As CFP plods along, transfers and coaching moves don’t wait. Oregon’s Dan Lanning wants change

DANIA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It’s the biggest time of year in college football. And it’s become a circus, with coaches traveling everywhere and, in some cases, essentially trying to work two schools at the same time. On top of that, players will also officially be on the move.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning thinks he has a way to fix things.

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Lanning — whose Ducks face Texas Tech in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl — said Wednesday he thinks changes are needed to try to streamline this time of year, when coaches are moving to other schools and players are starting to enter the transfer portal that opens Friday and recruiting is underway and agents are busy and, while all that’s happening, some teams are still playing in hopes of winning a national championship.

“I think there’s clearly a better way,” Lanning said.

Oregon loses both coordinators at the end of its season; defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi will become head coach at Cal, offensive coordinator Will Stein will become head coach at Kentucky. Naturally, they are currently being pulled in several directions and they are not alone.

Texas A&M, Tulane and James Madison entered CFP first-round games knowing their teams were going to look very different in 2026. Alabama and Ohio State are also losing coaches to other schools; the Buckeyes have already seen offensive coordinator Brian Hartline hired to take over at USF. And there was the move that had the biggest ripple effect, which was Lane Kiffin leaving Mississippi — which was about to enter the playoffs — and taking over at LSU.

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Lanning says it’s time to change the program.

“Ultimately, in my mind, the vision of this should be that every playoff game is played every weekend until you finish the season,” Lanning said as his counterpart at Thursday’s Orange Bowl — Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire — nodded in solidarity and approval. “Ideally the season, even if that means we start in week zero or if you eliminate a bye, the season ends on January 1st. That should be the last game. That should be the championship game. Then the portal opens and the coaches that need to move on to their next opportunities will have the opportunity to move on to their next opportunities.”

This season ends on January 19, when the CFP title game will be played in Miami Gardens. Texas Tech hasn’t played a single game in almost four weeks. The college football schedule has always worked that way, but now, in the era of the playoffs — and amid hints that the 12-team field will expand before long — some are wondering if it’s time for a change.

Lanning wants to play every week, finish the playoffs and clear the cards so players and coaches can move on if they want. Others have proposed similar plans, and many people seem to agree that something needs to happen.

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“I think we’re in a unique time in college football, both for players and coaches, based on the schedule,” said Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who took over when Kiffin left for LSU and has about a half-dozen assistants with him for the CFP quarterfinal in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, who will leave for Baton Rouge once the Rebels’ season is over.

“I think from day one when this opportunity was created for a lot of these guys, it’s going to be no different than any opportunities created for these players once Jan. 2 rolls around,” Golding said. “They’ll have every opportunity they want if they play really well throughout the season. I think the coaches are no different. … I think the schedule was unfortunate, and it’s not their fault.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart, whose team plays Ole Miss on Thursday, doesn’t know the answer. He simply knows that what is in place now, particularly in regards to opening the gate while a season is underway, is not the answer.

“We created a system where you only get an advantage if you want to leave,” Smart said. “And it’s not the players’ fault. It’s not the agents’ fault. It’s not our fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just that you’ve created a system that inherently rewards that which defies the concept of a team. And in a team sport, that just doesn’t make sense. You’re destroying the culture of every organization by promoting something that doesn’t exist.”

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The NFL has added a few Saturday games to its end-of-regular-season lineup, and it would seem logical that broadcasters don’t want CFP and NFL games to start colliding at this time of year. But Lanning is certain there is a way to make things better for everyone and establish a college champion sooner.

“I have a lot of respect for the NFL, but we are an NFL prep league,” Lanning said. “We do a lot of favors for the NFL. We’re a minor league in a lot of ways. But the NFL doesn’t pay any money to take care of college football. In that sense, we gave up part of our days to the NFL. We said, ‘You guys will have this day, you will have this day, you will have this day.'” Saturdays should be sacred to college football, and every Saturday through December should belong to college football, in my opinion.

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