Dan Lanning Addresses Impact of Losing Both Coordinators During Playoff

While Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning and his team are preparing to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi are simultaneously preparing to become head coaches at new schools.

With Stein moving onto Kentucky and Lupoi leaving for Cal after the Ducks' run in the College Football Playoff, Lanning was asked about the respective promotions and how he handles the changes ahead of the Orange Bowl.

Dan Lanning Oregon Ducks coordinators Will Stein Tosh Lupoi Texas Tech Red Raiders college football playoff joey mcguire — Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein leads a drill with quarterback Dante Moore at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Dec. 14, 2025 before the first-round CFP game against James Madison. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What Dan Lanning Said About Losing Will Stein, Tosh Lupoi

"I set goals personally for myself, and my number one goal is to help people reach their dreams and goals," said Lanning. "And when you see a guy like Tosh Lupoi that I've got to work with for a long time and Will Stein, who I've gotten to work with the last three years, work their tails off to earn opportunities, you're really excited."

"I tell every recruit that walks in our office, look, I can't promise you who will be here as your coaches because I want to help create their dreams, as well, but I can promise you I'll be here as your head coach. That's a piece that won't change," Lanning continued.

"I'll say both those guys have had unbelievable focus on our team. I think they both recognize they'd never had the opportunities they have if it wasn't for the players at Oregon and the place of Oregon, and I think they feel a term of endearment. They feel like they owe it to our players to give their absolute best on the way out," said Lanning.

"I remember -- this is kind of sentimental for me. Leaving Georgia, I went through kind of the same process. The hotel we're staying in this week, I remember hiring my strength coach, Wilson Love, in that hotel. I remember reaching out to coaches on staff and hiring them during this same process in the Orange Bowl when I was at Georgia, so it's kind of a full-circle moment to see them going through the same things," Lanning said.

"But I'm very appreciative to the detail that they've put in, the work they've put in, and it's led to some long nights and not a lot of sleep, but I always tell our coaching staff, you can sleep when you die."

"These guys have worked really hard. They've earned it. I'm excited about their opportunities, and I'm excited about the opportunity to grow through our teams. When there's transition, there's opportunities for new ideas. There's opportunities for us to continue to grow," said Lanning.

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Dan Lanning's Commitment To The Oregon Ducks

Lanning has been outspoken in his love for Oregon as well as his commitment for the Ducks, and his strong statement before the Orange Bowl isn't necessarily surprising. In previous years, Lanning's name was involved in some of the biggest names available in the coaching carousel, including Auburn and Alabama.

2025 had one of the busier coaching carousels with the jobs at Penn State, LSU, and Michigan all opening at different points, but Lanning's name was more of an afterthought. Despite telling everyone that the "grass is damn green in Eugene," only recently did college football fans recognize Lanning's commitment to Oregon.

Both Stein and Lupoi gave the Ducks some continuity at the coordinator position, as Lanning's first offensive coordinator at Oregon, Kenny Dillingham, was quickly hired away by Arizona State. Still, Lanning has shown the ability to make key hires on his coaching staff, adding position coaches like defensive backs coach Chris Hampton and running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples.

Lanning was asked about the success of Oregon's young running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. before the Orange Bowl, and the Ducks coach gave some credit to Samples and his leadership.

"It starts probably with the leadership in that room. Coach Samples done an unbelievable job. But we have a veteran in there with Noah Whittington, and he's worn a lot of hats. He's been injured and came back from injury, but he demands -- it's like having another coach at the position there, and he demands that these guys do it the right way," said Lanning.