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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

The Future of Dan Lanning: Will He Leave for the NFL, and Who Might Replace Him?

Will Dan Lanning leave for the NFL? Here’s what Oregon might do if he does.

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Oregon coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field before the game against Colorado in Eugene Saturday
Oregon coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field before the game against Colorado in Eugene Saturday

By: Mike Huesmann

Lanning’s Choice:

There has been recent buzz that Dan Lanning of Oregon is generating NFL interest as a head coach. First off, it makes total sense to me. The NFL is a copycat league. “What works for one is assuredly going to work for us” is a prevailing mentality. Look at Sean McVay and how many young coaches off of his tree got head jobs in recent years. Six coaches who worked under him as assistants got head jobs in a five-year span. In the NFL right now, the blueprint for many is Detroit’s Dan Campbell. A younger, rugged, tough, fiery, and magnetic personality who guys will run through a brick wall for. Dan Lanning fits that to a “T”, so it should not surprise us if NFL teams inquire. I typically would steer guys like him away from bolting to the NFL, but in Lanning’s case, I think it is a no-lose situation. At 38 years old, he has his prime ahead of him, if he goes to the NFL and fails, he will immediately be a candidate for the best college jobs available. If coaching in the NFL is a career goal of his, now might be the time to take the leap.

Oregon’s response:

If you’re the Ducks, you do whatever it takes to keep him. That may not be enough if the attraction of the NFL is a draw; he’s already making generational wealth. If Oregon is to hire a new coach, I feel like previous head coach success, probably at the P4 level, is a must. Money will be no object, and they will be able to court most candidates, aside from an elite few already at blue-blood jobs. One variable is Nike. A prior relationship with Nike may not be mandatory here, but it certainly would be an asset to any candidate. So, who would Oregon target if Lanning were to leave? Here are five options.

Will Stein

Oregon, Offensive Coordinator

In his second season with the Ducks, last year he did it with Bo Nix and this year with Dillon Gabriel. The Ducks sit undefeated, and the reputation for Stein is there. He is seen as a riser and a soon-to-be head coach. Prior to Oregon, he was the OC at UTSA where Jeff Traylor had his best seasons. It would not be surprising to see the 35-year-old Will Stein get a head coaching job elsewhere this offseason, especially if Oregon ends up in the playoffs. If Lanning leaves, he probably gets an interview. We know from the Lanning experiment that they aren’t opposed to hiring a first-timer.

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Deion Sanders

Colorado, Head Coach

Oregon has become a brand as much as a college football team, and who better to be the face of that brand? Deion Sanders has engineered an impressive turnaround, utilized the portal well, developed a culture, and has a prior relationship with Nike. The Buffs have gone from 1-11 in 2022 to contenders in the Big 12 now and a possible playoff team. That wouldn’t have happened without Coach Prime. This seems like a match made in heaven to me.

Jake Dickert

Washington State, Head Coach

Jake Dickert is sitting 8-1 in year four with Wazzu. He and John Mateer are lighting it up and winning games. It looks like they have a good chance to finish the regular season 11-1; if that happens, he could be on the radar of P4 teams with openings. His teams have played well over his tenure, though his 22-17 record isn’t attention-grabbing. The stability of a P4 conference could be appealing to him, and his energetic attitude, defensive prowess, and success in building against the odds could be appealing to schools.

Jamey Chadwell

Liberty, Head Coach

Jamey Chadwell is a fantastic coach who should already be a P4 head coach. His success at the FCS level, Coastal Carolina, and Liberty is unimpeachable. He is one of the best X’s and O’s guys in the game. That being said, I don’t know if he’ll be the guy. I’d love the hire for Oregon, but Liberty has not been performing well in the last few games. Playing a schedule where they should have zero or one loss and be dominating most games, they have not done that. This could turn some people off. That shouldn’t distract from the fact that he’s been a top-notch coach at multiple levels and teams.

Eli Drinkwitz

Missouri, Head Coach

Another proven winner at multiple schools. Eli Drinkwitz did a good job at Appalachian State and now has done great at Mizzou. His team is competitive in the SEC right now, but Mizzou probably isn’t as big of a job. I have to believe he gets a call when they start going out. The significant resources and location would put Drink in a tough decision. 

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