Respect Earned, Not Given: Joey McGuire and Dan Lanning Share Mutual Admiration Ahead of CFP Clash
When No. 4 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oregon square off in the College Football Playoff, it won’t just be a battle of two 12-1 teams with championship dreams-it’ll be a collision of two coaches who’ve climbed the ranks the hard way and have a deep respect for each other’s journey.
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire doesn’t hide his admiration for Oregon’s Dan Lanning. In fact, he’s been vocal about it-even before the playoff matchup was set. Speaking in a recent interview, McGuire made it clear: he’s a fan of how Lanning runs his program and how his Ducks play the game.
“I listen to a lot of stuff that he does,” McGuire said. “I love what he does.
I think he does it right. He’s a great coach.
He’s great for college football. I love to see how his guys compete; they play with an edge.
He’s a defensive guy; he’s got an edge to him.”
That edge? It’s not just talk.
It’s something that shows up every Saturday in the way Oregon flies to the ball, the way they finish plays, and the way they carry themselves. Lanning’s Ducks aren’t just talented-they’re tough.
And that toughness starts at the top.
McGuire knows a thing or two about building culture. He spent over two decades coaching high school football in Texas before breaking into the college game as an assistant at Baylor in 2017. That grassroots foundation shows in how he leads his team-gritty, aggressive, and unafraid of the moment.
Lanning’s story isn’t all that different. He started as a high school assistant, and one of the most well-known chapters of his rise is the now-legendary overnight drive to Pittsburgh.
He showed up uninvited, hoping to land a graduate assistant gig with then-defensive coordinator Keith Patterson. That kind of boldness doesn’t just land you a job-it sets the tone for a career built on hustle and hunger.
McGuire knows the story well. His offensive coordinator, Mack Leftwich, has a brother on Oregon’s staff-assistant offensive line coach Spencer Leftwich. Their father, who was Pitt’s offensive line coach at the time, was there when Lanning made that fateful trip.
“That shows the passion he has for the game,” McGuire said. “I think he does it the right way.
You can just tell by the way his players play for him-they play with an edge and they play with such great effort. That comes from him and his coaching staff.”
It’s not just McGuire handing out compliments, either. Lanning has his own appreciation for what the Red Raiders have built under McGuire. Oregon edged Texas Tech 38-30 in Lubbock in 2023, and Lanning came away impressed-not just with the team, but with the culture.
“I always have an appreciation for a guy that’s worked his way up through the ranks and obviously has a storied career as a high school football coach,” Lanning said. “I think you’ve always seen a guy that coaches with unbelievable passion.
We’ve got to compete against each other before, but I think the players take on the temperament of you as a coach, and he’s a guy that brings the juice. You see that with his team-they play like their hair is on fire.”
That’s the kind of matchup we’re getting in this CFP showdown: two programs that reflect their head coaches-relentless, passionate, and unafraid to punch first. Both teams are 12-1, both have earned their way into the playoff, and both are led by men who’ve built their reputations brick by brick.
It’s not just about schemes and stats in this one. It’s about identity. It’s about two coaches who’ve earned everything they’ve got-and now, they’re one win away from a shot at a national title.
Buckle up. This one’s going to be personal, physical, and full of fire. Just the way McGuire and Lanning like it.