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Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where Dan Lanning, Kirby Smart's Contract Buyouts Rank Among Nation's Highest

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Gabriel Duarte | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 3:12 PM ET

The No. 3 Oregon Ducks have one of the best coaches in college football with Dan Lanning. Since taking over the program in 2021, Lanning and the Ducks have found a ton of success together, culminating in last year's 13-1 season.

The success Lanning and the Ducks have found has not gone unnoticed by other programs. Over the past two offseasons, Lanning has appeared as a potential coaching candidate for the top available vacancies, but each opportunity he gets, he spurns away to stay in Eugene. The Ducks have rewarded Lanning with one of the larger buyouts in the country.

According to a recent report by On3's Nick Shultz, Lanning's buyout has reached $56.73 million dollars, which places him seventh among all coaches. The only Big Ten coach with a higher buyout than Lanning is Ohio State's Ryan Day, who sits with a $70.9 millon dollar buyout.

That's the second-largest buyout in college football behind Georgia's Kirby Smart.

Largest Buyouts in College Football

James Lang-Imagn Images

1. Kirby Smart: $105.1 million
2. Ryan Day: $70.9 million
3. Kalen DeBoer: $60.8 million
4. Steve Sarkisian: $60.3 million
5. Dabo Swinney: $60 million
6. Mike Norvell: $58.7 million
7. Dan Lanning: $58.73 million
8. Curt Cignetti: $56.7 million
9. Brian Kelly: $53.3 million
10. Matt Rhule: $49.6 million

After going 13-1 this past season, Oregon offered Lanning a contract extension that keeps him in Eugene through 2030. With his new deal came a large boost to his buyout.

Back Up The Brinks Truck

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lanning has been worth every penny and more since coming to Oregon from Georgia, where he served as the defensive coordinator under Smart from 2019-2021.

Since his arrival in the Pacific Northwest, Lanning has won at least 10 or more games in his first three seasons. Currently sitting with a 5-0 record, the Ducks are looking like they will win 10 games or more for the fourth consecutive season.

Not only are the Ducks winning games, but Lanning has been doing a good job of developing his players and sending them to the next level.

Lanning has been able to get his players to the NFL at an extraordinary rate. During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Ducks had 10 players selected, which set a program record. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Oregon previously set the record with eight players taken throughtout the draft.

Not only does Lanning get the Ducks to produce on the field, but off the field, he has done an excellent job of getting players to Oregon. On the recruiting trail, Lanning and his coaching staff have been builiding. During this past recruiting cycle, the Ducks signed the No. 3 overall class according to 247Sports' rankings.

Staving Off The Competition

Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A lot of big jobs have opened up over the past few offseasons including Alabama, Texas A&M, and Michigan State. And yet, every time one of these marquee jobs open up, Lanning manages to stay firmly put in Eugene.

Lanning has said previously that he even wanted to coach in the NFL at one point, but has since put that off to the side because of the success and happiness he has at Oregon.

This article first appeared on Oregon Ducks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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