Oregon Ducks New Head Coach Dan Lanning Invites Georgia Bulldogs to Defend CFP Semifinals

MIAMI – Georgia defense coordinator Dan Lanning is on his way to Oregon as the new head coach for the Ducks, but he will first call the defensive games for the Bulldogs in Friday’s match against Michigan in the College Football playoff semifinals in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

Lanning, 35, was hired as an Oregon coach on Dec. 11 to replace Mario Cristobal, who left for Miami, for his alma mater.

Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart has appointed insider coach Glenn Schumann and former Florida and South Carolina coach Will Muschamp as defense coordinators at Lanning’s source. But Lanning says no defense works when the No. 3 Bulldogs play No. 2 Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (7.30pm ET, ESPN and ESPN App).

“Our approach is very similar to what it has been all season,” Lanning said Monday. “Nothing really changes the way we work. Luckily, there’s a lot more time to prepare the bowls. There’s a lot of time to prepare, and I think a lot of people make the mistake of trying to do so. Too short in a shortened window.

Lanning is the first head coach at Ducks. Smart hired him to coach the co-mates outside the Bulldogs in 2018; he was promoted to defensive coordinator the following term.

The Bulldogs led the FBS in scoring defense (9.5 points) and were second in overall defense (253.2 yards) this season. But Alabama defeated them in a 41-24 loss in the SEC championship on Dec. 4 and surrendered 536 yards, of which 421 were entered.

“We just have to work,” Bulldogs mate Nakobe Dean said. “We have to rely on the coaches’ game plan and we have to perform at a high level. As for the reason for the explosions, we didn’t have elite focus and elite performance.”

Lanning said the time difference has allowed him to focus on preparing for Georgia’s CFP early in the day, then building a coaching team, recruiting a class and roster in Oregon at night. He has hired Florida State as Kenny Dillingham’s offensive coordinator and Baylor’s Matt Powledge as defense coordinator. Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Adrian Klemm left the team on Monday to join Ducks headquarters.

“I’m really excited about what we’re putting together there,” Lanning said. “Good thing [with] The West Coast is three hours behind us, so it has allowed us to focus on Georgia early in the day, and then later in the night we can get a lot done with our team there in Oregon and the staff when we put it together. “

So far, Lanning has at least one game left with the Bulldogs – and then maybe one more.

“It is clear that Coach Lanning has not yet moved to his new job,” Georgia Security Director Christopher Smith said. “He’s trying to play his part with us to the best of his ability, and he’s done a great job with it all year. He’ll keep doing that until this thing is over.”