Oregon Coach Dan Lanning's Honest Take About Mid-Season Coach Firings

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning has seen multiple head coaches he's faced this season lose their jobs not too long after losing to the Ducks. This includes James Franklin, who the Penn State Nittany Lions fired two games after the loss to Oregon.

Oregon Ducks Dan Lanning Penn State Nittany Lions James Franklin College Football Coaches fired lsu tigers brian kelly | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Unlike many college football teams this season, the Oregon Ducks are one of the few programs lucky enough to feel confident and secure with their current coaching situation.

Though he's still eyeing that first national championship in Eugene, Oregon coach Dan Lanning feels like he has one of the more secure jobs in the country, joining names like Kirby Smart (Georgia), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Curt Cignetti (Indiana), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas).

However, Lanning understands that no matter what, every coach knows that job security can change quickly. While meeting with the media on Wednesday, Lanning talked about the current chaos in the coaching carousel around the country.

Dan Lanning on Coaching: "It's a Tough Profession"

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning embraces wide receiver Justius Lowe before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Indiana Hoosiers Oct. 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Lanning said that the uncertainty of being a coach is "what we signed up for" when deciding to take a job.

"l'm not sure exactly what the hurry is for, but it's part of what we all are aware of and what we signed up for in this profession. It's a tough profession, but it's a really rewarding profession. There's a lot of people who would love to do what we get to do, and it's nice to be in a place that has really consistent stability, and players that are really focused," Lanning said.

"But I think that's just, you know, an example of distractions that exist right now in college football that you know, our players and our coaches handle really well," Lanning continued

Interestingly enough, three teams on Oregon's 2025 schedule have fired their head coaches this season. This includes the Oregon State Beavers, Penn State Nittany Lions and Oklahoma State Cowboys, with Luke Fickell of the Wisconsin Badgers another name to watch that could be added to this list.

Here is a full list of the Power 4 teams that have decided to move in a different direction this year:

Current Head Coach Vacancies in Power 4

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

- LSU Tigers (fired Brian Kelly)

- Penn State Nittany Lions (fired James Franklin)

- Oklahoma State Cowboys (fired Mike Gundy)

- Florida Gators (fired Billy Napier)

- Arkansas Razorbacks (fired Sam Pittman)

- Virginia Tech Hokies (fired Brent Pry)

- UCLA Bruins (fired DeShaun Foster)

- Oregon State Beavers (fired Trent Bray)

- Stanford Cardinal (fired Troy Taylor)

- UAB Blazers (fired Trent Dilfer)

- Colorado State Rams (fired Jay Norvell)

No matter how the season ends, there's no doubt that Lanning remains the coach of the future for Oregon. He led the Ducks to a Big Ten Championship in the program's inaugural season in the conference last year and a No. 1 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

The Ducks will need some things outside of their control to fall their way in order to get back to Indianapolis, but Oregon remains in comfortable position to secure another trip to the CFP.

As long as Lanning keeps Oregon in legit national title contention, he'll be the man in Eugene.