Oregon football: 3 candidates to replace Dan Lanning if he bolts for the NFL

Dan Lanning has rapidly elevated the Oregon Ducks, transforming them into one of college football’s elite programs in just a few seasons.

With Oregon making a strong run for the national championship, Lanning’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed by the NFL. Rumors are swirling that his disciplined, high-energy approach has sparked interest from several NFL teams looking to bring in fresh talent to revive struggling franchises.

Though he’s previously shown loyalty to Oregon, turning down high-profile college offers, the pull of the NFL could be tempting, especially if he leads the Ducks to a national championship. If Lanning were to depart for the NFL, it would leave a sizable void in Eugene.

Oregon would need a coach who can sustain its momentum and maintain the high standards Lanning has set. In light of this possibility, here are three potential replacements who could step in and continue the Ducks’ rise if Lanning chooses to make the leap to the NFL.

Will Stein has already been mentioned for a number of head-coaching jobs and it's clear that he's in line for a lead position at a smaller school — potentially even a few Power-4 teams — after the 2024 season comes to an end.

Stein is one of the highest-paid offensive coordinators in the country, at $1.4 million, and though he'd be making more in a head-coaching role, it doesn't make sense for him to bolt for just any job, especially considering the momentum he's built the last couple of seasons with the Oregon offense.

But, the big question here: Would Oregon settle for promoting from within and taking a chance on an uproven commodity in Stein? We see how that's working out with Michigan, replacing Jim Harbaugh — who also bolted for the NFL — with Sherron Moore, at least this season.

Oregon is in a place right now where it's set up to keep winning, so while Stein's name would come up in this hypothetical coaching search, we don't think he'd be the favorite to take the position.

There may not be a hotter up-and-comer in the business today than Rhett Lashlee.

Lashlee, who took over the SMU football program, has an offensive background and would fit in well in Eugene. He's had success just about everywhere he's been — including helping lead Auburn to a national title in 2013 — and now's he's showing that he can build a program.

Lashlee, 41, has impressed in his efforts to build SMU and it's paying off in 2024. The Mustangs are currently 8-1 overall and a perfect 5-0 in their first season in the ACC. SMU is just two wins away from locking up a berth in the ACC Championship game, which means they'll have a chance to compete for a College Football Playoff berth.

If you're looking for a trending name who seems to understand program-building with a bright offensive mind, Lashlee is your guy. SMU has a relatively wealthy alumni base, but imagine what Lashlee could do with the resources in Oregon.

How would Curt Cignetti, already 63 years old, be able to build a program up in Eugene that matches what Dan Lanning has been able to do? It's easy, he just wins. If you don't believe it, google him.

Curt Cignetti has had a much longer climb up the ladder to get to the point he's in today than a lot of coaches. He has been around the game for decades, including being one of Nick Saban's original assistants. After gaining experience under Saban, Cignetti took stints as a head coach at IUP, Elon, and James Madison.

During those years, he'd go onto win mulitple conference championships and earned multiple FCS playoff berths. Ultimately, Indiana offered him the job after the dismissal of Tom Allen, and he has brought an edge to that program that simply hasn't been there.

He has now guided the Hoosiers to their first 8-0 start since 1967, their first 9-0 and 10-0 starts in program history, and the first 10-win season in Indiana's history.

The main thing holding Cignetti back from getting a job at a major program like Oregon? His age. 63 years old is not necessarily old in the coaching profession, but it's also not young. For reference, Nick Saban was 55 years old when he took over the Alabama position, and he'd go onto coach for nearly two more decades before electing to retire.

Cignetti could be set up for the same kind of career arc.

Would Oregon take a chance on someone like Cignetti who has coaching experience, but only one year of head-coaching experience in the Power-4 with his age also playing a factor? It stands to be seen, but you've got to believe that he'd at least be on the "call list" if there was a head coaching opening in Eugene.

Of course, this all might be a moot point. There's absolutely no guarantee that Dan Lanning will leave Oregon for the NFL and he may very well be content just staying in Eugene and attempting to build a power program. However, it's fun to think about "what could be" if it were to play out like some reports share it might.

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