Conflicting reports emerge on Dan Lanning to Oregon news

Conflicting reports have surfaced after the Atlanta Journal-Constitution broke the news that Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is set to become the next Oregon football coach. Oregonian beat reporter James Crepea tweeted Friday that a source from the school told him that is not the case.

“UO source says Oregon has not offered nor has the job been accepted by Dan Lanning or anyone else,” Crepea wrote. “Georgia DC is a candidate, but not hired. At least not yet.”

Crepea wasn’t the only reporter to discredit the AJC report, however. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman also tweeted out that the Dan Lanning news has been denied according to a source.

Am told by a source that the report that UGA DC Dan Lanning has been hired as the next head coach at Oregon is not true.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 10, 2021

Additionally, ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg backed up Crepea’s initial tweet.

Lanning has been Georgia’s defensive coordinator since 2019 after a year as outside linebackers coach. He helped turn the Bulldogs into one of the best defenses in the nation, holding teams to 6.9 points per game before allowing 41 points to Alabama’s high-powered offense in the SEC Championship last week.

Oregon has been looking for a new coach since Mario Cristobal left Eugene to return to his alma mater, Miami, earlier this week. In five seasons with the Ducks, Cristobal compiled a 35-13 overall record.

Georgia, the No. 3 team in the nation, is getting ready to take on No. 2 Michigan in the Orange Bowl. That is a potential reason why Lanning may not have accepted the job yet, even if there is an agreement brewing.

It’s also worth noting that Georgia and Oregon are scheduled to face each other in the season opener next year.

The Ducks finished this season with a 10-2 record before falling to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship. It marked their third straight appearance in the conference championship game after they claimed victories in 2019 and 2020.

Considered a perennial national contender, Oregon isn’t likely to be lacking for candidates. For most of the season, the Ducks were ranked inside the top four teams according to the College Football Playoff committee. It wasn’t until a Week 12 loss to Utah that they fell out.

Stay tuned for more reports on the Dan Lanning to Oregon situation as it develops.