— And we continue our coaching debates with a big one in the Pac-12.
The case for Lanning:
The mastermind behind the historically dominant 2021 Georgia Bulldogs defense, Lanning was very successful in his first season in Eugene, despite a rough start. He’s already shown that he can be an elite recruiter, as he pulled off a couple of signing-day coups this year. And they’re well on their way this year, with seven four-star commits already, including notable recent commits from Aaron Flowers and Tionne Gray. Lanning is young, exuberant, and clearly already respected for his coaching acumen.
The case against Lanning:
If he’s such a defensive mastermind, then where was the defense for the Ducks last season? They finished 70th nationally in total defense and 101st against the pass, despite having a top-10 projected draft pick at one cornerback position. Losing Kenny Dillingham also hurts a lot, as his offense was the reason behind nearly all of their wins in 2022. It’s still to be seen if Bo Nix can keep up the pace he did last year under a new coordinator.
The case for DeBoer:
DeBoer has won everywhere he’s ever coached. In five seasons at NAIA Sioux Falls, he was 67-3 with three national titles and a runner-up. He took over right before the COVID season at Fresno State and subsequently turned them into one of the best passing offenses in the country. And in only one season following the disastrous Jimmy Lake tenure, he’s turned the Huskies into a contender in the Pac-12. The way that he has developed quarterbacks Jake Haener and Michael Penix Jr. is remarkable, and his offense clearly works no matter where he is.
The case against DeBoer
On the recruiting side, DeBoer lacks Lanning’s connections with top programs across the country. And while the Huskies made steady gains defensively, there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially against the pass.
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The verdict:
This is really splitting hairs again, as both of these men acquitted themselves very well in their first year in the Pac-12. I think DeBoer has the higher floor because of his ability to have a successful offensive system no matter what will win his teams a minimum of 7 games per season. But Lanning’s recruiting chops give him the higher upside, especially for a program that has the resources to invest in recruiting infrastructure as Oregon does.
