It looks like one popular name can be ruled out as a potential Nick Saban replacement.
Dan Lanning reaffirmed his commitment to Oregon on Thursday, one day after Saban shockingly retired from his post at Alabama. In a video posted to his X account, the Ducks head coach said he won't be leaving Eugene.
“I want to be here in Eugene for as long as Eugene will have me,” Lanning said. “This place has everything that I can possibly ever want. There’s a little bit of a problem in society today with people looking for what’s next and where there’s an opportunity. And the reality is, the grass is not always greener. In fact, the grass is damn green in Eugene.”
The video also had on-screen text that read: “If you’re scared your coach is leaving, then come play for us. The Ducks aren’t going anywhere and I’m not leaving."
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In the wake of Saban’s retirement, Lanning was floated by many in the college football world as a potential candidate to take over the Crimson Tide. He has ties to the SEC, including a one-year stint as a graduate assistant on Saban’s Alabama staff. But it appears Lanning won’t be making a move back to Tuscaloosa.
The Ducks hired Lanning in December 2021 after Mario Cristobal departed for Miami. Lanning came to Eugene with no prior head coaching experience, having previously served as Georgia’s defensive coordinator.
But the 37-year-old has quickly proven to be one of the top head coaches in college football. The Ducks posted a 10-3 record in Year 1 under Lanning, and they went 12-2 in the 2023 campaign. Oregon just missed out on its first College Football Playoff berth since 2014 after falling to Washington in the 2023 Pac-12 Championship Game.
Lanning is under contract at Oregon through 2029, with $52.2 million in guaranteed money, and he has a buyout of $20 million, according to ESPN.
