Dan Lanning once revealed the biggest reason he chose Oregon Ducks over any other school

The Oregon Ducks, under coach Dan Lanning, entered the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff unbeaten and as the No. 1 team in the country with a Big Ten title to boot. The Ducks were blown out 41-21 by the rampaging Ohio State Buckeyes, led by coach Ryan Day, in the Rose Bowl.

When Lanning was appointed as the coach of the Ducks in 2021, he had learned the tools of the trade from two of the best coaches in college football of the modern era. These were Georgia's Kirby Smart and Alabama's Nick Saban.

In a 2022 segment of the "247Sports" podcast, the Ducks coach revealed why he chose to join Oregon despite significant interest from other programs (10:30).

"I think this is a unique opportunity," Dan Lanning said. "I think everyone that's sitting on the outside right now can look at this league and say, 'Okay, there's a commitment to excellence.' There's obviously a lot of pieces and moving parts in this league right now and a lot of opportunities for schools to advance.

"So, I came here because I'm excited about the competition. Look, our first game next year is against an SEC opponent that I happen to know pretty well. They happen to have a pretty good team down there. But that excites me about coming to Oregon and getting to play in the Pac-12 is really, really exciting as well."

When Dan Lanning shared his national championship ambitions

Despite falling short of the national championship this season, despite being odds-on favorites for the title before the CFP started, Lanning has long harbored ambitions of winning the natty.

During a 2023 episode of the "Next Up" show with host Adam Breneman, the charismatic Lanning laid out his national championship plans for the Ducks (47:20).

"Well, no off days and that consistent approach I'm talking about, that 20-mile march," Dan Lanning said. "I think the resources exist here, I think we have phenomenal players, but I've been a part of a lot of teams that have great players. It's gonna be that ability to sacrifice down the stretch, and whatever's needed, are you gonna be able to give that?

"Are you gonna be able to give when the best is needed? It might involve you, but it might not. And just being able to lay down and sacrifice in those moments, I think that's gonna be the secret."

Dan Lanning led Oregon to the Big Ten championship in the Ducks' inaugural season in the conference, despite naysayers predicting otherwise before the season began.

The now-redeemed Ohio State coach Ryan Day has finally got over the hump. Lanning had laid out his blueprint for bringing the natty to Eugene when he was first appointed. Will he achieve his own redemption?