EUGENE, Ore. — The University of Oregon formally introduced Dan Lanning as the football program's next head coach. Lanning was previously defensive coordinator at the University of Georgia.
The hire was first reported by Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Oregon, in its search to replace outgoing head coach Mario Cristobal, who left the program to take the head coaching position at the University of Miami, interviewed several other candidates, including Cal head coach Justin Wilcox and BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. Oregon also sought and was granted permission to interview former head coach Chip Kelly, currently the coach at UCLA.
Lanning has been with Georgia since 2018. He started as the outside linebackers coach and was promoted to defensive coordinator after the 2018 season. He was one of the candidates for the head coaching job at Kansas in 2021 before they hired Lance Leipold.
In an introductory news conference, Lanning wasn't shy about his ambitions for the team.
"My job here is to build a winner," Lanning said. "This is not going to be a one hit wonder."
Before Georgia, Lanning coached at Pittsburgh, Arizona State, Sam Houston State, Alabama and Memphis.
Under Lanning's direction this season, Georgia's defense ranks first in scoring defense in the country, allowing just 9.54 points per game. The Bulldogs also rank in the top three in the nation in total defense, rushing defense and pass defense.
GEORGIA DEFENSIVE RANKS
- Scoring defense: First (9.54 points per game)
- Total defense: Second (254.4 yards per game)
- Rushing defense: Third (81.7 yards per game)
- Pass defense: Third (172.7 yards per game)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Lanning, 35, is married and has three sons.