When Dan Lanning shared his national championship vision after taking over Oregon Ducks' coaching job

The Oregon Ducks, under coach Dan Lanning, won perhaps the biggest game of his tenure when they beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 32-31 in Week 7 of college football action. The Ducks jumped to favorites for the conference championship game due to the result.

Lanning has had a winding coaching career, from a graduate assistant in coach Todd Graham's Pittsburgh Panthers in 2011 to the coach of one of the premier football programs in the country.

During a 2023 episode of the "Next Up" show, Lanning shared his vision of winning the national championship as the Ducks coach and what would be required to achieve that. (47:20).

"Well, no off days and that consistent approach I'm talking about, that 20-mile march," 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 reveals why he did not take the Alabama job

Dan Lanning was a graduate assistant in Tuscaloosa in 2015 under now-retired coach Nick Saban when the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Clemson Tigers to win the national championship.

Lanning has repeatedly stated the importance of that year in Alabama in teaching him how to be the head of a football program. According to ESPN, he was under serious consideration to become the program's next coach when Saban unexpectedly retired in January.

During a 2023 episode of the "Joel Klatt Show," Lanning revealed why he opted against taking the Alabama job, which was ultimately given to Kalen DeBoer.

“I think it’s more about what exists [at Oregon],” Lanning said. “For me, it’s the first time in my career I feel like I’m somewhere I can be for a really, really, long time for and my family and I think that’s No. 1.

“I can also never take for granted that Oregon took a chance on me and that means a lot to me," he said. "There’s things I want to accomplish here that I haven’t accomplished yet. I never like leaving a place where I feel like there’s something left on the table and there’s a lot left on the table here at Oregon.”

Dan Lanning has made himself a hero in Eugene due to his dedication to the program and with one of the consistently highest-rated teams in the country, he has a chance to cut a niche for himself in Oregon history by winning a national championship.