Dan Lanning Had No Intention of Leaving Oregon to Fill Alabama Slot

January 22, 2024 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

In the face of growing speculation about his future, Oregon coach Dan Lanning moved to quash talk of a move to Alabama by insisting he has no plans to move on. This comes after Nick Saban left his post in charge of the Crimson Tide after 17 seasons in the job earlier this month.

Fans who feel that Alabama will manage just fine with Saban’s successor Kalen DeBoer in charge may want to back their college team with a wager, in which case you can make the most of all the insights offered here in relation to NCAAF betting prior to placing your big bet.

37-year-old Lanning took over as head coach of the Oregon Ducks in December 2021 and has a current record of 22-5, with his team finishing 2023 with a 12-2 record.

In 2022, Lanning made it clear he plans to stick around in Oregon for the long haul, stating,

“I want to be here in Eugene for as long as Eugene will have me,”

“This place has everything that I could possibly ever want. ... There’s a little bit of a problem in society today with people looking for what’s next and where there’s an opportunity and the reality is the grass is not always greener. In fact, the grass is damn green in Eugene.”

Last July, he signed a contract extension that includes a massive $20 million buyout, and last month, he reaffirmed his desire to continue in his post, claiming,

“This will be my final job as far as I’m concerned,”

He expanded on his thinking on the topic when appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, explaining,

"When I think of Oregon I think of innovation and we all know that college football is changing like crazy right now, and we're ahead of the curve. We've got a plan. We've got great support. If there's something I need, I can go ask for it. A lot of things that coaches are driven by, that's not really my motivation. It's one thing: can we win? Can we win at a high level? Can we compete for championships? That ability exists here. I think we have a program that can be the best in the nation as long as I keep this thing on track."

Saban opted to leave Alabama last week, and when he did so many were surprised, not least the players who he informed in a team meeting. By all accounts, health concerns were one of the motivating factors behind the decision, and it is worth remembering that he is 72 and, as such, very much in the latter stages of his coaching career.

He released a statement announcing his departure, making it clear just how special he feels about his lengthy period in charge of the college football behemoths,

“The University of Alabama has been a very special place to Terry and me,"

"We have enjoyed every minute of our 17 years being the head coach at Alabama as well as becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it’s about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life because they were part of the program. Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”

Finding an able replacement for Saban was always going to be a struggle, but many feel that Kalen DeBoer was the best option available to the team.