No. 16 — Dan Lanning (Oregon Ducks)
Oregon Duck fans had to be hoping that their new head coach would be higher up on this list, but rationally, it makes sense. Lanning is a first-year head coach who is only 35 years old. On top of that, he has gone all-in on the youth movement, hiring a pair of coordinators who are even younger than him. A few years from now, it certainly could turn out that Lanning was among the best hires in this coaching cycle, but we need to see it before we anoint him. USA TODAY’s take:
Much like Freeman, Lanning was on a collision course for an elite Power Five job. Is this too much, too soon for the 35-year-old former Georgia defensive coordinator? Again, as with Freeman, he’ll have the chance to learn on the job with a roster that’s good enough to win the Pac-12 and contend for the playoff from the start.