Since arriving in 2022, Oregon coach Dan Lanning has steadily built the Ducks into a national title contender. Now in his fourth season, Lanning’s mission is clear. To deliver Oregon Football the first national championship.
Backed by Nike and armed with a relentless recruiting strategy, Oregon’s reach has only grown since joining the Big Ten. As Lanning told On3's Chris Low, "Not only are you going to play at an unbelievable place and have a chance to go to the NFL, but you’re going to play against great players" at Oregon.
Oregon’s recruiting reach has always been wide with the Nike backing, but Lanning told me the move to the Big Ten has only expanded that reach. “It’s allowed us to tell our recruits, ‘Not only are you going to get to play at an unbelievable place and have a chance to go to the… https://t.co/7lcjVtq4mZ
— Chris Low (@clowfb) October 10, 2025
Lanning’s rise and Oregon’s resurgence has gone seamlessly together. After inheriting a program in flux following Mario Cristobal’s departure for Miami, the 39-year-old guided the Ducks to a 10-3 finish in 2022. They went 12-2 with a Fiesta Bowl victory in 2023, then posted their highest winning percentage since 1916 last season.
Now the No. 3 Ducks enter Saturday’s home game against No. 7 Indiana riding a 23-game regular-season win streak. It's part of the reason why Lanning has anchored himself in Eugene. The interest from other schools has been there, but it means nothing.
“I don’t want any other jobs,” he said. “I’ve got the job that I want.” That loyalty is meaningful to Oregon fans who watched four coaches come and go in the previous decade. This includes a national championship run for Mark Helfrich's Ducks a decade ago.
“Ultimately, it’s a business, but people can relate to truth,” Lanning said. “We’re not telling guys they’re going to come in and start. We’re telling them what they need to do to start.”
Oregon’s transformation under Lanning isn’t limited to what's happening on the field. It has been a culture shift towards where the Ducks want to be as a program. Living by the standard of a next-level approach is what makes Lanning's team stand apart.
After winning the Big Ten in their first season with the conference but falling short in the playoff, the Ducks are determined to finish the job. “Losses have always fueled me,” Lanning said. “We’ve doubled down on our process. This is our chance to level up."
As Oregon prepares for a top ten battle with Indiana, the moment couldn't be bigger as a warm up for the postseason. All of it starts by winning the day.
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