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Oregon football coach Dan Lanning rarely indulges questions that are about anything other than the immediate focus of preparing his team, but of course, he had some thoughts on the Ducks' move to the Big Ten in 2024.
A day after Oregon and Washington announced their departures from the Pac-12 and their new home in what will be an 18-team Big Ten (for now at least), Lanning praised the university and athletic department leadership for bringing stability to the Ducks' future.
"First off, I think our players are really excited about that. I think it's an exciting opportunity for us. We talk about what are we looking for at this university, and the way that we recruit on a national level, multiple time zones, playing against the best of the best, that's something our guys are really, really excited about," Lanning said. "Obviously, it's not really our focus right now. We've got an entire season to play, this is about 2023 season. It's what we want to attack. But I think that creates a unique student-athlete experience for our guys moving forward and it certainly sets us up.
"I really appreciate Rob (athletic director Rob Mullens), administration, all the people at the top that did a great job looking out for the future of Oregon, and I think that really protects us."
RELATED: Dan Lanning, Rob Mullens want to keep Oregon State on the schedule
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff's attempt to keep his conference together crumbled over the last few days as university decision-makers were unimpressed with the Apple TV streaming deal he brought to the table as the long-awaited media rights proposal for the league.
The Big Ten opened its doors to the Pac-12's two most high-profile and profitable remaining brands, after earlier taking in USC and UCLA, who announced their move last summer and will also formally transition in August of 2024.
"I was confident from the beginning that our administration and our staff here would make the best decision for Oregon, and I think that's what obviously that we did. We made the best decision for Oregon," Lanning said.
"I just think that when you come here you're looking for an opportunity to continue to compete against the best, and I think there's no secret there's really great teams and great competition in that league. I think it's a league that means more than just football. I think obviously academically it brings a certain prestige, and the fact that it hits every single part of the United States is big for us because we are a team that is a national brand. We should be seen across the nation."
While the Ducks are leaving the Pac-12 behind after more than 100 years (since 1915) in the conference, Lanning echoed Mullens' sentiments that he wants to keep the in-state rivalry with Oregon State alive.
"We want to play great teams. We want to continue to play great teams. I know Oregon State is a great example of a game that we would love to keep. We want to get that opportunity to continue to play against them," Lanning said. "I think it means a lot to people in this state. That's something we want, but it's also a little bit out of our control now. We have to see how the chips fall. But it's the furthest thing from my mind right now -- it's about the 2023 team."
Later asked if that meant he was open to continuing a home-and-home series with the Beavers, Lanning said, "Absolutely, we'd love to keep that rivalry going."
He also noted how the Ducks' announcement Friday gives an immediate boost to their recruiting efforts, as there are no longer questions or uncertainties about the future of their conference's viability.
"More than anything, clear direction. We have really clear direction right now. It's not the what-if's, it's not the where-are, it's really clear where we're going to be in the future and how we're set up for long-term," Lanning said. "... We have a great option to sell here and it's only stronger now because of what happened yesterday."
