Dan Lanning shoots down idea of leaving Oregon for Texas A&M

With Jimbo Fisher out at Texas A&M, athletic director Ross Bjork is going to swing for the fences in their coaching search. Some big names have been linked already, with the largest being Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. He has turned the Ducks into a College Football Playoff contender in just his second year and has plenty of experience in the SEC.

Lanning was asked about the Texas A&M job on Monday, where he shot down the idea that he would leave Oregon. His answer did not specifically mention the Aggies but did say there is “zero chance” he will be coaching anywhere other than Eugene next season.

“I think I’ve been really, really clear here since Day 1,” Lanning said during a Monday press conference. “Everything I want exists right here. I’m not going anywhere. There’s zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here. There’s a lot I want to accomplish here at Oregon. My No. 1 priority is being elite here at Oregon. We have the resources, the tools — anybody that can’t understand why you would want to be here at this place doesn’t understand exactly what exists here.

“I’ll continue to say it until I’m blue in the face. I want to be here at Oregon. That hasn’t changed, that won’t change.”

Sometimes, coaches are linked to open jobs and it gives agents the opportunity to get contract extensions and raises for their clients. Lanning is fresh off a renewal and is not looking for something new either way. He claims to not be motivated by money and his lone focus is on the on-field product for Oregon.

“I’m taken care of extremely well here at Oregon,” Lanning said. “I have the resources I need here at Oregon to be really, really successful. I’m not motivated by that. I’m motivated by winning. I’m motivated by being elite here. Our players deserve my complete focus. Our fans deserve the best product on the field.”

Oregon is currently 9-1 and is sitting in a good position when it comes to this year’s College Football Playoff race. Heading into Tuesday’s updated rankings following a win against USC, the Ducks are the No. 6 team in the country.

At this rate, winning out and taking down Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game could make Lanning’s team one of the final four on Selection Sunday. Arizona State is next up though, having to take care of business in Tempe before anything else.

Oregon can come into the game completely focused as well, with rumors of Lanning leaving for Texas A&M being completely shot down by the man himself.