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Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning against the Liberty Flames during the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Makes History: Wins Stallings Award For Leadership, Character

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Bri Amaranthus | Last updated Jan 29, 2025 2:22 PM ET

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning made history to become the first Oregon coach to win the Stallings Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership, character and achievement in college football. Lanning's success at Oregon is cementing him among the best in college football with much thanks to his integrity.

Lanning is the 14th winner of the Stallings Award, which is awarded annually to a college head football coach who is both a humanitarian and an exceptional coach. It is named after former college football coach Gene Stallings and celebrates the values he exemplified throughout his coaching career: leadership and compassion.

Proceeds from the award go to The Ashford Rise School of Dallas as a tribute to Stallings' late son, Johnny, who was born with Down syndrome. Lanning will receive the 2025 Stallings Award on May 6, 2025, at the Dallas Country Club.

Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lanning's honesty and transparency is exemplified in the way his players talk about him. Lanning has become more than just a coach to Oregon's top receiver Tez Johnson, who is now testing his talents at the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Lanning checks in on Johnson's sweet tooth, keeping him away from gummy candies and challenging him to be a vocal leader in his senior season.

"Every game day, we're ready to run through a brick wall for that man," Johnson told Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus. "Because he's going to give you all that he got. He's going to give you 100 percent every day. He's the most mentally prepared and mentally tough guy I've ever seen in my life. I don't know how he does it. The consistency is unbelievable."

Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 38-year-old Lanning is tireless, driven and able to successfully communicate with his team to motivate. His leadership has inspired his players to step into their own leadership roles, like tight end Terrance Ferguson, who is also headed to the 2025 NFL Draft.

"[Transparency] is something I really appreciate about him. You know what you're going to get, and he's a man of his word," Ferguson told Amaranthus. "That's something he takes pride in. When you have a head coach that does everything he says that he's going to do - he holds himself to that standard - I think it just trickles down in the program. Now you get that from everybody [within Oregon's program]."

Lanning is 35-6 in three seasons as head coach at Oregon, ranking third among active head coaches in both wins and winning percentage during that time. Lanning looks to continue to build from his best season yet as a Duck after Oregon won the 2024 Big Ten Conference Championship in it's first season in the conference. The Ducks also achieved the first 13-0 start in program history, earning the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and a berth in the Rose Bowl.