Auburn football: Pac-12 head coach potentially using AU in contract talks
According to Auburn Daily’s Lance Dawe, Dan Lanning is still in talks with Auburn football about making the jump to the SEC — but Dawe added that those talks may be merely utilitarian to get more money from Oregon on his next deal.
Lanning was initially linked to the Tigers vacancy last week, but Portland-area reporter John Canzano shot down any interest the Oregon head coach may have in making the move from the Pacific Northwest to the Plains.
Lanning, of course, was Georgia’s defensive coordinator during their most dominant season in program history — and the most dominant defensive season in the College Football Playoff era in 2021 — just a season ago, and may not be ready for a move back south.
According to Dawe, Lanning may be using Auburn football as a ploy to get a more handsome payday from the Ducks brain trust this coming offseason:
"“Despite the pushback from Lanning himself about a move to Auburn, our sources continue to tell there is contact between the university and Lanning. Now, whether or not this is a play to get a contract extension from the Ducks or not is not known.”"
Dan Lanning is not likely to leave Oregon for Auburn football
A cursory glance at the 2022 season presents pretty pessimistic projections for Auburn football, while at the same time giving convincing evidence that Oregon is one of the top teams in the country.
Looking a bit deeper, the Ducks’ success has plenty to do with Bo Nix, who will likely take his talents to the NFL and the Tigers’ lack of success may have had to do with Bryan Harsin’s presence in the locker room — and lack thereof on the recruiting trail across Alabama and in key areas in the south.
Still, Dan Lanning is not leaving Oregon after one year, especially one that has been an overwhelming success. The Ducks HC even said so himself.
“This place has everything I could possibly ever want; that my family could every want,” Lanning said. “I have an 11 year-old that has lived in eight different states. The last thing I ever want to do is leave. I want to enjoy this opportunity here. It’s been a phenomenal place for us. When you talk about things that align, things that match your vision for what you’re looking for as a head coach, Oregon checks every box for me.”
Instead of trying to pluck Lanning from Eugene, Auburn football needs to focus on making Ole Miss’ head coach their own — and if that doesn’t work, perhaps prepare for Jeff Grimes since Deion Sanders is likely a pipe dream.