Dan Lanning joined the Oregon Ducks for the 2022 season with high hopes. It was something that didn’t cause much media optimism as this was his first head coaching job. The odds were highly stacked against him, and analysts declared him ‘inexperienced.’ Still, there was something in Lanning that convinced Oregon to stick with him. The rest?

Well, the rest is history. The relatively young head coach has been delivering good results season after season and is looking like the real deal now. This is the coach who has garnered a 35-6 record in his days at Oregon and won the Big 10 championship after following an undefeated regular season in 2024. All this in Oregon’s first season in the conference speaks about the volumes the head coach has delivered on the field. And now he has got another piece of news to cheer him up.

Well, Dan Lanning initially joined the Ducks on a 6-year contract on December 11, 2021. The contract guaranteed him a $29.1 million payment throughout his tenure. It wasn’t as lucrative as some of the top coaches, but still, it was something that promised so much. Then he started delivering results. 9-3 in his first season, followed by an 11-1 season with only a loss against Washington in the regular season and then in the Pac-12 championship. His next season in 2024 is something that needs no introduction. So, naturally, he would merit something for his achievements, right?

Well, according to various reports, the coach has now signed a contract extension with a bigger pay bump that will see him for an additional two years. Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports provided the update. “Oregon and Dan Lanning have agreed on an amended 6-year contract that increases his annual pay by $2 million, sources tell @YahooSports. The fully-guaranteed deal averages nearly $11M annually—a significant investment by the university, putting the 38-year-old top 5 nationally”.  Surely, Dan Lanning merits all the bonuses in the world after his performance. 

However, his contract buyout has remained the same at $20 million. The deal, it seems, is almost done, and now only the board’s approval is needed, which will take place on Friday. This takes his total contract to $66 million through the course of his tenure. The feat makes him one of the highest-earning coaches in college football. Sitting with the likes of Ryan Day, who signed an extension for $12 million per year, and Kirby Smart, who makes close to $13 million annually. The deal essentially means that the coach, who wasn’t given much heed initially, has achieved the stardom he always wanted. Surely, this will be good news for the supporters, right? Well, not quite.

Are fans not too enthusiastic about Dan Lanning’s contract?

Well, it seems some of the supporters in Oregon aren’t quite happy about Lanning’s contract extension and want more from their coach. A user wrote, “Getting paid for not winning, checks his mouth can’t cash but good for him he fooled the university.” Another wrote, “Get blown out by Ohio State and get paid.”. Surely, the fans aren’t taking the Ohio State loss very lightly, as Oregon blew off their incredible season run when they were quite literally decimated by Ohio State by 41-21. Another user presented a more grim scenario.

The user wrote, “Oregon is a good tier 2 team. They aren’t on the same level as the elite teams.”. Another wrote, “Making more money than coaches who have won a playoff game is wild.” While it is true that Oregon hasn’t won a playoff game in Lanning’s tenure, their only game against OSU ended in a defeat. But it’s still not fair to declare Oregon as a ‘tier 2’ team since this is the team that has shown in various instances what it can do. Furthermore, it certainly takes time to achieve great things. The verdict?

Well, Oregon will open their 2025 season against the Montana State Bobcats, and in terms of their schedule, they have a relatively easy one this year. Their only tough games would be against Penn State on the road, USC, and Washington (on the road) later in the season. So, in terms of their scheduling, they have a chance to do greater things in the 2025 season. Furthermore, in the long term, if the proposed 4 automatic bids come to Big10, it will be all fireworks for Oregon and Dan Lanning going forward.