"Do whatever you need to do for 800 bucks": When Dan Lanning detailed how he climbed up the coaching ladder
Dan Lanning has done a tremendous job in his three years leading the Oregon Ducks, establishing himself as one of the best coaches in college football. He has led the program to a 35-5 record, with the team improving each season.
The Ducks got a first-round bye - and the No.1 overall seed - in the College Football Playoff after being the only FBS team to finish the regular season with an undefeated record.
Ahead of the 2023 season - his second on the job - Lanning told Laura Lee McIntyre, the University of Oregon Dean of the College of Education, about his rise up the coaching ladder:
"Well, both of my parents are teachers. I knew I wanted to coach really early. So, once I got done playing college football, I became an elementary PE teacher, and I coached high school football at Parkhill South. But I kind of always had aspirations and a drive to maybe coach at a higher level. There weren't a lot of opportunities."
Lanning continued:
"I kind of had to create my own a little bit, and my first coaching job in college was becoming a quality control assistant.
"Basically, pour coffee, do whatever you need to do for 800 bucks a month. And at the time, my wife was pregnant and we had a one year old so it didn't make a lot of sense, but it worked out and that was my foot in the door and then there's been a lot of stops since then."
Check out Dan Lanning's comments on his rise up the coaching ranks below (starting at the 1:30 mark):
Lanning made stops at several schools, serving in various roles before receiving his big break with the Georgia Bulldogs.
After being named the outside linebackers coach ahead of the 2018 season, Dan Lanning was promoted to defensive coordinator the next season. His success in the role eventually landed him his current position with the Ducks.
Can Dan Lanning lead the Oregon Ducks to their first national title?
While the Oregon Ducks have found plenty of success in recent years, they have never won a national championship. Dan Lanning and the 2024 roster will look to change that when the College Football Playoff kicks off.
The Ducks are the betting favorites, +350, to win their first national title. Oregon will have a first-round bye before facing the winner of Saturday's matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in the Rose Bowl. While their path to a title will be challenging, the Big Ten champions are 13-0 this season.