If Dan Lanning wants to win big, he'll be staying in Oregon (for now)

The coach of the No. 6 Oregon Ducks knows "the grass isn't always greener."

Dan Lanning can be a hard read.

He’s as cerebral as Mark Helfrich, as confident as Mario Cristobal and there’s rarely a situation when it’s apparent he hasn’t already thought things through.

Maybe that can overcomplicate things certain times on the football field, but it leads to a football coach who loves his cards and values playing them close to the vest. 

So, would Dan Lanning leave for Texas A&M? 

Ooh, it feels like November, doesn’t it?

You can’t blame anyone for making the connection. Any time a big college football job has opened up the last seven years the coach at Oregon at the time has been a viable candidate. Willie Taggart left for the “better” job. Mario Cristobal left for the “better” job. And after Texas A&M spent $75 million to buy out Jimbo Fisher on Sunday, it sure looks like the Aggies have the best job available. 

It’s an SEC school, in Texas, with the type of boosters that can create an opening like this — buyout be damned. 

Lanning is 37, he’s three wins away from the College Football Playoff in his second year as a head coach and has shown through recruiting that this might just be the first act.

Of course his name is going to be mentioned.

It’s been happening since Washington week, when everyone from blogs to The Audible podcast were mentioning Lanning and Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer as potential candidates for Michigan State.

It makes sense. This stuff clicks well, too.

But, for as little as I actually know what is going on in Lanning’s head, I believe he’s shown enough of himself the last two years to give him this:

He’s not going to leave for a worse job.

Texas A&M is a worse job.