On Monday afternoon at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex, the Oregon Ducks introduced their newest head football coach.
Dan Lanning stood in front of a group of media members and an on-looking crowd to address a fan base that is driven and determined. They’ve reached some pretty high highs over the past decade, but the ultimate goal of winning a championship has yet to be achieved.
With a chance to talk to media members and the fans for the first time as a Duck, Lanning had a prepared statement about attacking success and desribed the type of team that he wants to build at Oregon. He also answered a number of questions about his plans in Eugene, and addressed the former Ducks in the program as well.
Here are some of the most notable things he talked about:
Addressing former Oregon Duck players
The past 24 hours in Oregon Football has been a little dramatic, ever since it was reported on Sunday night that a total of 14 former Ducks, many of which are high-profile alums, wrote a letter to AD Rob Mullens expressing some concern with the direction of the program, saying that it was in danger of losing the heart that made it special in the first place.
While this could easily be taken as a shot at the Lanning hire, it’s been made clear that the letter was written a week ago, long before Lanning’s name was being considered publicly. Many of the players connected to the letter have publicly backed the Lanning hire since.
In his press conference, Lanning opened up right away and addressed the former players.
“To our former players, I am a servant to you. Whether I’ve coached you or not, we want you to know that this is a program that you can be proud of, and be part of. This is a place that your involvement is very important to us. We want you back, and one thing, even if you leave home, this place should always feel like home for you.”
“All about the players”
One of the things that makes Lanning such an attractive hire is how close and connected he is with the players who play under him. Part of that is due to his young age, where at 35 years old, he will now be the youngest head coach in Oregon history. He talked about the importance of those players on Monday:
“For me, it’s been really clear; it’s always been about the players. They’re the only thing that matters. The players make this thing tick. And I want every one of my former players to know first off that I love you, and secondly that I’ll be here for you forever and always.”
A True Football Guy
We already mentioned his likeability as far as connecting to players goes, but it is incredibly clear that Dan Lanning is a football guy through and through. He shows up early, and is always one to leave late. This game is his life, and that will hopefully bring results on the field.
“This is about the game that I love. My heart beats faster when I say the word football. That’s the way that I truly believe, I feel strongly about that. Coaches in football have poured so much into me, and I just feel like I owe it to the game to be able to pull it back.”
No ‘One Hit Wonder’
There’s a thought in the sporting world that any team can get hot for a stretch run and win a championship in one year. It takes a true power to stay relevant and be in the running for multiple years.
Lanning sees that possibility at Oregon and plans to have some staying power.
“I want to be clear, my job here is to build a winner, and this is not going to be a one-hit-wonder. We have to build this the right way. It takes every single one of us. This program is staged to compete and win championships. We won’t shy from expectations, and our goal is to compete for national championships here.”
Pac-12 Potential
One major taking point in the nation recently has been about the Pac-12, and what the future of the conference may look like. It has struggled over the past several seasons, and once again was left out of the College Football Playoff this year. However, the future is looking up with the hiring of both Lanning and USC coach Lincoln Riley. Lanning sees that:
“I’m fortunate enough to be coming back to this league after spending some time at Arizona State. There are some premier teams here, but Oregon has certainly always been one of them that had my eye from a national attention for what they do, and how innovative they are. I’m excited to see where this is going for the Pac-12. There are some great football teams here, I think it’s been reinvigorated, this league. We’re going to compete at the highest level, and I know there’s going to be some really tough games in this league that I’m excited to prepare for.”
“We’re going to recruit the best”
One of the more attractive aspects of Lanning’s hiring at Oregon is the fact that he is an elite recruiter that can bring some top-level talent to the Ducks. He talked quite a bit about that on Monday:
“To be really clear, we’re going to recruit the best. The brand of Oregon has never been stronger, and we can go into any home, and we can go attack and sign the best players to the University of Oregon. That approach is not going to be a fast approach. That approach doesn’t just happen on Wednesday. It’s going to start with the players on this team currently. It starts with the guys that are here.”
“We can go get any player in the nation with this place, with our resources.”
Not a Stepping Stone
The last two head coaches at Oregon have left fot their “dream jobs” which has the fanbase concerned it might happen again, especially with Lanning being a young and ambitious 35-year-old coach.
This fact drove many fans to desire someone like Chip Kelly for Justin Wilcox, coaches who are less likely to skip town after some success is followed by a bigger offer.
“I’m not asking for you to trust me, I’m asking for an opportunity to earn your trust. But I also say that my situation is unique. If William Jewel College comes calling, I love William Jewel College, but I’m staying at Oregon. I’m going to stay at Oregon as long as I can stay at Oregon, and as long as Oregon will have me.”
“There is no other for me. This is a premier job in the nation. Not just in this league, in the nation. It was going to take a premier job for me to leave the situation that I was in, so I’m thrilled to be here because I know what we can do here. There doesn’t have to be a next step for me, this can be the final step.”
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