Dan Lanning details why he's committed to Oregon despite high-profile job openings

If Dan Lanning wanted to, he likely could have a job in the SEC right now. Lanning was heavily linked to Alabama and Texas A&M but publicly turned both down. Although his roots are in the SEC, the current Oregon head coach has stayed true to the Ducks and plans remain that way to moving forward.

Lanning detailed why he has stayed at Oregon despite the high-profile job openings. He explained the leadership at Oregon has been easy to get along with, feeling like everyone is aligned. The program’s direction is as bright as ever and it’s something Lanning wants to be a part of.

“I just love everything about this place,” Lanning said when speaking to On3’s J.D. PicKell on Tuesday. “It starts with the commitment at the top. We have really great alumni. I really enjoy working with our athletic director Rob Mullens every single day. He’s somebody that I’m able to lean on. I think that we have clear direction in where we’re headed.”

Another big reason for staying in Eugene is having some consistency within his family. Lanning has jumped around from job to job over the years, working for six different schools over the course of a decade. He was being honest when he said the moving process is not anything he wants to go through right now.

Then there is the roster he has assembled, wanting to see through the commitment they made to his program at one point.

“For me, personally — my family, we enjoy living here,” Lanning said. “I have three boys that we’ve moved a good amount and it’s nice not to move. It’s nice not to pack up boxes again. When you see everything you want in a job and you have a program that you enjoy coaching, players made commitments to, that’s something you want to see through.”

Had Lanning decided to leave Oregon for another job, they likely would have been scrambling while moving to the Big Ten from the Pac-12. Instead, the Ducks are one of the favorites to win the conference title and even compete for a national championship. The preseason hype surrounding Oregon is already through the roof.

Lanning is beginning to build a monster through recruiting and the NCAA transfer portal. His loyalty, even after just two seasons, could pay off shortly with some hardware. A quick way to become a legend of the program.