EXCLUSIVE: Oregon Ducks’ Dan Lanning 'Ahead Of Curve' For GM Model In College Football

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is regarded as one of the top recruiters in the country, seamlessly adapting to the ever-changing Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) era to build elite rosters. Since being hired in December of 2021, Lanning’s recruiting and transfer portal classes have ascended, with back-to-back recruiting and transfer classes ranked in the top-five in 2024 and 2025.

Nov 9, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning leads his team before the start of a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Lanning is a relentless recruiter, but he also has gathered a tremendous staff to help build a championship-caliber team.

An underrated move that Lanning made in 2021, is adding Chief of Staff Marshall Malchow, who is essentially Oregon football’s general manager as the head of the senior support staff. The Malchow hire was before the rise of the college sports GM and it made Ducks history, as Malchow is the first individual at Oregon with the title.

Nov 18, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Oregon Ducks chief of staff Marshall Malchow against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In an exclusive interview with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus, Lanning shares his thoughts on the GM model.

“I think we were kind of ahead of the curve with what we did already, bringing Marshall (Malchow) in as our Chief Of Staff. That's really the role that he wears,” Lanning told Amaranthus. “He's very involved in our personnel decisions and really all big picture decisions within our program. That was always the thought - more than just a guy that picks players or assesses the talent on our team- a huge piece of that is evaluating the entire piece of our program.”

“Marshall's done an unbelievable job. He's a guy I trust, we worked together in Georgia, spend a lot of time together, so seeing it come full circle is fun,” Lanning continued.

At Georgia, Lanning and Malchow built a strong connection. Malchow was the Bulldogs’ Director of Player Personnel and Lanning was a linebacker coach who excelled on the recruiting trail. They also both come from Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban’s coaching tree: Malchow as an unpaid film analyst and Lanning as a graduate assistant.

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning Reveals Best Nick Saban Advice | Photo credit: Joshua R. Gateley / ESPN Images

Now, Lanning and Malchow work stride in stride with a clear vision in Eugene to create a winning culture and compete in the College Football Playoff among the best talent in the nation. Malchow is Lanning’s right hand man, with job responsibilities that are crucial to the flow of the football program while also providing the intangible qualities that can help maximize Lanning’s time.

The 35-year-old Malchow and Lanning share an impressive work ethic and authenticity that shines through to players and coaches. Malchow helps with roster construction, evaluating potential talent and excels at analyzing the broader plan to ensure Oregon is competitive among the nation’s best.

Malchow brought a wealth of experience to Eugene, as the former Texas A&M Aggies associate athletic director who helped land the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2021.

Dan Lanning: Why Oregon Ducks Are Thriving In NIL, Transfer Portal Era | oregon ducks on si

Lanning was an early adapter by hiring Malchow to his staff. Now, many programs are having success with the GM model, including Big Ten conference foe USC. The Trojans hired GM Chad Bowden from Notre Dame in 2025 and have experienced an uptick in roster construction. USC currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for the class of 2026, with an emphasis on retaining the best California talent.

It’s still early in the 2026 recruiting cycle but Oregon’s class has already climbed inside the Top-10 at No. 8 with an exciting group of visitors on the way.

One thing is for certain when it comes to the Ducks football program, Lanning and Marshall were ahead of the curve with an eye on continuing to excel.