“Having this kind of support is really special” - HC Dan Lanning expresses excitement as he visits Central Oregon to meet fans

Oregon Ducks football coach Dan Lanning made his annual trip to Bend on Tuesday, May 14, to engage with fans, sign autographs and take photos. This visit allowed him to connect with the passionate Ducks fanbase in Central Oregon.

During his visit, Lanning told Central Oregon Daily:

"It's fun getting in front of our fans that obviously Duck football means so much to. It's a lot of fun for us to come see another part of the state and get to experience a little bit of that with them.”

Lanning reciprocated the admiration, emphasizing the significance of football in Oregon:

“There's not a lot of places on the West Coast that football means so much and football means a lot in the state of Oregon," he said. "Having this kind of support is really special.”

Hundreds of enthusiastic fans gathered at Worthy Brewing in Bend to meet Lanning. Lanning was named the 35th head coach at the University of Oregon on Dec. 11, 2021, succeeding Mario Cristobal, who left to coach at the University of Miami.

Dan Lanning's six-year contract with the Ducks is valued at $29.1 million. In his inaugural season, he led the Ducks to a 9-3 regular season, securing notable wins over BYU, UCLA and Utah. The Ducks triumphed over North Carolina 28-27 in the Holiday Bowl.

In the 2023 season, his leadership propelled the Ducks to an 11-1 regular season, with their only loss to Washington. In a Pac-12 Championship rematch, Oregon narrowly fell 34-31 to Washington. They concluded the season with a 45-6 victory over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl.

Dan Lanning optimistic as Bo Nix heads to Denver Broncos

Dan Lanning likened Bo Nix, the 12th overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the NFL draft, to Hall of Famer John Elway. Lanning, although a Chiefs fan, expressed his apprehension to Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson, saying:

"I immediately had nightmare thoughts of John Elway."

Despite critics' doubts about Nix's transition to the NFL, Dan Lanning stands by his belief in Nix's capabilities, saying:

“They don’t have to be right. Who cares what they think? It’s about what kind of career he’s going to have.”

The anticipation surrounding Nix's debut is further fueled by Broncos head coach Sean Payton's secrecy regarding his quarterback preference during the pre-draft process.

Bo Nix set a record for the most starts by any quarterback in FBS college football history. In his final season at Oregon, he achieved a completion rate of 77.4 percent while throwing for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and only three interceptions.