Dan Lanning opens up on Oregon's legacy in Pac-12's history

The Oregon Ducks capped off their 2023 season with a Fiesta Bowl win over Liberty. With that, the Ducks played their final game as a member of the Pac-12. Next year, head coach Dan Lanning will lead Oregon into the Big Ten for the first time.

Oregon has been a member of the Pac-12 since 1915. At that point, it was the Pacific Coast Conference. Now, with all of that history in the rearview mirror, Lanning shared some thoughts on the program’s legacy within the conference.

“I think Oregon cemented itself as a premier program in college football,” Dan Lanning said. “And I’ll say, more than anything, certainly grateful for some of the great games that exist in the Pac.”

Along with USC, UCLA, and Washington, Oregon moves to the Big Ten conference ahead of the 2024 season. It’s part of several changes in conference alignment, which leaves the Pac-12 with just two remaining schools, Oregon State and Washington State.

For Dan Lanning, looking forward to that future is what’s important right now.

“But probably just as excited about what’s happening in the future for us, where we’re headed, the direction we’re headed. The clarity, what that brings,” Lanning said. “That’s really a credit to our administration, Rob Mullens, and the people around us that have put us in that position.”

Oregon football may not have any national championships, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a long history within the Pac-12. That includes 12 conference titles in the conference for football. Eight of those conference championships came in the 21st century, showing just how much the program has grown in recent years.

Still, Oregon will hold onto at least a piece of its history in the Pac-12. The Ducks have agreed to continue their rivalry series with the Oregon State Beavers. A game that’s been played since 1894, the two agreed to schedule games through 2025. It also looks like games will continue beyond that point.

Dan Lanning shares importance of winning 12 games

With the win in the Fiesta Bowl over Liberty, Oregon got to 12 wins this season. As Dan Lanning explained, it was a massive accomplishment.

“I just think it speaks to the base that these guys have created,” Lanning said. “For where we’re headed and for what we’re about to do. They believed in what we wanted to accomplish. Really, this is all about our players. Our players had buy-in. They knew what the goal was and what to accomplish. We’re going to build off that in the future. They set the stage for that.”