“Can’t be wishywashy”: Oregon’s $11M man Dan Lanning drops a blunt statement on his mindset as a head coach

The Oregon Ducks hired Dan Lanning as their 35th head coach on December 11, 2021. Lanning was fresh off a stint as the defensive coordinator of the Georgia Bulldogs before assuming the Ducks' role. He's since guided the program to three consecutive winning seasons.

While speaking on "Always College Football" with Greg McElroy, Lanning spoke about his mindset as a head coach. He said,

"For me, it's being very clear with your expectations and can't be wishywashy. Right? You can't say 'I'm going to be a player’s coach' this day and the next day you bring the hammer down. Like what expectations we set for our team our guys know what they mean and that's really important to them."

Lanning continued,

"When its business time they understand what that looks like, and when it's time for us to have some fun we do that as well. For me it's just about being a good communicator to our team and explaining the expectation in every situation and dictating that expectation."

Dan Lanning, who recently signed a $11 million per year contract with the Ducks, typically comes off as a passionate figure on the touchline, and he's renowned for his hands-on coaching approach. Lanning spent years learning the ropes from some of the best coaching minds in collegiate football, and it's rather apparent in his young career as an HC.

Lanning spent a season with the Nick Saban-coached Alabama Crimson Tide as a graduate assistant. The team defeated Clemson in the CFP national championship game in his sole season on the staff. He later spent a few seasons as a defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach with the Georgia Bulldogs.

What's next for Dan Lanning?

Dan Lanning is preparing for his third season as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks. He led the program to a splendid 13-1 record in the 2024 season, which only ended after a Rose Bowl defeat to eventual national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The coach is focused on picking a worthy successor to Dillon Gabriel, who's since entered the NFL. The Ducks have quite the competition for QB1 with Dante Moore, Austin Novosad and Luke Moga vying for the spot. At the moment, it's looking like it's Moore's job to lose, considering his experience at the collegiate level.

Lanning and his troops will fancy their chances to go all the way in the 2025 season. They proved they could cut it with the best in the Big Ten, and now need to go a few steps further to reach the pinnacle of collegiate football.