Dan Lanning Left 'Unsatisfied' After Oregon Ducks' 2024 Season

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is a busy man to pin down these days. From finishing up the 2024 season with his first-ever Big Ten Championship and program record 13-0 regular season, to continuing to battle it out on the recruiting trail, and signing a new contract extension through 2030 with the Ducks, the 38-year-old has said, "you can sleep when you die," in reference to his busy schedule.

However, the coach found time to sit down with "The Unafraid Show" hosted by football radio analyst George Wrighster to discuss the past three years with the Ducks and his thoughts on the future of the program. Below are some of the highlights of this half-hour interview.

Lanning's Reflection on the 2024 Season:

"I think the one thing that I'm proud of is our team has gotten consistently better each year. When you look at this team, it's the best version of us yet. But certainly really still hungry, right? Left some on the table. Got to go against a great team that went on to go win it and for me, I'm unsatisfied right now. There's more out there. But on the same note I don't think you could look at this season and say there weren't some really positive things that happened," Lanning told Wrighster.

"We're not at the top yet, right? I think it starts with self awareness, like what are those things that will put us at the top? And then when you get there, it doesn't matter what you did at the top, you're starting all over again. For me, it's about the climb. It's about how can we continue to improve and what team can be the most self aware team."

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Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during a timeout in the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Lanning on How Oregon's Recruiting has Shifted Over the Years:

"Since we've been here we've put a high premium on making sure we get the best players in the nation and I think you want to build it from the ground up. You always want to start with high school. But you want to make sure your roster is competitive. You want to make sure you're able to go out there and feel like you can compete with the best of the best," Lanning told Wrighster.

"We've been able to track some unbelievable high school players but we've also been able to attract great portal players that make our team better. So to me, it's a balance. But the bigger portion of our team, and I think if you look over the years, it's gotten smaller and smaller for us in the portal and it's been about the same in high school or grown," Lanning told Wrighster.

Oregon's Bo Nix and coach Dan Lanning embrace before the game against Oregon State at Autzen Stadium Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. | Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lanning On Retaining Coaches And Staff Turnover:

"I have my goals in my mirror and the No. 1 goal in my mirror is to help my people reach their goals. So, I don't think I can ever lose sight of what it was like to sit in that seat as an assistant coach," Lanning told Wrighster.

"Obviously, we want to make this place unbelievable here to where it's hard for people to leave and I think we've created that. I think it's hard for people to leave Oregon. But on the same note, when people have goals and aspirations you want to help them get there. Those things can work hand in hand. I think change can be really good for an organization as well. It brings in new ideas, new opportunities for growth," Lanning told Wrighster.

Lanning on How the Football Season Timeline is Structured:

"I think the thing that I've heard that makes the most sense to me, that I'd be the biggest proponent of is the season to start sooner, so it actually finishes and the school calendar kind of fits," Lanning told Wrighster.

"I mean this year you see we're in the College Football Playoff and the portal's happening. The National Championship game isn't until January 20th. To me, if that can finish January first, that would make a lot of sense for college football because that's when the next semester of school is going to start. That's when the portal can open and guys have the opportunity to go find a home before the next semester start," Lanning told Wrighster.