Dan Lanning joins Steve Sarkisian and Kirby Smart, amongst others for final list of prestigious award

Modified Dec 27, 2024 03:11 GMT

Dan Lanning joins Steve Sarkisian and Kirby Smart, amongst others for final list of prestigious award (Image Source: Getty)

After an unbeaten regular season, Dan Lanning guided the Oregon Ducks to the College Football Playoff. His side is the team to beat because it was the No. 1 seed in the newly expanded playoffs.

Following his stellar coaching performances, he's subsequently been nominated for the prestigious George Munger Award, given to the best head coach in college football.

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Dan Lanning among the favorites for 2024 George Munger Award

Dan Lanning joins a field that includes Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia Bulldogs numero uno Kirby Smart. The trio are the frontrunners in an eight-person field up for the biggest head coach award in the ongoing college football season.

Lanning is one of the favorites due to his stellar job with the Ducks in the 2024 regular season. The experienced head coach led his team to an unbeaten record punctuated by phenomenal play.

Furthermore, Lanning was instrumental in some of his players' enjoying career years. None was more apparent than quarterback Dillon Gabriel, whom he molded into a Heisman Trophy finalist and a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

The George Munger Award has been awarded to some notable names in the past such as Smart, Nick Saban, Jeff Monken, Willie Fritz and most recently Kalen DeBoer. These coaches weren't just excellent head coaches but embodied all the key ingredients of being leaders on the gridiron.

Such is as important as success at the NCAA level, and few embody that as much as Lanning did in 2024. Lanning was an inspirational figure on the touchline every week, and his professionalism shone through even in blowout victories over opposing teams.

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