At a Glance
- Oregon coach Dan Lanning proposes a year-long playoff schedule.
- He wants every playoff game to be played each weekend and the transfer portal to open after the championship.
- The idea could eliminate long gaps like Texas Tech’s four-week layoff.
- Why it matters: It could streamline coaching moves, player transfers, and reduce scheduling conflicts.
College football’s off-season has become a maze of coaching changes, player transfers and a calendar that leaves teams idle for weeks. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has called for a sweeping schedule overhaul that would keep games every weekend through the national title and then open the transfer portal.
The Scheduling Proposal
Lanning said the current system is chaotic and that a better way exists. He envisions the season running continuously, even if it means starting in Week Zero or dropping a bye, so the final game falls on January 1 and the portal opens afterward.
Dan Lanning stated:
> “Ultimately, in my mind, the vision for this should be every playoff game should be played every single weekend until you finish the season.”
Dan Lanning added:
> “Ideally, the season, even if it means we start in Week Zero or you eliminate a bye, the season ends January 1st. This should be the last game. This should be the championship game. Then the portal opens and then coaches that have to move on to their next opportunities get the opportunity to move to their next opportunities.”
Dan Lanning also noted:
> “I’ve got a ton of respect for the NFL, but we’re a prep league for the NFL. We do a lot of favors for the NFL. We’re the minor league in a lot of ways. But there’s no money paid from the NFL to take care of college football. In that sense, we’ve given up some of our days to the NFL. We said, ‘You guys get to have this day, you get to have this day, you get to have this day.’ Saturdays should be sacred for college football, and every Saturday through the month of December should belong to college football in my opinion.”
Stakeholders’ Views
Other coaches and officials have weighed in. Ole Miss coach Pete Golding said the calendar’s timing is unfair to staff and players.
Pete Golding remarked:
> “I think from Day One, when that opportunity was created for a lot of these guys, it’s going to be no different than every opportunity created for these players once January 2nd hits.”
Kirby Smart of Georgia said:
> “We created a system that only allows you to gain advantage if you want to leave. That’s not the players’ fault. It’s not the agents’ fault. It’s not our fault. It’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just, you’ve created a system that inherently rewards what defies a team concept. And in a team sport, it just makes no sense. You tear at the culture of every organization by promoting something that doesn’t exist.”
Oregon’s coaching staff will also lose both coordinators:
- Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi → Cal
- Offensive coordinator Will Stein → Kentucky
Other programs facing staff changes include:
- Texas A&M, Tulane, James Madison (first-round CFP games)
- Alabama, Ohio State (coaches moving to other schools)
- Lane Kiffin (Mississippi to LSU)
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire nodded in agreement with Lanning’s plan.
Current Calendar Challenges
The 2025-26 season ends on January 19 with the CFP title game in Miami Gardens. Texas Tech has not played in almost four weeks, illustrating the gap that Lanning’s plan seeks to close. The NFL’s addition of Saturday games also raises potential clashes.
Key Takeaways
- Lanning’s plan would eliminate idle weeks and align the transfer portal with the season’s end.
- The proposal has support from several coaches and highlights widespread staff turnover.
- A continuous playoff schedule could reshape college football’s calendar and reduce conflicts with the NFL.
If Lanning’s vision gains traction, college football could see a more cohesive season that respects both coaching careers and player mobility.
