Texas A&M parted ways with former head coach Jimbo Fisher and one candidate mentioned as a possible replacement is Oregon’s Dan Lanning.
The second-year Oregon head coach, rumored as a target for the Aggies, addressed the speculation during a press conference on Monday.
Lanning has an impressive resumé under his belt even at this stage of his career. He already has won a national championship serving as defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs and currently has the Ducks ranked No. 6 overall in the College Football Playoff rankings.
While he would not be the first coach to suggest they would stay with their team and then leave the program anyway, Lanning did provide a convincing quote when he spoke to reporters. Here is what he said when asked about the vacancy at Texas A&M:
“Everything I want exists right here. I’m not going anywhere. There’s zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here. There’s a lot that I want to accomplish here at Oregon. My number one priority is being elite here at Oregon, and we have the resources, the tools.”
Lanning also mentioned that he is raising a family in Eugene, Ore. and that he has three children. Later in the evening, his wife posted a photo on Twitter with all three kids and “Sco Ducks” as a caption.
Beyond what he mentioned about his family, Lanning also discussed his contract with the University of Oregon.
“You know a lot of coaches hang on to these moments and they don’t do anything or don’t say anything, one because they don’t want egg on their face when they decide to do something else. Two, because they’re concerned about things that I’m not concerned about, like getting a better contract. I’m taken care of extremely well here at Oregon. I have the resources I need here at Oregon to be really really successful. I’m not motivated by that. I’m motivated by winning. I’m motivated by being elite here.”
This past offseason, Lanning agreed to a contract extension to extend his deal until 2028. His deal includes a base salary of $45 million over six years and it increases by $200,000 per season each year that he stays with the program.
Lanning would also have to pay a $20 million buyout if he were to leave the University of Oregon for a different gig.
Of course, the financial aspect may not scare away a program like Texas A&M. The university is paying a $76 million buyout to dismiss Fisher and that is before paying for a new head coach.
But as my colleague Mike Sykes wrote earlier today, why should Lanning leave? Here is more:
“It’s A&M, man. That’s a tough job. The Aggies don’t play. Jimbo Fischer just got fired with a $76 million payout. You’re essentially hired to be fired there. It’s tough.
Lanning has it good in Oregon.”
His situation is different than what we saw from former Oregon coach Mario Cristobal, who left the Ducks to go coach at his alma mater in Miami. This is a “dream job” for Lanning.
In fact, last season, Lanning said the “grass is not always greener” on the other side and that he wants to stay in Eugene as long as they will have him.
Meanwhile, after defeating USC on Saturday, the Ducks will face Arizona State in their next game.
They will then play Oregon State in a rivalry game for their final regular-season game before potentially earning a spot in the Pac-12 conference title in Las Vegas on Dec. 1.
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