Woah! That’s what you call a perfect comeback. The SEC Media Days seem to be no less than an arena for drama. It started with Georgia Bulldogs HC Kirby Smart passing a teasing jab at Oregon’s HC Dan Lanning. But what for?

Smart confessed how he wished to have Oregon’s NIL money. And now it’s Lanning’s turn. On the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, July 25, the Ducks HC and the former defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs clapped back at Smart. The Oregon fans could not help but applaud the coach for his brave leap.

Smart’s playful jab and Lanning’s counter-attack

At the SEC Media Days, Smart grabbed the opportunity to make a light-hearted yet sharp comment on Oregon’s NIL program. The reports say it’s none other than Phil Knight, the co-founder of Nike, who has been heavily supporting a NIL fund for helping out the Ducks. This acted as a player magnet that helped Lanning land the top recruits. To quote Smart, “I wish I could get some of that NIL money that [Knight is] sharing with Dan Lanning.”

Later on, the ball was in Lanning’s court to respond. The now Oregon HC worked under Smart between 2019 and 2021. But that didn’t stop him from landing an attack. Lanning admitted with a grin, “I think it’s impressive that guys like Kirby have been signing the number one class in the nation without any NIL money this entire time. If you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you better have great support. We have that.” Fans were all in on Lanning’s vibe.

Fans’ enthusiastic approval of Lanning safeguarding Ducks’ honor

The fans’ reactions were all a mix of admiration and humor. Moreover, the way Lanning guarded the program was enough to instill enthusiasm in a fan as he wrote, “It is impressive !” It’s hard for him to believe that in Smart’s squad, NIL reserve runs dry. The praise didn’t stop there as another fan chimed in with “Solid win. Roast him Dan,” which highlighted Lanning’s clever take defeating Georgia without actually going for a gridiron contest. 

To a fan now that Lanning roasted Smart, the action is no less than frying, “Dan FRIED lmfaooo.” Smart’s quote was no less than buffoonery which in turn boosted Lanning’s public persona as a fan wrote, “Absolutely bodied that clown. Lanning becomes a bigger legend every time he speaks.” Another fan’s comment oozed with pride as he exclaimed, “That’s my coach!” highlighting Lanning’s talent to safeguard his program’s honor. 

Another comment came off as a threat to Smart, “Open fire cooking isn’t for everyone,” that demeaning Oregon and HC Lanning is not everyone’s cup of tea. Meanwhile, all that Coach Lanning focuses on is adopting their new mantra, Mighty Different inspired by Nike’s innovative spirit. 

What do you think of the story? Let us know in the comments below.