Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer tells how he really feels about Oregon’s Dan Lanning as a head coach

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 9:41 AM ET

When the Ohio State Buckeyes beat Tennessee in the College Football Playoff last season, an even tougher challenge awaited them in the Oregon Ducks.

Oregon entered the game as the No. 1 undefeated team in the country and had narrowly beaten the Buckeyes just a couple of months earlier. But the second matchup was a complete reversal — Ohio State rolled past Dan Lanning and the Ducks, then went on to defeat Texas and Notre Dame.

Now that Oregon is in the Big Ten, the Ducks figure to remain a thorn in Ohio State’s side. Former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer, someone who could certainly recognize coaching talent, is especially high on Oregon’s Dan Lanning.

“I think he’s certainly one of the top 2–3 coaches in the country right now,” Meyer said recently on The Triple Option podcast. “I love his enthusiasm. And here’s what’s really neat — he loves Oregon. He loves that place, [and] his family loves it. He’s got a niche out there, he’s got Nike, it’s a beautiful school, he’s got great facilities. This one ain’t going away.”

Meyer is probably right. Lanning and the success he’s building at Oregon aren’t going anywhere in this modern era of college football. Oregon won the Big Ten in its first season in the conference — just Lanning’s third year leading the program. Since arriving from Georgia, where he was the defensive coordinator, Lanning has posted a 35–6 record as Oregon’s head coach.

Ohio State and Oregon aren’t scheduled to meet in the regular season next year, but they could very well clash again in the Big Ten Championship or the College Football Playoff. The Ducks are officially a Big Ten problem — and Meyer knows it.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: