the jet at all, as he just posted an incredible hype video which basically makes this statement: I’m not going anywhere and you should join me.
Take a look at it here.
“I want to be here in Eugene for as long as Eugene will have me. This place has everything that I could possibly ever want. There’s a little bit of a problem in society today with people looking for what’s next and where there’s an opportunity and the reality is the grass is not always greener.
In fact, the grass is damn green in Eugene.”
If that doesn’t make you want to suit up in a ridiculously colored Oregon jersey and run through a brick wall, I don’t know what will.
In a day and age when coaches seem to jump ship at the first opportunity that’s “bigger” than the job they have now, you’ve got to respect the hell out of Dan for committing to a build a program that really is showing potential to compete for a national championship. Sure, he would probably be a great fit at Alabama, but getting to put your stamp on a program and be the man who turns a team around? How can you say no to that?
Shout out Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. I don’t root for you guys often, but with a leader like this, it’ll be hard not to.
