Why Transfer Portal Safety Dillon Thieneman Committed Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning

"It was definitely a very difficult decision. I had to talk to my family for a long time about," said Thieneman when asked about his decision to transfer. "But we found it was going to be in my best interest to leave and find where I could get proper coaching, proper development, where I can go against some of the best competition in the country.” 

“Coach Lanning and this staff, how they develop guys, what their system is, how their system is related to NFL, type of guys we're going against, like speed coaches, like coach (Kyle) Bolton, Coach (Wilson) Love, like all of them. I just settled on this place," Thieneman continued.

Oregon has built a reputation for developing transfers and taking them to the next level. Players like quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel , as well as defensive backs Christian Gonzalez, Evan Williams, Jabbar Muhammad and more arrived to Oregon as transfers looking to maximize their potential. At Oregon, these athletes got the coaching and resources needed to get to the NFL. 

This history of development is something that couldn’t be ignored when Thieneman was deciding where he would spend his third season of collegiate football. 

"[Development was] definitely a big factor in that," said Thieneman. "I saw that Oregon's really good at taking in transfers and developing them and transitioning them to the next level. And I mean this defense, they kind of set you up for that level, because, like, we play all types of coverages, like we do all types of things that you'll see at the next level." 

Oregon’s defensive approach and coaching pedigree played a key role in attracting Thieneman to Eugene. Prior to taking over at Oregon, Lanning served as the defensive coordinator at Georgia, where he built the top defense in the nation. His defensive background has shaped Oregon into a more aggressive, disciplined unit, contributing to a 35-6 record, Big Ten Conference Championship, and a College Football Playoff appearance,  

Adding to that foundation is defensive backs coach Chris Hampton, who helped lead one of the nation’s most disruptive pass defenses at Tulane in 2018. Hampton’s ability to develop playmakers in the secondary, along with his recruiting influence, was instrumental in bringing the former Purdue standout to the Ducks.

Together, Lanning and Hampton’s defensive expertise made Oregon a natural fit for a player looking to elevate his game to the next level. 

At Purdue, Thieneman established himself as a dominant player in the secondary. In his two seasons as a boilermaker, he recorded back-to-back 100-tackle seasons while recording six career interceptions, nine pass breakups, and 210 total tackles.

He’s proven himself in both the pass and ground game. Now, with Oregon’s system behind him, he has the chance to refine his skills and potentially even emerge as one of the top defensive backs in the country.