Oregon’s Dan Lanning staying put amid Alabama rumors

Oregon football coach Dan Lanning decided to stay with the Ducks amid rumors he was the top option to replace Nick Saban at Alabama.

Lanning and Oregon released a video on Thursday showing Lanning calling a team meeting and telling his players he wasn’t going anywhere. Lanning asked his players who had goals and aspirations and said to achieve those you have to be “the best where you’re at.”

“I want to be here in Eugene for as long as Eugene will have me,” Lanning says in the video. “This place has everything that I could possibly ever want. There’s a little bit of a problem in society today with people looking for what’s next and where there’s an opportunity.

“The reality is the grass is not always greener. In fact, the grass is damn greener in Eugene.”

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Lanning has had much success in Oregon since he took over for Mario Cristobal, who left for Miami. He had the Ducks within a game of the College Football Playoff but the team lost to the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship and also in the regular season.

He’s 22-5 in the last two seasons.

Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday, which sent shockwaves through college football. But at least one thing is clear, Lanning is staying in Oregon for now.