PFF Analyst Highlights Dan Lanning Among Top-5 College Football Coaches

PFF Analyst Highlights Dan Lanning Among Top-5 College Football Coaches originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Dan Lanning’s rapid rise in college football continues to draw national praise. 

In a new ranking published this week by Pro Football Focus, analyst Max Chadwick named Lanning the No. 4 head coach in the sport, trailing only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

While Lanning hasn’t yet won a national championship like the three ahead of him, Chadwick said it might not be long.

“He’s won 85.4% of his games during his three seasons as the Ducks’ head coach, trailing only Day among coaches on this list,” Chadwick wrote. “Lanning delivered Oregon a Big Ten championship during its maiden year as a member of the conference, and the Ducks were the top seed in the College Football Playoff before losing to eventual champion Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.”

Lanning, who took over at Oregon in 2022, has quickly reshaped the program into a national powerhouse. His combination of elite recruiting and aggressive game-planning has elevated Oregon to annual playoff contention.

Rounding out Chadwick’s top ten were Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), James Franklin (Penn State), Brian Kelly (LSU), and Kurt Cignetti (Indiana). 

Lanning and the Ducks will be in action when they host Montana State on Saturday, August 30. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. PST.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.