What kind of cancer did Dan Lanning's wife have? When Oregon HC expressed his thought process during Sauphia's illness

Oregon coach Dan Lanning married the love of his life, Sauphia, in 2009 and has three children together: Caden, Kniles,and Titan.

However, the couple's journey has been full of ups and downs between Lanning's demanding job, constant moving and Sauphia's health issues, specifically her cancer diagnosis.

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What kind of cancer did Dan Lanning's wife have?

During Dan Lanning's tenure at Memphis, the couple faced one of the biggest hurdles of their lives: Sauphia was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, also called bone cancer.

Fortunately, after chemotherapy sessions, Sauphia was declared cancer-free in 2017. Needless to say, it was a difficult time for the Lannings. The Oregon coach has often opened up about how it changed his perspective and his "whys" both personally and professionally.

During a press conference in 2022, he said:

"I love football to another level, and my 'why' really shifted back when I got to Memphis. Everything up to that point was really about advancing my career, moving up and looking for the next opportunity to go coach the best of the best. Once I got to Memphis, my wife was diagnosed with cancer, and it really reshaped my entire why."

He continued:

"Now, I want to be a guy that helps people. We are not here just to have championship football players. We are here to create championship fathers, championship husbands.

"How do you do that? You model it every day. I want our guys to be able to look at our coaches and say, 'Wow, that's a real man.' And I want them to know what it means to be a real man."

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Dan Lanning and his wife Sauphia's special connection with Bo Nix

Bo Nix was among the most crucial factors in Oregon's success in the 2023 college football season. The Ducks went 12-2 and ended the season with the Fiesta Bowl trophy against the Liberty Flames.

Dan Lanning has often talked about how Bo Nix wasn't just a quarterback for them but also a friend and a coach whenever needed.

For instance, during an interview with "Bussin With The Boys," Lanning shared instances when Nix and his wife Izzy took on the role of babysitters for Sauphia while she spent girl time with other coaches' wives.