April 16, 2025 • 27 mins
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning sits down with George Wrighster to talk about Oregon football. Lanning talks about the direction of the program and the future of college football with the transfer portal, NIL, and the NCAA House settlement. They also discuss the Oregon transition to Big Ten football, the Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff, and college football recruiting. Dan Lanning gives insight into what drives him and what other coaches he talks to including Kirby Smart, Nick Saban.
Chapters: 00:00- Intro
03:00- How Dan Lanning judges the 2024 Oregon Season
05:55- Where does Oregon go from here??
06:40- Oregon's portal vs prospect recruiting strategy
09:10- Dan Lanning's advice to parents that are raising D1 recruits
11:05- How does Dan Lanning handle losing assistant coaches to other opportunities?
12:10- What goes into a player hopping into the transfer portal?
14:05- How does Dan Lanning determine the themes for each week's games?
14:40- Oregon preaches connection- how does that help drive teamwork over individualism?
15:40- How does Dan Lanning prioritize his family time?
17:00- How would Dan Lanning adjust the academic and athletic calendar if he were in charge?
19:00- How Dan Lanning's sneaker game has changed since joining 'Nike U'
20:25- How does Dan Lanning handle the noise- both positive and negative?
21:10- Are new rivalries developing in the Big Ten?
21:55- How does coaching life match Dan Lanning's vision of what it would be?
19:45- Dan Lanning's thoughts on the Administrative support at Oregon
23:25- Does Dan Lanning view himself as a mentor? 21:25- Dan Lanning's Outback Steakhouse tips
24:40- Wrighster or Wrong- Dan Lanning picked the wrong career, Ohio State is a bigger rivalry than Washington, and Young Dan Lanning could work for Head Coach Dan Lanning
26:10- Dan Lanning on what success looks like, and his final recruiting pitch The Unafraid Show is about US! Make sure to follow the Unafraid Show on all Social channels: -
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
I can't wait for you guys to hear this episode
because I got a chance to sit down with Oregon's
head coach, Dan Lanny, and this is the second time
I got a chance to sit down with him. Last
year we did about a forty five minute interview as well.
You guys can go check that out on YouTube at
Unafraid Show, same thing, you know, just more content over there.
(00:21):
And I appreciate you guys listening. You guys make sure
that you guys share. So let me give you some
takeaways from this episode before we even get into it. So,
Dan Lanning is a guy who is I've got a
chance to know on a personal basis. He's smart, he's
very calculated. Has a negative connotation, but I would say
(00:43):
he's very aware that the microphones are always on and
understands that the brand is always at play. So he's
not going to be a guy that's gonna say anything
that is not going to look favorably on the Oregon
ducts or really on himself. But I think that actually
he speaks more to himself and how true he is
(01:03):
to him. Like prime example, when he first got the job,
a guy that he was on staff with was at Georgia.
His name was Cortez Hankton and I got drafted with
Cortes and Jacksonville in two thousand well, I got drafted.
Cortes was an unrestricted free agent in that two thousand
and three class, and I hit up Cortes when I
(01:24):
found out that Dan was getting a job or close
to getting a job, and I said, Yo, what do
you think about this guy? And he was like, dude,
he solid good dude, stands by his words, stand up guy.
I said, all right, So if my kids were to
go there, would you stake our friendship on this dude
as a person? He said one hundred percent. And from
(01:46):
that point in time, I was in. So I got
a chance to meet Dan's like shortly after he got
the job. I mean, the dude just is just a
good dude. I mean, and the players they like him
a lot too. They stand by him. And I got
a chance to ask him some questions that a lot
of people really don't get a chance to ask him
(02:06):
and sit down with these coaches and more of the
interviews are going to be coming out, So if you
go on YouTube, you'll see the interviews with Dabo Sweeney
with Kenny Dillingham with Jed Fish with Dan Mullen.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, and a.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Bunch of other coaches are still coming out and coming
down to pipe two. I know I forgot one or
two that are already out, but what I'm going to
put them on the podcast as well. To you guys.
Make sure you guys check it out, share, and thank
you guys for listening. Let's get to it.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think I count my blessings every day to get
to a place like Oregon, coaching with great people and
coaching great players, and we put up a high premium
and making sure we get the best players in the nation.
For me, it's about the client. It's about how can
we continue to improve. There's a level of play that
you have to have in a place like Oregon to
be able to.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Play twenty year old coach Dan Lanning when he was
in his twenties could coach for coach Dan Lanning.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Now wrong, I didn't know. I didn't know anything.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
We are joined by the head coach of the Oregon Ducks.
Mister Dan Lanning. You're here in year four and you
went through obviously all your coaching journey, starting with that
drive to Pittsburgh to try to get a job. Then
you've been at Sam Houston State, Arizona State, Memphis, and
(03:34):
Georgia Alabama. Now you're the head coach four years. Has
it set into you that, oh my god, I'm like
my dream has come true?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah? I think I count my blessings every day, you know,
to get to be a place like Oregon, you know,
coaching with great people and coaching great players. I mean,
there isn't a day that goes by and then I
certainly don't take it for granted.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
So this past season, right, you are number one in
the nation for more time than anybody else. You finished
thirteen and h But we also live in a like
ring culture, like from the outside people, right, So how
would you judge this season and how do you look
back on this season being that from the outside it
was highly successful?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I think, you know, the one thing that I'm
proud of is our team's gotten consistently better each year.
You know, I think you look at this team, it's
the best version of us yet, but certainly really still hungry. Right,
left some on the table and got to go against
a great team that went on to go win it.
And for me, I'm unsatisfied.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Right, there's more out there.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But on the same note, I don't think you can
look at the season and say there weren't some really
positive things that.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Happened before the playoffs starts. After the playoff, who are
the guys that you really like lean on that you
call and say, how do I handle this? How do
I handle this with my with my team? Or is
that something that you just kind of handle on your own?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Well, I think before it all starts, you lean back
on experience. But this year is certainly different than any
other year, and I certainly put in phone phone calls, right.
I think that's one thing that I'll always do, you know,
whether that's coach Saving or coach Smart or you know,
other guys that I've been around. And then and then
you lean on experience. You you lean on what's it
looked like in your past, whenever you were you know,
part of championship runs.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
If you call up coach coach Smart, he's still coaching.
Is he giving you all the advice or is he
giving you the there are there are two rules to success, uh,
And then he gives you gives you one and then
you say, what's what's the number two?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And he's like, you know, we're pretty good. He was
on the other side of the bracket. But I think
ultimately we're both just kind of looking for verification.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Hey, how do you have it set up?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
This out? I have it set up over the next
few weeks and just bounce ideas off of each other.
So you know, ultimately you have to play and then
it has to be solved on the field. But he's
always been a great mentor to me, and I don't
think he hesitates to give me a thought, you know,
if he thinks it's something that's important.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
So how do you grow? I mean, because you are
at the University of Oregon, number one team in the nation,
how do you grow when you're at the top of
the mountain?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well, we're not at the top yet, right, And I
think it starts with self awareness, like what are those
things that'll put us at the top? And then when
you get there, it doesn't matter what you did at
the top, right, you're starting all over again. So for me,
it's about the climb. It's about how can we continue
to improve? And you know what team can be the
most self aware team who can identify their weaknesses quick
enough and realize, hey, we either need to hide those
(06:26):
weaknesses and build on our strengths, or develop those weaknesses
and make them strengths. And for us, it's about that.
It's about constant improvement.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
This era of recruiting is obviously changed, it's different. How
do you balance transfer portal recruiting versus high school recruiting
and where the value is placed? Does it change each
year your approach to it.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
And since we've been here, we put a high premium
on making sure we get the best players in the nation.
And I think you want to build it from the
ground up. You always want to start with high school,
but you want to make sure that your roster is competitive.
You want to make sure that you're able to go
out there in the field and compete with the best
of the best. And we've been able to attract some
unbelievable high school players, but we've also been able to attract,
you know, great portal players that make our team better.
(07:09):
So to me, it is it's a balance, but the
bigger portion of our team. And I think if you
look over the years, it's gotten smaller and smaller for
us in the portal and it's grown, you know, uh,
it's been about the same and high school are grown
in high school. That's kind of that's our model. We
want to want to build it from the ground up
with high school recruiting and then add pieces to the
puzzle to help us compete on Saturdays.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, speaking of competing, how do you compete right when
there are options in the portal available that are proven players,
whereas you have highly recruited players as well that haven't
been on the field yet. What's your emphasis with that balance,
especially where your roster is right now?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, if you're on a roster, it's our job to
develop you and maximize your potential, but it's also you know,
there you create competition by being able to bring guys
in as well. So you know, I think it's it's
every day it's roster man, when it's evaluation every single day.
You have to trust your eye too on guys that
you brought in and know that there's a difference in
a freshman and a senior and a freshman and a junior.
So that's all part of the puzzle, right and piece
(08:10):
that together, and how does somebody fit within the team.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
When you're out there and you're looking for a player
who you know fits Oregans more, are you looking at measurables.
Are you looking at tape? Are you looking at rankings? Evaluation?
How where did you guys' process go of evaluating recruits.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I'd say everything you said except for rankings, like that
doesn't really matter to me. I think our evaluation has
to matter. I think you're trying to find guys that
love football, you know, guys that recognize the opportunity that
exists here at Oregon. You know, I always feel like
if you're a program that's spending your time talking about
somebody else, that means you don't have enough things to
say about yourself. Yeah, and when I first got here,
you talked about a vision. Right, this is the vision
(08:47):
for this program, But now it's kind of like proofs
in the pudding. Right, Look what guys have done at
your position when they've come here. Look at the success
we've been able to have on offense and defense and
special teams. So for me, that's the challenge is finding
the guys that are the right There's a lot of
guys that play a high level of football, but are
they the right fit for us? If we find the
guys that are the right fit and do a great
job of developing those guys, it's going to be a
(09:08):
perfect marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I talk to parents all the time. I'm a parent
of football players and all of this, and they ask
me all the time, well, what should I be doing?
What should I So if you were speaking to all
the parents out there in the world, who are whose
kids have the talent to play Division one, what are
some of the things that they whether it's their character,
is that their working like, what are some of the
(09:30):
things that are universal in terms of creating a kid
that can be successful in college playing football?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Well, I think talent's always a separator, right, There's a
level of play that you have to have at a
place like Oregon to be able to play. But I'm
still looking for the guys that are the best leaders
on their team, right, I'm still looking for the hardest workers.
And I think it's easy for that to get cloudy
at times because there's so many different directions you can
get pulled. But the best thing you can do is
be elite where you're at, water the plant where you're at.
Be great for your high school team, be a great teammate,
(10:00):
be a great personal community, take care of your business
in the classroom. Like, all those things to me are
as right where we're trying to identify and recruiting or.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
What are the butts?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Yeah, like, hey, this guy's a great player, but he's
not always on time, he doesn't always work extra right,
And I think those are easy factors for us to
be able to see and say, Okay, maybe this guy
isn't the right fit for us. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I just want to know, are you ready to apologize
to Oregon fans because there is a recruit that you
helped Oregon not get who just won a Super Bowl.
You won a National championship with him, and he signed
his letter of intent in Oregon. Stuff. Do you know
who I'm talking about?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Help me? Oh? I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, I'm glad Key played.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'll always remember that play from the National champion Oh man,
that was awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
You know, pick six for a touchdown, that was special.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
But yeah, getting to watch, you know, as a Chiefs fan,
that was a bittersweet game to see the Eagles. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
But on the other end of it, I think I
had six or seven.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Guys, Yeah, we're playing for the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I was really excited for those players.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
When you're having success as a head coach, you're going
to have some attrition, that's how you ended up here.
So and you've had some coaches lead, how do you
balance the trying to keep coaches that you clearly hired
because you knew that they would do a good job
and he did a good job for you, versus understanding
that they have their own personal aspirations like you had.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah. Well, I have my goals in my mirror and
the number one goal on my mirror is to help
my people reach their goals. So I don't think I
can ever lose sight of what it was like to
sit in that seat as an assistant coach. And obviously
we want to make this place unbelievable here to where
it's hard for people to leave, and I think we've
created that. I think it is hard for people to
leave Oregon. But on the same note, when people have
goals and aspirations, you want to help them get there,
(11:42):
and those things can work hand in hand, right. I
think change can sometimes be really good for an organization
as well. It brings in new ideas, new opportunities for growth.
It helps people on your staff that have the opportunity
to grow in those moments as well. As attrition happens,
So it's part of it, right, it happens. Every winning
pro I've been a part of is had attrition. It's
it happens. You just hope that people that are leaving
(12:04):
your program or leaving for great opportunities.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yeah, and sometimes that includes the players who who hop
in the transfer portal. How does that process usually work?
Because I don't think that fans usually understand that if
a player wants to hop into portal, does he call
you and say, a coach, I'm thinking about leaving, Like,
how does that usually work?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah? I always say to our players, you know, I
think every person in this program deserves that conversation, right,
I think before you read it on Twitter, you should
have a conversation first. And as a man, you guys
have done a unbelievable job here at Oregon and we
really take pride in wearing that. Oh so let's have
a conversation first. And then sometimes that decisions made a
lot of times that could be best for the player,
(12:44):
it can be best for the program. And everybody's goals
and aspirations are a little bit different. So sometimes it
fits for a guy to be able to go on
and check out the next opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
What is I guess the next evolution of Oregon football, right,
because obviously everybody he says, not national championship, not national championship,
But what does it look like from your point of view?
Because Kobe talks about the process, the process. I've heard
you talk about the process, the process. How do you
judge the process versus winning?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, I always think winning is a result of the process, right,
And every year somebody will asks me what my expectations
are for this team, And for me, it's for us
to be the best version of ourselves. If we're capable
of competing for national championship, we want to be able
to do that, right, But that starts with being the
best version of yourself, being the best team that you
can possibly be. And like I said, we went from
ten wins to twelve wins to thirteen, you know, winning
(13:37):
a big ten championship. Like, there's been clear steps where
we've gotten better and better each year. The goal is
to continue to get better and that starts by focusing
on that process.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
One of the things that the fans always look forward
to is the Oregon cinematic recap and to see what
your plan is. You know, with you dubbed, you had
the helmet situation you had with Inglorious Bastards win. Do
you formulate what that theme of the week is going
to be? Is it starting now? Is it later? When?
When does that happen?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah? I think we really do a deep dive in
the summer of where do we feel like we'll be
at at that point in the season when we play
this team, what are some common obstacles that might fit.
And then sometimes it's leading up into that week where
you might take a little shift or a turn based
on where your team's at. So to me, you want
to lay the roots for what you think it might
look like over the summer and then be ready to
(14:26):
adapt when as the season comes.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
You use the word connection all the time. Connection connection,
But there's a lot of people that preach, you know,
everybody team on three, team on three, like, how do
you build a real connection when everybody has their own
individual personal aspirations and what they're trying to get out
of the program.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I think the biggest piece is anybody that's successful, they're
there because of someone else. I think that's where it starts,
is recognizing that you wouldn't be in that seat if
it wasn't for the opportunities that somebody else.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Created for you or helped you achieve.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So for us, I mean connection is in so much
what we do on the football field or what we
do in the team mean room, is really what we
do away from football, And I think genuine connections when
you're spending time with guys outside of the locker room,
right outside of the practice facility, and that's where we
try to put a lot of our investment. And I
think the reality is individual success comes from team success.
So every one of these guys they want to be successful, right,
(15:19):
They certainly want to be successful on the field. I
think they realized the football is a team sport and
when the ten guys around me allow me to play better,
that's when the eleven guys on the field are actually,
you know, actually able to perform at a really high level.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
People don't always understand like everybody sees the football part, right,
But you're a husband, you're a father, and those things
are deeply important to you. So as a father, and
you know with me, I'm always searching for additional connection
with your kids. And I remember you talking about in
our last interview that one of your kids is into
Brooks into football, and another was not so reading and
(15:55):
all that stuff. So how do you keep that connection
with them when you are so busy and they do
have different interests.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Yeah, I'd say, first off, there isn't balance in our profession,
you know, I think everybody says what you guys kind
of balance, There isn't. But what you can be is
really intentional with your time. Yeah, and we've challenged ourselves
to be super intentional with our time when when we
have an opportunity to be around our kids, we're going to
take advantage of that and do that to the fullest extent.
And I certainly challenge myself more now as a coach
to find those moments for the rest of our coaching
(16:22):
staff as well. But that's not always going to happen.
So when you do get that time, take advantage of it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
And we're in an era where you know, you've coached
in the SEC, you were in the Pac twelve, now
the Big Ten. What's the biggest difference between each of
those three conferences?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
I would tell you ultimately, football's football, Yeah, and what
equates to wins and losses on the football field is
really the same conference to conference. I don't think there's
any secret. You know, look at the success of the
Big Ten the last few years. It's competing to be
the best the best.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
In college football.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
So it's a challenge, you know, anytime you step out
on the football field.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
But for us, it's it's great to be a part
of that challenge.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Do you have a solution and that you would like
to offer for the calendar to help recruiting and the
transfer portal and everything. That way it's easier on the
student athletes, but also for your job as well.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I think the thing that I've heard that makes the
most sense to me that I'd be the biggest proponent
of is the season to start sooner.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, so it actually finishes when the school calendar kind
of fits.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
I mean this year, you see where in the college
football playoff and the portal's happening, right, the National Championship
Game is until January twentieth. To me, if that could
finish January first, that would make a lot of sense
for college football because that's when the next semester school
is going to start. That's when the portal could open
and guys still have the opportunity to go find a
home before the next semester starts, but I think it's
really hard when all those things are happening at the
(17:40):
same time at the end of the football season. So
I would be a big proponent of starting the season
sooner and inning the National championship game there January first.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
In this point in time of the year, it's it's
the off season. Spring ball hasn't even started yet. What
at this point in time of the year are you
doing as a coach out there side of the recruiting landscape.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
We're doing a deep dive into what we did really well,
you know, last season, and what we didn't do well
right And I'm talking about more specifically on the football field,
watching our film and then figuring out what are the
answers that we want to add. You know, every season
we'll add a couple of wrinkles that make a lot
of sense for us, you know that they you know,
marry up to the teams that we're going to play,
merry up to our personnel. I think that's always a
(18:22):
big conversation because your team's different this year last year.
But yeah, we're trying to find the edge there. And
then obviously recruiting is a constant that never stops.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
When you've been on the recruiting trail, where are your
favorite places to go when you know that you got
to get on the plane.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Wherever the best players are. And it's always nice when
there's good food there too. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
The great thing about the work is we recruit.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Everywhere in the nation, right and we certainly want to
do a great job on the West Coast in the
P and W. But if there's great players other places
in the nation, we're going to go there. So wherever
they have the best player, I don't care where he's at,
That's where I want to be at.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
So when you show up at a place, obviously it
has some sort of the community. The place has some
sort of impact on you when whenever I see you
in videos or something, you you got a new fresh
pair of sneakers on. Were you into sneakers before you
got here? And how has that changed you that I would.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Not say I was.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
I wasn't anti sneaker. I'm definitely into sneakers now. I
mean being part of Nike, you, I think that helps,
right that that's obviously a big piece of organ football
in your connection to Nike, and it's unbelievable company that
we get to be a part of and a brand
that we want to display. And you know, my closet
has grown a lot over the last three years.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
During the games, you have a red fine tip sharpie,
blue fine tip sharpie. What are you writing down? And
what is each of those for?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Just different notes?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You know, usually one will speak the offense, one will
speak the defense, but just different notes throughout that. A
lot of times the headset can become a lot of voices, right,
and you want to be able tojot notes during a
series or in between series rather and clogging up the headline,
right and the headset. So for me, it's just if
there's a note that I want to make sure I
make that I can make sure I get communicated between
(20:08):
series or at halftime. That's That's what I'm making notes on.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
We've talked about the noise, like privately, about the noise
of people say, oh, you shouldn't go for it, on
for it. If you shouldn't do this, you should And
everybody's always gonna have noise, So how do you balance
the like, how do you block out the noise? Being
that anytime you pick up your phone, you turn on
(20:31):
the television because you're at one of the most prominent universities.
The noise is always there.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yeah, I learned a long time ago that you don't
you don't give it a voice because ultimately, if you
get obsessed with the praise, then it's going to bother
you at some point. It's going to hit you on
the on the backside. It's too much tension. And then
the same with the negative. Right. The one thing I
know is the noise has no impact on the result
on the field, right, So I'm really focused more on
outcomes and means. I'm focused back on process.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
And it really doesn't matter what somebody else thinks we
should do.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
On fourth down and what we actually do in the
field that leads to success. So I try to put
my focus on those things, the things that make an impact.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You guys have had a chance to go to some
of the big stadiums in the Big ten. Still some
to a go. How long do you think it's going
to take for those rivalries to take shape.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, it's fun to play in those settings. I think
great games always create rivalries, right, So there's good back
and forth. There's opportunities for two great teams to hop
on the field, and I think that's what creates a
dynamic that makes it fun. But you know, each game special,
Each game is unique in itself and the rivalry at
times that can be kind of overhyped and it's more
about execution on the field. But when you get to
(21:40):
play in a conference like the Big Ten, there's gonna
be some great opponents that you get to go against,
and there's gonna be some give and take that makes
it a real challenge and I think over time that's
going to develop some.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Rivalries As a head coach, right, and you envisioned what
life was going to be like. Is it what you
thought it was going to be.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Yeah, I'm really fortunate to get to do what I do.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I think there's always things that you don't recognize are
going to be in that seat until you're in that seat.
But yeah, I certainly don't take it for granted. I
think there's a lot of people that could be doing
what I do, and I get to do it in
a really special place. So this place is perfect for
me and my family and with the players that we
get to coach, and there's certainly some pieces that come
along with that, and that's what you sign up for.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Can you talk about the athletic director, Rob Wallace. He
obviously was one of the people instrumental in bringing you here.
How supportive has he been and instrumental into all the
things that you're doing in the program.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah, I'm really grateful for Rob. I would say there's
not a week that goes by that we're not on
the phone with each other. It's a real collaborative effort.
I think he's able to look at things from a
different lens. I think he also recognized he's a guy
that's out there at the practice field, he's at the games,
he's in the trenches with us, So we knows the
work that we put in and just appreciate the amount
of time that he's invested in our program and what
(22:57):
he allows us to do to be great. But that
that relationship, to me is really special, and I didn't
really know what that would look like because I hadn't
been sitting in a seat where you have that relationship.
And Rob has great experience. You know, he's a guy
that's always I think he looks at things really clearly.
He doesn't ride the highs and lows of football, and
that's been a big benefit for.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Us because you obviously have the guys that you mentioned earlier,
who are your mentors? Have you now become the mentor
to some guys as well that were when you were
the defensive coordinator, that were on staffs and everything else.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I mean, I talked to guys in college football. I
wouldn't call myself a mentor. I'm just trying to do
the best job that i can do. But we you know,
there's certainly a group that we bounced thoughts off of
each other. And I think you know, in this profession,
if you're not trying to find a way to.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Get better than you're probably falling behind.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And the game's going to keep changing, the people involved
in the game, the schemes are going to keep changing.
So the thing that I know will hit you is
if you don't continue to grow that you're gonna you're
gonna fall back in the back seat.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
So I definitely want to be a part of that.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Treat You talk about how you met your wife It
out back, right, what's the best thing on outbacks made you?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I'm a big fan of the Kooka berr Wings.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
It's like an app. And then my favorite thing to
get is the Prime Red. But get a season and seared.
They called it outback style, so they'll end up seasoning
like a sick So you like you don't want to
get it more than you can't get it rare, So
get like at least medium rare. Yeah, but get a
piece of prime red. Ask him to season and see
it to mid rare. It's about as good as you now.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
So he just educated some people and now it is
reister a wrong time. So I'm gonna ask you a
couple of questions and you tell me, am I reister?
Or am I wrong? Oh? I'm gonna show you a picture.
I'm gonna show you a picture, and reis or wrong.
Coach Dan Lanning is in the wrong profession and he
(24:49):
should have been a graphic designer.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Do you remember this.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Throwback when you were talking about opportunity and used to
have to you know, in the days where you couldn't
just build it.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah, No, I'm in the right profession.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
I definitely shouldn't have been a graphic and designer, so
i'd say wrong, I'm where I need to be.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Reister or wrong? Ohio State is now a bigger rival
to Oregon than Washington.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I think that's always wrong. Right again, I think rivalries
are built over time, right, And obviously that was a
great battle this past season between US and Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
But I know how much that Washington.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Game means that the people here in Eugene, and we've
had some battles there, so for a while, I still
think that's probably a bigger rivalry.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Reister or wrong Coach Dan Lanning twenty year old coach
Dan Lanning when he was in his twenties could coach
for coach Dan Lanning?
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Now?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Wrong? I didn't know. I didn't know anything. Now if
I did, I would be at the bottom of the
totem pole and working my way up.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
I mean, I had a lot to learn, for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
So would you have fired you? Or would you?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Oh? I've never been fired. I've never been fired for
many jobs, so I would have figured it out.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Am I hiring me today from twenty years ago?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
No?
Speaker 2 (26:10):
I don't think So.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
What does success for the Oregon program look.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Like the best version of ourselves? Right? And I think
that within the program that's probably the only place you
can really measure that. But do we play our best
that we're capable of? Were we able to make an
impact outside of just football? You know? I think that matters,
and we have a team that does that, whether it's
we always talked about Ducks do more, whether it's community
service or just putting a smile on somebody's face in
the community because they see us wearing that organelle and
(26:36):
it means something to us.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
When you look into the camera and tell the parents
out there whose kids are considering Oregon your future. You know,
assistant coaches, why Oregon and why Dan Landing?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Well, first off, I don't like doing this, but I
really think reality he always reveals itself. And like I
said before, proofs in the pudding. And if you look
at our program, you see a place that's had a
lot of success over the three years, and we're excited
about getting better. It's not about staying the same. The
one thing I would tell you is if you come
and look at our facility and you spend time with
our team, you'll realize that family is a part that matters.
(27:17):
Right you're going to you see my eleven year old
son out there wearing shoulder pads and helmet at practice.
You'll see us competing in the classroom the same way
we compete on the field. You'll see guys active in
the community, and you'll see a group of guys that
have gotten better and better and coaches that have gotten
better and better. With this opportunity, Oregon will pour back
into you when you pour into Oregon, and if you're
(27:38):
willing to work that this will be the right place
for you.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
You guys, He's Dan Lanning, head coach of the Oregon Dougs.
Thanks for coming on the show. Appreciate, appreciate, George I,
thank you.
I can't wait for you guys to hear this episode
because I got a chance to sit down with Oregon's
head coach, Dan Lanny, and this is the second time
I got a chance to sit down with him. Last
year we did about a forty five minute interview as well.
You guys can go check that out on YouTube at
Unafraid Show, same thing, you know, just more content over there.
(00:21):
And I appreciate you guys listening. You guys make sure
that you guys share. So let me give you some
takeaways from this episode before we even get into it. So,
Dan Lanning is a guy who is I've got a
chance to know on a personal basis. He's smart, he's
very calculated. Has a negative connotation, but I would say
(00:43):
he's very aware that the microphones are always on and
understands that the brand is always at play. So he's
not going to be a guy that's gonna say anything
that is not going to look favorably on the Oregon
ducts or really on himself. But I think that actually
he speaks more to himself and how true he is
(01:03):
to him. Like prime example, when he first got the job,
a guy that he was on staff with was at Georgia.
His name was Cortez Hankton and I got drafted with
Cortes and Jacksonville in two thousand well, I got drafted.
Cortes was an unrestricted free agent in that two thousand
and three class, and I hit up Cortes when I
(01:24):
found out that Dan was getting a job or close
to getting a job, and I said, Yo, what do
you think about this guy? And he was like, dude,
he solid good dude, stands by his words, stand up guy.
I said, all right, So if my kids were to
go there, would you stake our friendship on this dude
as a person? He said one hundred percent. And from
(01:46):
that point in time, I was in. So I got
a chance to meet Dan's like shortly after he got
the job. I mean, the dude just is just a
good dude. I mean, and the players they like him
a lot too. They stand by him. And I got
a chance to ask him some questions that a lot
of people really don't get a chance to ask him
(02:06):
and sit down with these coaches and more of the
interviews are going to be coming out, So if you
go on YouTube, you'll see the interviews with Dabo Sweeney
with Kenny Dillingham with Jed Fish with Dan Mullen.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah, and a.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Bunch of other coaches are still coming out and coming
down to pipe two. I know I forgot one or
two that are already out, but what I'm going to
put them on the podcast as well. To you guys.
Make sure you guys check it out, share, and thank
you guys for listening. Let's get to it.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I think I count my blessings every day to get
to a place like Oregon, coaching with great people and
coaching great players, and we put up a high premium
and making sure we get the best players in the nation.
For me, it's about the client. It's about how can
we continue to improve. There's a level of play that
you have to have in a place like Oregon to
be able to.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Play twenty year old coach Dan Lanning when he was
in his twenties could coach for coach Dan Lanning.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Now wrong, I didn't know. I didn't know anything.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
We are joined by the head coach of the Oregon Ducks.
Mister Dan Lanning. You're here in year four and you
went through obviously all your coaching journey, starting with that
drive to Pittsburgh to try to get a job. Then
you've been at Sam Houston State, Arizona State, Memphis, and
(03:34):
Georgia Alabama. Now you're the head coach four years. Has
it set into you that, oh my god, I'm like
my dream has come true?
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah? I think I count my blessings every day, you know,
to get to be a place like Oregon, you know,
coaching with great people and coaching great players. I mean,
there isn't a day that goes by and then I
certainly don't take it for granted.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
So this past season, right, you are number one in
the nation for more time than anybody else. You finished
thirteen and h But we also live in a like
ring culture, like from the outside people, right, So how
would you judge this season and how do you look
back on this season being that from the outside it
was highly successful?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I think, you know, the one thing that I'm
proud of is our team's gotten consistently better each year.
You know, I think you look at this team, it's
the best version of us yet, but certainly really still hungry. Right,
left some on the table and got to go against
a great team that went on to go win it.
And for me, I'm unsatisfied.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Right, there's more out there.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
But on the same note, I don't think you can
look at the season and say there weren't some really
positive things that.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Happened before the playoffs starts. After the playoff, who are
the guys that you really like lean on that you
call and say, how do I handle this? How do
I handle this with my with my team? Or is
that something that you just kind of handle on your own?
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Well, I think before it all starts, you lean back
on experience. But this year is certainly different than any
other year, and I certainly put in phone phone calls, right.
I think that's one thing that I'll always do, you know,
whether that's coach Saving or coach Smart or you know,
other guys that I've been around. And then and then
you lean on experience. You you lean on what's it
looked like in your past, whenever you were you know,
part of championship runs.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
If you call up coach coach Smart, he's still coaching.
Is he giving you all the advice or is he
giving you the there are there are two rules to success, uh,
And then he gives you gives you one and then
you say, what's what's the number two?
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And he's like, you know, we're pretty good. He was
on the other side of the bracket. But I think
ultimately we're both just kind of looking for verification.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Hey, how do you have it set up?
Speaker 2 (05:37):
This out? I have it set up over the next
few weeks and just bounce ideas off of each other.
So you know, ultimately you have to play and then
it has to be solved on the field. But he's
always been a great mentor to me, and I don't
think he hesitates to give me a thought, you know,
if he thinks it's something that's important.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
So how do you grow? I mean, because you are
at the University of Oregon, number one team in the nation,
how do you grow when you're at the top of
the mountain?
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well, we're not at the top yet, right, And I
think it starts with self awareness, like what are those
things that'll put us at the top? And then when
you get there, it doesn't matter what you did at
the top, right, you're starting all over again. So for me,
it's about the climb. It's about how can we continue
to improve? And you know what team can be the
most self aware team who can identify their weaknesses quick
enough and realize, hey, we either need to hide those
(06:26):
weaknesses and build on our strengths, or develop those weaknesses
and make them strengths. And for us, it's about that.
It's about constant improvement.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
This era of recruiting is obviously changed, it's different. How
do you balance transfer portal recruiting versus high school recruiting
and where the value is placed? Does it change each
year your approach to it.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
And since we've been here, we put a high premium
on making sure we get the best players in the nation.
And I think you want to build it from the
ground up. You always want to start with high school,
but you want to make sure that your roster is competitive.
You want to make sure that you're able to go
out there in the field and compete with the best
of the best. And we've been able to attract some
unbelievable high school players, but we've also been able to attract,
you know, great portal players that make our team better.
(07:09):
So to me, it is it's a balance, but the
bigger portion of our team. And I think if you
look over the years, it's gotten smaller and smaller for
us in the portal and it's grown, you know, uh,
it's been about the same and high school are grown
in high school. That's kind of that's our model. We
want to want to build it from the ground up
with high school recruiting and then add pieces to the
puzzle to help us compete on Saturdays.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah, speaking of competing, how do you compete right when
there are options in the portal available that are proven players,
whereas you have highly recruited players as well that haven't
been on the field yet. What's your emphasis with that balance,
especially where your roster is right now?
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, if you're on a roster, it's our job to
develop you and maximize your potential, but it's also you know,
there you create competition by being able to bring guys
in as well. So you know, I think it's it's
every day it's roster man, when it's evaluation every single day.
You have to trust your eye too on guys that
you brought in and know that there's a difference in
a freshman and a senior and a freshman and a junior.
So that's all part of the puzzle, right and piece
(08:10):
that together, and how does somebody fit within the team.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
When you're out there and you're looking for a player
who you know fits Oregans more, are you looking at measurables.
Are you looking at tape? Are you looking at rankings? Evaluation?
How where did you guys' process go of evaluating recruits.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I'd say everything you said except for rankings, like that
doesn't really matter to me. I think our evaluation has
to matter. I think you're trying to find guys that
love football, you know, guys that recognize the opportunity that
exists here at Oregon. You know, I always feel like
if you're a program that's spending your time talking about
somebody else, that means you don't have enough things to
say about yourself. Yeah, and when I first got here,
you talked about a vision. Right, this is the vision
(08:47):
for this program, But now it's kind of like proofs
in the pudding. Right, Look what guys have done at
your position when they've come here. Look at the success
we've been able to have on offense and defense and
special teams. So for me, that's the challenge is finding
the guys that are the right There's a lot of
guys that play a high level of football, but are
they the right fit for us? If we find the
guys that are the right fit and do a great
job of developing those guys, it's going to be a
(09:08):
perfect marriage.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
I talk to parents all the time. I'm a parent
of football players and all of this, and they ask
me all the time, well, what should I be doing?
What should I So if you were speaking to all
the parents out there in the world, who are whose
kids have the talent to play Division one, what are
some of the things that they whether it's their character,
is that their working like, what are some of the
(09:30):
things that are universal in terms of creating a kid
that can be successful in college playing football?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Well, I think talent's always a separator, right, There's a
level of play that you have to have at a
place like Oregon to be able to play. But I'm
still looking for the guys that are the best leaders
on their team, right, I'm still looking for the hardest workers.
And I think it's easy for that to get cloudy
at times because there's so many different directions you can
get pulled. But the best thing you can do is
be elite where you're at, water the plant where you're at.
Be great for your high school team, be a great teammate,
(10:00):
be a great personal community, take care of your business
in the classroom. Like, all those things to me are
as right where we're trying to identify and recruiting or.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
What are the butts?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Yeah, like, hey, this guy's a great player, but he's
not always on time, he doesn't always work extra right,
And I think those are easy factors for us to
be able to see and say, Okay, maybe this guy
isn't the right fit for us. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
I just want to know, are you ready to apologize
to Oregon fans because there is a recruit that you
helped Oregon not get who just won a Super Bowl.
You won a National championship with him, and he signed
his letter of intent in Oregon. Stuff. Do you know
who I'm talking about?
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Help me? Oh? I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
Yeah, I'm glad Key played.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I'll always remember that play from the National champion Oh man,
that was awesome.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
You know, pick six for a touchdown, that was special.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
But yeah, getting to watch, you know, as a Chiefs fan,
that was a bittersweet game to see the Eagles. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
But on the other end of it, I think I
had six or seven.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Guys, Yeah, we're playing for the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
I was really excited for those players.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
When you're having success as a head coach, you're going
to have some attrition, that's how you ended up here.
So and you've had some coaches lead, how do you
balance the trying to keep coaches that you clearly hired
because you knew that they would do a good job
and he did a good job for you, versus understanding
that they have their own personal aspirations like you had.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah. Well, I have my goals in my mirror and
the number one goal on my mirror is to help
my people reach their goals. So I don't think I
can ever lose sight of what it was like to
sit in that seat as an assistant coach. And obviously
we want to make this place unbelievable here to where
it's hard for people to leave, and I think we've
created that. I think it is hard for people to
leave Oregon. But on the same note, when people have
goals and aspirations, you want to help them get there,
(11:42):
and those things can work hand in hand, right. I
think change can sometimes be really good for an organization
as well. It brings in new ideas, new opportunities for growth.
It helps people on your staff that have the opportunity
to grow in those moments as well. As attrition happens,
So it's part of it, right, it happens. Every winning
pro I've been a part of is had attrition. It's
it happens. You just hope that people that are leaving
(12:04):
your program or leaving for great opportunities.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yeah, and sometimes that includes the players who who hop
in the transfer portal. How does that process usually work?
Because I don't think that fans usually understand that if
a player wants to hop into portal, does he call
you and say, a coach, I'm thinking about leaving, Like,
how does that usually work?
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah? I always say to our players, you know, I
think every person in this program deserves that conversation, right,
I think before you read it on Twitter, you should
have a conversation first. And as a man, you guys
have done a unbelievable job here at Oregon and we
really take pride in wearing that. Oh so let's have
a conversation first. And then sometimes that decisions made a
lot of times that could be best for the player,
(12:44):
it can be best for the program. And everybody's goals
and aspirations are a little bit different. So sometimes it
fits for a guy to be able to go on
and check out the next opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
What is I guess the next evolution of Oregon football, right,
because obviously everybody he says, not national championship, not national championship,
But what does it look like from your point of view?
Because Kobe talks about the process, the process. I've heard
you talk about the process, the process. How do you
judge the process versus winning?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, I always think winning is a result of the process, right,
And every year somebody will asks me what my expectations
are for this team, And for me, it's for us
to be the best version of ourselves. If we're capable
of competing for national championship, we want to be able
to do that, right, But that starts with being the
best version of yourself, being the best team that you
can possibly be. And like I said, we went from
ten wins to twelve wins to thirteen, you know, winning
(13:37):
a big ten championship. Like, there's been clear steps where
we've gotten better and better each year. The goal is
to continue to get better and that starts by focusing
on that process.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
One of the things that the fans always look forward
to is the Oregon cinematic recap and to see what
your plan is. You know, with you dubbed, you had
the helmet situation you had with Inglorious Bastards win. Do
you formulate what that theme of the week is going
to be? Is it starting now? Is it later? When?
When does that happen?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Yeah? I think we really do a deep dive in
the summer of where do we feel like we'll be
at at that point in the season when we play
this team, what are some common obstacles that might fit.
And then sometimes it's leading up into that week where
you might take a little shift or a turn based
on where your team's at. So to me, you want
to lay the roots for what you think it might
look like over the summer and then be ready to
(14:26):
adapt when as the season comes.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
You use the word connection all the time. Connection connection,
But there's a lot of people that preach, you know,
everybody team on three, team on three, like, how do
you build a real connection when everybody has their own
individual personal aspirations and what they're trying to get out
of the program.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
I think the biggest piece is anybody that's successful, they're
there because of someone else. I think that's where it starts,
is recognizing that you wouldn't be in that seat if
it wasn't for the opportunities that somebody else.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Created for you or helped you achieve.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
So for us, I mean connection is in so much
what we do on the football field or what we
do in the team mean room, is really what we
do away from football, And I think genuine connections when
you're spending time with guys outside of the locker room,
right outside of the practice facility, and that's where we
try to put a lot of our investment. And I
think the reality is individual success comes from team success.
So every one of these guys they want to be successful, right,
(15:19):
They certainly want to be successful on the field. I
think they realized the football is a team sport and
when the ten guys around me allow me to play better,
that's when the eleven guys on the field are actually,
you know, actually able to perform at a really high level.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
People don't always understand like everybody sees the football part, right,
But you're a husband, you're a father, and those things
are deeply important to you. So as a father, and
you know with me, I'm always searching for additional connection
with your kids. And I remember you talking about in
our last interview that one of your kids is into
Brooks into football, and another was not so reading and
(15:55):
all that stuff. So how do you keep that connection
with them when you are so busy and they do
have different interests.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Yeah, I'd say, first off, there isn't balance in our profession,
you know, I think everybody says what you guys kind
of balance, There isn't. But what you can be is
really intentional with your time. Yeah, and we've challenged ourselves
to be super intentional with our time when when we
have an opportunity to be around our kids, we're going to
take advantage of that and do that to the fullest extent.
And I certainly challenge myself more now as a coach
to find those moments for the rest of our coaching
(16:22):
staff as well. But that's not always going to happen.
So when you do get that time, take advantage of it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
And we're in an era where you know, you've coached
in the SEC, you were in the Pac twelve, now
the Big Ten. What's the biggest difference between each of
those three conferences?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
I would tell you ultimately, football's football, Yeah, and what
equates to wins and losses on the football field is
really the same conference to conference. I don't think there's
any secret. You know, look at the success of the
Big Ten the last few years. It's competing to be
the best the best.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
In college football.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
So it's a challenge, you know, anytime you step out
on the football field.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
But for us, it's it's great to be a part
of that challenge.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Do you have a solution and that you would like
to offer for the calendar to help recruiting and the
transfer portal and everything. That way it's easier on the
student athletes, but also for your job as well.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
I think the thing that I've heard that makes the
most sense to me that I'd be the biggest proponent
of is the season to start sooner.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Yeah, so it actually finishes when the school calendar kind
of fits.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
I mean this year, you see where in the college
football playoff and the portal's happening, right, the National Championship
Game is until January twentieth. To me, if that could
finish January first, that would make a lot of sense
for college football because that's when the next semester school
is going to start. That's when the portal could open
and guys still have the opportunity to go find a
home before the next semester starts, but I think it's
really hard when all those things are happening at the
(17:40):
same time at the end of the football season. So
I would be a big proponent of starting the season
sooner and inning the National championship game there January first.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
In this point in time of the year, it's it's
the off season. Spring ball hasn't even started yet. What
at this point in time of the year are you
doing as a coach out there side of the recruiting landscape.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
We're doing a deep dive into what we did really well,
you know, last season, and what we didn't do well
right And I'm talking about more specifically on the football field,
watching our film and then figuring out what are the
answers that we want to add. You know, every season
we'll add a couple of wrinkles that make a lot
of sense for us, you know that they you know,
marry up to the teams that we're going to play,
merry up to our personnel. I think that's always a
(18:22):
big conversation because your team's different this year last year.
But yeah, we're trying to find the edge there. And
then obviously recruiting is a constant that never stops.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
When you've been on the recruiting trail, where are your
favorite places to go when you know that you got
to get on the plane.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Wherever the best players are. And it's always nice when
there's good food there too. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
The great thing about the work is we recruit.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Everywhere in the nation, right and we certainly want to
do a great job on the West Coast in the
P and W. But if there's great players other places
in the nation, we're going to go there. So wherever
they have the best player, I don't care where he's at,
That's where I want to be at.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
So when you show up at a place, obviously it
has some sort of the community. The place has some
sort of impact on you when whenever I see you
in videos or something, you you got a new fresh
pair of sneakers on. Were you into sneakers before you
got here? And how has that changed you that I would.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Not say I was.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
I wasn't anti sneaker. I'm definitely into sneakers now. I
mean being part of Nike, you, I think that helps,
right that that's obviously a big piece of organ football
in your connection to Nike, and it's unbelievable company that
we get to be a part of and a brand
that we want to display. And you know, my closet
has grown a lot over the last three years.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
During the games, you have a red fine tip sharpie,
blue fine tip sharpie. What are you writing down? And
what is each of those for?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Just different notes?
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You know, usually one will speak the offense, one will
speak the defense, but just different notes throughout that. A
lot of times the headset can become a lot of voices, right,
and you want to be able tojot notes during a
series or in between series rather and clogging up the headline,
right and the headset. So for me, it's just if
there's a note that I want to make sure I
make that I can make sure I get communicated between
(20:08):
series or at halftime. That's That's what I'm making notes on.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
We've talked about the noise, like privately, about the noise
of people say, oh, you shouldn't go for it, on
for it. If you shouldn't do this, you should And
everybody's always gonna have noise, So how do you balance
the like, how do you block out the noise? Being
that anytime you pick up your phone, you turn on
(20:31):
the television because you're at one of the most prominent universities.
The noise is always there.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yeah, I learned a long time ago that you don't
you don't give it a voice because ultimately, if you
get obsessed with the praise, then it's going to bother
you at some point. It's going to hit you on
the on the backside. It's too much tension. And then
the same with the negative. Right. The one thing I
know is the noise has no impact on the result
on the field, right, So I'm really focused more on
outcomes and means. I'm focused back on process.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
And it really doesn't matter what somebody else thinks we
should do.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
On fourth down and what we actually do in the
field that leads to success. So I try to put
my focus on those things, the things that make an impact.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You guys have had a chance to go to some
of the big stadiums in the Big ten. Still some
to a go. How long do you think it's going
to take for those rivalries to take shape.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, it's fun to play in those settings. I think
great games always create rivalries, right, So there's good back
and forth. There's opportunities for two great teams to hop
on the field, and I think that's what creates a
dynamic that makes it fun. But you know, each game special,
Each game is unique in itself and the rivalry at
times that can be kind of overhyped and it's more
about execution on the field. But when you get to
(21:40):
play in a conference like the Big Ten, there's gonna
be some great opponents that you get to go against,
and there's gonna be some give and take that makes
it a real challenge and I think over time that's
going to develop some.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Rivalries As a head coach, right, and you envisioned what
life was going to be like. Is it what you
thought it was going to be.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Yeah, I'm really fortunate to get to do what I do.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
I think there's always things that you don't recognize are
going to be in that seat until you're in that seat.
But yeah, I certainly don't take it for granted. I
think there's a lot of people that could be doing
what I do, and I get to do it in
a really special place. So this place is perfect for
me and my family and with the players that we
get to coach, and there's certainly some pieces that come
along with that, and that's what you sign up for.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
Can you talk about the athletic director, Rob Wallace. He
obviously was one of the people instrumental in bringing you here.
How supportive has he been and instrumental into all the
things that you're doing in the program.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah, I'm really grateful for Rob. I would say there's
not a week that goes by that we're not on
the phone with each other. It's a real collaborative effort.
I think he's able to look at things from a
different lens. I think he also recognized he's a guy
that's out there at the practice field, he's at the games,
he's in the trenches with us, So we knows the
work that we put in and just appreciate the amount
of time that he's invested in our program and what
(22:57):
he allows us to do to be great. But that
that relationship, to me is really special, and I didn't
really know what that would look like because I hadn't
been sitting in a seat where you have that relationship.
And Rob has great experience. You know, he's a guy
that's always I think he looks at things really clearly.
He doesn't ride the highs and lows of football, and
that's been a big benefit for.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Us because you obviously have the guys that you mentioned earlier,
who are your mentors? Have you now become the mentor
to some guys as well that were when you were
the defensive coordinator, that were on staffs and everything else.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
I mean, I talked to guys in college football. I
wouldn't call myself a mentor. I'm just trying to do
the best job that i can do. But we you know,
there's certainly a group that we bounced thoughts off of
each other. And I think you know, in this profession,
if you're not trying to find a way to.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Get better than you're probably falling behind.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And the game's going to keep changing, the people involved
in the game, the schemes are going to keep changing.
So the thing that I know will hit you is
if you don't continue to grow that you're gonna you're
gonna fall back in the back seat.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
So I definitely want to be a part of that.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Treat You talk about how you met your wife It
out back, right, what's the best thing on outbacks made you?
Speaker 3 (24:05):
I'm a big fan of the Kooka berr Wings.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
It's like an app. And then my favorite thing to
get is the Prime Red. But get a season and seared.
They called it outback style, so they'll end up seasoning
like a sick So you like you don't want to
get it more than you can't get it rare, So
get like at least medium rare. Yeah, but get a
piece of prime red. Ask him to season and see
it to mid rare. It's about as good as you now.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
So he just educated some people and now it is
reister a wrong time. So I'm gonna ask you a
couple of questions and you tell me, am I reister?
Or am I wrong? Oh? I'm gonna show you a picture.
I'm gonna show you a picture, and reis or wrong.
Coach Dan Lanning is in the wrong profession and he
(24:49):
should have been a graphic designer.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Do you remember this.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Throwback when you were talking about opportunity and used to
have to you know, in the days where you couldn't
just build it.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah, No, I'm in the right profession.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
I definitely shouldn't have been a graphic and designer, so
i'd say wrong, I'm where I need to be.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Reister or wrong? Ohio State is now a bigger rival
to Oregon than Washington.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I think that's always wrong. Right again, I think rivalries
are built over time, right, And obviously that was a
great battle this past season between US and Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
But I know how much that Washington.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Game means that the people here in Eugene, and we've
had some battles there, so for a while, I still
think that's probably a bigger rivalry.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Reister or wrong Coach Dan Lanning twenty year old coach
Dan Lanning when he was in his twenties could coach
for coach Dan Lanning?
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Now?
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Wrong? I didn't know. I didn't know anything. Now if
I did, I would be at the bottom of the
totem pole and working my way up.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
I mean, I had a lot to learn, for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
So would you have fired you? Or would you?
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Oh? I've never been fired. I've never been fired for
many jobs, so I would have figured it out.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Am I hiring me today from twenty years ago?
Speaker 3 (26:09):
No?
Speaker 2 (26:10):
I don't think So.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
What does success for the Oregon program look.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Like the best version of ourselves? Right? And I think
that within the program that's probably the only place you
can really measure that. But do we play our best
that we're capable of? Were we able to make an
impact outside of just football? You know? I think that matters,
and we have a team that does that, whether it's
we always talked about Ducks do more, whether it's community
service or just putting a smile on somebody's face in
the community because they see us wearing that organelle and
(26:36):
it means something to us.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
When you look into the camera and tell the parents
out there whose kids are considering Oregon your future. You know,
assistant coaches, why Oregon and why Dan Landing?
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Well, first off, I don't like doing this, but I
really think reality he always reveals itself. And like I
said before, proofs in the pudding. And if you look
at our program, you see a place that's had a
lot of success over the three years, and we're excited
about getting better. It's not about staying the same. The
one thing I would tell you is if you come
and look at our facility and you spend time with
our team, you'll realize that family is a part that matters.
(27:17):
Right you're going to you see my eleven year old
son out there wearing shoulder pads and helmet at practice.
You'll see us competing in the classroom the same way
we compete on the field. You'll see guys active in
the community, and you'll see a group of guys that
have gotten better and better and coaches that have gotten
better and better. With this opportunity, Oregon will pour back
into you when you pour into Oregon, and if you're
(27:38):
willing to work that this will be the right place
for you.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
You guys, He's Dan Lanning, head coach of the Oregon Dougs.
Thanks for coming on the show. Appreciate, appreciate, George I,
thank you.
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