EUGENE, Ore. — University of Oregon head football coach Dan Lanning will get a raise this season from $4.7 million to $7 million as part of a new contract extension through the 2028 season, the school announced Thursday.
The University of Oregon Board of Trustees unanimously approved the extension during a conference call Thursday.
Lanning, 37, joined Oregon in 2021 after four seasons at Georgia, including three seasons as defensive coordinator. In his first season in Eugene, he led the Ducks to a 10-3 record and a bowl win against North Carolina. He's also put together two solid recruiting classes for Oregon. His 2022 class ranked 13th in the country and his 2023 class ranked eighth, according to 247Sports.
Lanning's salary is fully guaranteed and will increase to $8 million through 2028, The Athletic reports. His salary includes $1 million per year in deferred compensation. His buyout to leave Oregon increases to $20 million; if Oregon fires Lanning, it will owe him 100% of his deal. Lanning will receive a one-year extension for 10 regular-season wins, according to The Athletic.
"Coach Lanning and his family love being a part of this community. Obviously, they’ve put down roots," said University of Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens during Thursday's conference call. "They’ve engaged at a level we haven't seen probably since the (Rich) Brooks-(Mike) Bellotti era, so it's something that’s extremely important to our community. And Dan, Sauphia and their kids have made that kind of commitment and that shows that this is a two-way commitment, which is important to us."
The extension makes Lanning the second-highest paid head football coach in the Pac-12 and in the Top 15 on a national level, the school said Thursday.
"In coaching, you dream to be at a place where you can both raise your family and win at a high level," Lanning said in a news release from the school. "Oregon has more than exceeded those expectations for my wife, Sauphia, and our three boys, and this will ensure our boys can all graduate from the same school as we continue to grow roots in the community. I am thrilled to be a part of a program that has a shared vision for how to stay on the cutting edge and achieve great success moving forward."
Lanning's extension comes at a time of uncertainty for the Pac-12. On Wednesday night, the Big 12 voted unanimously to accept Colorado as a new member and the school appears poised to leave the Pac-12 to join the Big 12 at the start of the 2024 season, joining a group of departees that includes USC and UCLA, which will join the Big Ten in 2024.
Manning did not make any comments during Thursday's meeting about the conference.