Dan Lanning reflects on time spent with Kirby Smart at Georgia

Dan Lanning held his first official press conference as the new head coach of Oregon Ducks football. As he spoke to the media on Monday, he outlined his plan and vision for the program with him at the helm. Lanning also made time to thank those who helped him along the way who helped pave the way for this opportunity. The new Ducks head coach gave a heartfelt thank you, in particular, to his former mentor and current head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, Kirby Smart.

“I was fortunate, in my career, to have so many unique opportunities that also happen to uniquely prepare me for this opportunity, this exceptional opportunity. I want to give a special thanks to Kirby Smart and his wife Mary Beth, at the University of Georgia for believing in me and giving me an opportunity. He was so critical in my growth as a coach and has prepared me for this as I sit here today. Every day as an assistant coach everyday as a graduate assistant and everyday as a recruiting coordinator whatever had a wore I always wore that hat knowing I was preparing for the next job and that’s no different today,” said Lanning.

Towers was the first to call Lanning to Oregon

Oregon formally introduced Lanning at a press conference Monday. The move had been rumored in recent days, as Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Friday that Lanning would be heading to Eugene. On Saturday, several sources, including On3’s Matt Zenitz, confirmed the news.

“I hope people recognize, I mean in the business of journalism if you’re using sources, you have to trust your sources,” Towers said. “And in my case, I mean this is this is not to dispel anybody else or to say anything else about anybody, but I mean the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, I can’t be wrong. I mean it’s not it’s not like I’m in a chat room saying ‘this is what we’re hearing you know.’ The fundamental cornerstone of journalism is truth. So once you know something to be true then you’re OK with it; that’s kind of what I had to do.

“Now listen, we’ve all seen crazy things in college coaching searches or pro coaching searches. Sometimes it’s not even worth of an actual contract. You remember what happened at Tennessee with Greg Schiano, so you never can tell. Some times things can blow back in your face, but you know at the end of the day, the truth has to be your barometer and that’s what I was doing.”

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.

Lanning will remain coaching the Bulldogs for the College Football Playoff before permanently heading to Oregon.