Two years ago this week, college football was rocked by the blockbuster coaching hires of Lincoln Riley at USC and Brian Kelly at LSU. They were surprise moves from one blueblood program to another for massive salaries, dominating the news cycle and accelerating a coaching carousel that saw jobs change hands at 15 high-level schools and 29 total in FBS.
Overshadowed by those stunners, Washington quietly tabbed Kalen DeBoer of Fresno State on Nov. 29, 2021. Twelve days later, Oregon hired Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to fill a vacancy left by Mario Cristobal bolting to Miami. Both men were well-regarded in the profession, but the news wasn't leading SportsCenter.
As it turned out, DeBoer and Lanning have been the two best hires of that momentous cycle so far. Friday night, they will meet each other in the Pac-12 championship game with a College Football Playoff spot likely going to the winner—and maybe even one going to the loser. DeBoer’s Washington team is 12–0 and No. 3 in the CFP rankings; Lanning’s Oregon team is 11–1 and No. 5, with that lone loss to the Huskies in one of the best games of the year.
