Dan Lanning released video about turning down Alabama job to satisfy a recruit's mother

When Alabama head coach Nick Saban retired, it sent the college football world into a frenzy as the Crimson Tide looked for a replacement. One of those names that came up was Oregon head coach Dan Lanning before he shut down those rumors with a video announcing he was staying.

While making an appearance on Bussin’ With The Boys, Lanning both dismissed the idea he was considering leaving and explained that the video was actually released to satisfy the mother of a recruit.

“I don’t know,” Dan Lanning said. “There’s been a lot of opportunities that were real but we’re never gonna let it get real here. I’m exactly where I want to be. I’ve said it a lot, but right now I’ve got an 11-year-old a 12-year-old, and a 14-year-old. I’m committed to those guys finishing school here. For me to do that, we’ve got to win. So, I’m not interested in another opportunity.”

Dan Lanning didn’t share who the recruit was that he was talking to. However, he did explain that there was a recruit whose mother was very concerned about those rumors, and led to the video to try and calm her nerves.

“One of the reasons we released the video was I’m talking to a recruit’s mom the night before, and she’s saying, ‘I’m seeing all over the internet you’re leaving.’ No, I’m not…I need this d-tackle. We’re talking on the phone, I was talking, ‘What would make you comfortable? I’m telling you I’m not going anywhere. what would make you feel comfortable?’ [She asked] ‘Are you gonna make an announcement?’ I said, ‘How about I make a video?'”

In the video that Dan Lanning ended up posting on social media, Lanning explained that he’s staying and happy at Oregon.

“So, we make a video and I sent it to her first before we ever released it. Because she had just gone through the same experience with another coach telling her he wasn’t gonna leave. Apparently, a lot of coaches say one thing and then do another. So, I just wanted to make sure that we got this kid.”

Dan Lanning got to Oregon in 2022. Since then, in two seasons with the Ducks, he’s led the team to a 22-5 record and a Fiesta Bowl win. Now, as the team transitions into the Big Ten, he wants to figure out what the Ducks are truly capable of.

“We’re building something here. I see a lot of people leave before they ever get to see what they could accomplish and what’s finished,” Lanning said.

The video Dan Lanning released to stay at Oregon

In the video that Dan Lanning released to announce he was staying at Oregon, it shows him speaking in a team meeting. He also did the voiceover for the video.

“I want to be here in Eugene for as long as Eugene will have me,” Lanning said in the voiceover. “This place has everything that I could possibly ever want.”

“This is a little bit of a problem in society today with people looking for what’s next and whether it’s an opportunity, and the reality is the grass is not always greener. In fact the grass is damned green in Eugene.”

The video also included text in the video, which seemed to act as a recruiting pitch for Dan Lanning and Oregon.

“If you’re scared your coach is leaving… Then come play for us… The Ducks aren’t going anywhere… And I’m not leaving…”