Dan Lanning praises new Oregon running backs coach Carlos Locklyn

New Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has assembled his inaugural coaching staff – and it features a strong group of experienced football coaches.

While Kenny Dillingham made the move from Florida State to serve as the Ducks’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and Junior Adams was hired to be the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, Lanning also brought on Tosh Lupoi from the Jacksonville Jaguars to be the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach and Matt Powledge to hold the role of co-defensive coordinator.

As Dillingham, Adams, Lupoi and Powledge are Lanning’s primary coordinators, the former Georgia defensive coordinator also has guys in place at every position group – including at running back, a position group that Carlos Locklyn will lead in 2022.

Locklyn comes to Oregon from Western Kentucky, where he served as the running backs coach and was part of an offense that scored 44.2 points per game in 2021. Prior to being hired by Tyson Helton at WKU, Locklyn spent time in off-the-field roles at Florida State and Memphis and was also a high school coach in the Memphis area for eight years.

Lanning first met Locklyn – a coach who’s worked his way up the ladder over the years – while the two were both at Memphis, and the new Oregon head coach is looking forward to working with Locklyn again at Oregon.

“Coach Lock is a guy I first got to meet when I was at Memphis,” Lanning said. “Obviously, was really excited when we got the opportunity to bring him here. I feel like he got it out the mud. Man, this guy grinded and worked for everything he got. He started off as a volunteer. I look over one day and he’s wearing a t-shirt and he’s out on the field – not sure exactly where he came from.

“I have an appreciation for guys like that, that didn’t get it with a spoon in their mouth. He cares deeply for his players and obviously had some familiarity with the position playing it. Whenever I was able to talk to guys that he helped mentor, it’s really apparent the impact he had on those players. That’s something that stuck out to me and our staff. I’m thrilled he’s part of what we’re doing.”

Oregon is scheduled to kickoff its 2022 football season on Saturday, Sept. 3 against Georgia – the defending national champion and Lanning’s former team – in Atlanta.