Oregon players share their favorite Dan Lanning stories
Ahead of the Rose Bowl, For The Win asked Oregon players for their best Dan Lanning stories.
Dan Lanning has received quite the commitment from Oregon — and it came with quite a payday, as well.
The Ducks officially announced on Friday that the university has agreed to extensions with Lanning, defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi and offensive coordinator Will Stein. According to a copy of Lanning’s contract obtained by the USA TODAY Sports network, he will have a six-year extension that will keep him in Eugene, Oregon through the 2030 college football season.
The extension also will make him among the top five highest-paid college football coaches at a public institution in 2025, according to USA TODAY Sports’ database of highest paid coaches.
“Every morning I wake up grateful and hungry to represent Oregon,” Lanning said in a statement. “Sauphia and I continue to be humbled by the support that the University of Oregon provides. I’m also very thankful we have been able to have great continuity with our coaching staff over the last three years. The job Will and Tosh do for our program cannot be overstated. I have seen growth from both sides of the ball which is a credit to their leadership and the support they receive from our offensive and defensive staffs.
He added: “There is no better place to coach or play football than Oregon, and there has never been a better time to be a Duck.”
Since being hired at Oregon in 2021, Lanning has built the Ducks into one of the top programs in the country. In three seasons at Oregon, Lanning has posted an overall record of 35-6. His .854 winning percentage in three seasons at Oregon ranks third in the country among coaches during that span. He is just the second Oregon coach to have led the Ducks to three consecutive seasons of at least 12 wins.
“Oregon football has reached historic heights under Dan’s leadership,” Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement. “His relentless commitment to providing a first-class student-athlete experience is evident in the culture he has fostered within his program. His dedication to this university, our student-athletes and the city of Eugene has put Oregon football in position to compete for championships on a yearly basis.
Oregon took its first season in the Big Ten by storm under Lanning. The Ducks went undefeated in conference play and won the Big Ten Conference championship game. The Ducks were then rewarded with the No. 1 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff, though they lost their first game to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
Here’s what you need to know about Lanning’s contract extension details:
According to the contract, Lanning’s extension goes into effect on Feb. 1, 2025 and extends to Jan. 1, 2031. Lanning’s new contract will now keep him in Eugene through the 2030 college football season.
He will earn a guaranteed base salary of $9.4 million for the upcoming season. It will increase by $200,000 annually through the end of his final contract year.
Oregon will also contribute $1 million per contract year to a deferred compensation program on Lanning’s behalf, bringing his total AAV to $10.9 million. Lanning’s contract is also laden with bonus incentives, a breakdown of which is below:
“CFP Participation Incentives”
Lanning’s participation bonuses are not cumulative for each year of his contract. He will only resume the appropriate participation bonus for the farthest Oregon goes in the CFP, meaning the most he can make in CFP participation bonuses is $500,000.
“Other Performance Incentives”
As noted in Lanning’s contract, bonuses reached under “Other Performance Incentives” are cumulative. He can earn as much as an additional $1.075 million per year on his contract.
According to the contract, should Lanning terminate the contract at any point during his extension, his buyout would be $20 million. Should Oregon fire Lanning without cause, he would be owed 100% of the remaining money on his contract.
All told, Lanning’s buyout details in his contract extension show that both parties are fully committed to each other for the long haul.
The Michigan Wolverines made it to the College Football Playoff for the first time in 2021 after beating Ohio State and winning the Big Ten Championship. Sin
Alabama football's WR room stagnated in the final years of the Nick Saban era in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide went from a dominant run of recruiting and develop
Courtesy of UAPB Athletics PINE BLUFF, AR.– The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions football team has announced its 2025 HBCU football s
There's great news, and just some OK news for the Ohio State football program. The great news is that the Buckeyes made good on their "national title or bust" s