Georgia DC Dan Lanning makes move to be head coach at Oregon

Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is on the move and headed to Oregon where he will be the next head coach of the Ducks. Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution was the first to report on Friday with Bruce Feldman of The Athletic confirming the news Saturday evening.

He becomes the second defensive coordinator to earn their first head coaching job after working with Kirby Smart, joining Mel Tucker in 2018.

Lanning spent the last three season as the leader of the Dawgs’ defense, guiding UGA to top spot in the country for scoring defense in two of those three seasons – 2019 and 2021. Georgia allowed 12.6 points per game in 2019, topped by the Bulldogs’ performance in 2021, allowing just 9.5 points per game.

Both of those years, as well as 2020 when UGA ranked No. 16 for scoring defense, it was the Dawgs’ ability to stop the run that set the tone for the defense. Georgia ranked No. 1 in rushing defense in both 2019 and 2020 while coming in at No. 3 in 2021. The Bulldogs have allowed no more than 81.69 yards per game on the ground during Lanning’s time as the defensive coordinator.

Individuals have had success too. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was named the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in the country, earlier this week while defensive lineman Jordan Davis took home both the Bednarik Award for best nation’s defensive player and the Outland Trophy for the best interior lineman in the country on Thursday night. Davis is just the third player to win both awards in a single season, joing Ndamukong Suh (2009) and Aaron Donald (2013), both of whom went on to have success at the next level.

Lanning was also up for an individual award. Given the success of his unit, Lanning was named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award which goes to the top coordinator in the country. He was also a finalist in 2019.

As for Oregon, the program he’ll be taking over, the Ducks saw their coaching spot open up earlier in the week when former head coach Mario Cristobal took the same position at Miami. During Cristobal’s tenure, from 2018 through 2021, Oregon has played for three conference championships, winning back-to-back in 2019 and 2020. Oregon, who finished the season 10-3 this year, will take on Oklahoma, also in the midst of a coaching change, in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Interestingly, Lanning’s coaching career will begin against his former team next season as Georgia and Oregon are scheduled to play in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on September 3.

UPDATE: Kirby Smart confirms that Lanning will continue to work with the team through the College Football Playoffs. After that, Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp will serve as co-defensive coordinators.

“We are so happy for Dan and his family,” Smart said. “He and Sauphia have been an important part of our Bulldog family for the last four years, and we thank them for all they did for Georgia Football and the Athens community.  Opportunities like this are a testament to a successful program.  While he will coach with us for the upcoming College Football Playoff, we will move forward with Glenn Schumann and Will Muschamp as co-defensive coordinators. Dan and I are both looking forward to preparing for the CFP.”

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