Last week, Oregon announced a one-year extension to football coach Dan Lanning's contract, through the 2028 season, along with a considerable raise that bumps his base salary from $4.7 million to $7 million annually with incremental raises throughout the duration of the deal, per the terms reported by ESPN.com.
The contract is fully guaranteed and also includes a $20 million buyout for Lanning, should he choose to leave for another job before the end of the deal.
Lanning addressed both the extension and that uniquely sizeable buyout during Oregon's football media day Monday.
"As a coach, all you ever really want to focus on is being at a place where you can win and you can raise your family. And since the day I got here, it's been no secret that I want to be here," Lanning said. "I'm thrilled about the opportunity that was given to me to become the head coach at Oregon. It means a lot to me. I never take it for granted. I wake up every morning and I pinch myself, but ultimately my love for this place and what it provides for my family at a place that they can be and have some consistency -- I've got three kids, they've lived in eight states, it's nice to be able to see them graduate from the same school.
"When you know there is a bold vision for what's next, when you know there's opportunities for more things down the road, you see the commitment and the alignment of our university, as a coach you're willing to sign up for that because you know winning -- that's a priority here and we have what it takes to win. So when you have what it takes to win and you can have some consistency for your family, I think that shows, again back to my opening statement, how much belief there is in Oregon and what we're about to achieve. ... What's coming next? There's a lot, so just sit back and watch."
Nothing speaks more to Lanning's commitment to the Ducks than that buyout figure, though, which would make it prohibitive for him to seek another job or for another school to pursue him through the duration of the contract.
When he was asked Monday why people should believe that he truly intends to remain at Oregon and not look elsewhere, he pointed back to that buyout.
"You got $20 million?" Lanning said. "Look, I don't mind, we talk about when you cook breakfast, the chicken, right, you pop out an egg, he's committed. But the pig, he's all in, right? That bacon, it takes a little bit more. Coaches so often, it's not fair in college football in my opinion when a university makes a commitment to a coach but a coach doesn't make a commitment to that university. I want to be here. And believe or not believe, whatever you want, there's no secret this is what I want. I've said before, the grass isn't always greener.
"Like, I have everything I want here, and there's a vision for this to continue to grow. We're able to get elite players, I think that's no secret. As long as we can continue to recruit at a high level, develop and continue to have world-class facilities, continue to push the bar in everything that we do, everything's here that's necessary for us to be successful. So it's something I want to sign up for -- it's not something I shy away from."
