ESPN Interview Reveals Dan Lanning's Three Great Strengths as a Coach and Program Builder

Dan Lanning believes in blooming where he's planted, and he and his family are planted in Eugene. And that's great news for the Oregon progrum and its future.

In an interview posted yesterday by ESPN reporter Paolo Uggetti, Lanning reiterated a message that he's delivered consistently, starting last December when he turned down the Alabama job and again at Big Ten Media Days and in other interviews: Oregon is where he wants to be, and his goals include winning a national championship and recruiting a number one class in the green, green grass of home.

Lanning said, "I feel like I have the things necessary here to win. So how much money does a person need to make? What do you really need in your life? For me, I want to be in a place where I can win championships. I feel like we're close to that here. And then there is a level of loyalty to people that gave you an opportunity. Why should anybody ever trust me again if I, if I do leave here for something else?”

Three of the 38-year-old's great strengths as a coach are commitment, conviction and consistency. He's clear about his purpose. He's the same person at Tuesday practice or in the national spotlight.

Having that clarity of purpose at the top gives a program a tremendous edge. There's no doubt about why he's here or what he's set out to do. For players, parents and the staff he leads, it allows them to focus on the work it takes to achieve great success while ignoring negative recruiting and the inevitable rumors.

After practice last Friday special teams coach Joe Lorig said, "I always knew Coach Lanning would be a superstar that was that was very obvious from day one. He was different than everybody else, and certainly knew that their coach Michalowski had a bright future too. So it's fun, man. People throw the word family around a lot. But you know, as much time as we spend together and the sacrifices that we make and the relationships that our wives and stuff and our kids have, we really are like a family. Coach Lanning is like my brother. So it's pretty cool, man. It's pretty special."