Dan Lanning makes statement on becoming Oregon football coach

After he was officially announced as the next Oregon football coach, Dan Lanning released a statement via the Ducks’ Twitter account. The former Georgia defensive coordinator made it clear he intends to compete right away in Eugene.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to lead one of the premier programs in the nation at the University of Oregon,” Lanning said. “I want to personally thank president (Michael) Schill, the board of trustees, athletic director Rob Mullen and Mr. and Mrs. Knight for their trust in me. I’m excited to roll up our sleeves and get to work with our players in the pursuit of championships.

“It is clear there is a vision and alignment within the entire Duck nation. We are staged for success and look forward to building on the strong foundation that currently exists in Eugene. Our goal is to win championships and develop our players both on and off the field.”

As he came to the end of his Oregon statement, Dan Lanning didn’t forget to thank the Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart for his time in Athens.

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude to coach Kirby Smart and his wife, Mary Beth, and to every player, coach and staff member at the University of Georgia who contributed to our success, I thank you,” he said. “Go Ducks!”

Oregon will formally introduce Lanning at a press conference at 2 p.m. PT on Monday. However, he will remain coaching the Bulldogs for the College Football Playoff before permanently heading out West.

Lanning is the third new Pac-12 head coach this season, joining Washington’s Kalen DeBoer and Washington State’s Jake Dickert. Of course, Lanning’s primary Pac-12 recruiting competition, at least initially, will be new USC head coach Lincoln Riley. The Ducks made major inroads in California under former head coach Mario Cristobal, and Lanning will try to keep those battles largely in favor of the Ducks.

Lanning has been Georgia’s defensive coordinator since 2019 after a year as the outside linebackers coach. The Missouri native also brings national championship experience with him to Oregon, as he served as a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2015. That year, the Crimson Tide defeated Clemson 45-40 in the national title game. From Tuscaloosa, Lanning went to Memphis for two years before landing at Georgia.