Dan Lanning walked up to his post-practice availability on Saturday and opened by saying, “It’s fun to hear the pads pop.”

That’s probably especially true considering the drama that surrounded Lanning’s football program — and the rest of the Pac-12 — until Friday. Conference realignment and media rights negotiations have dominated headlines across college sports for months.

Even after fall camp began for teams around the country, the conversation remained centered around the non-football aspects of major college football. With Oregon’s future now secured — the Ducks will head to the Big Ten alongside Washington, USC, and UCLA in 2024 — the attention can start to shift back to the upcoming 2023 football season.

Of course, Lanning was still asked to give his thoughts on Oregon’s soon-to-be new conference.

“First off, our players are really excited about that,” Lanning said. “I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us. When we talk about what we’re looking for at this university, and the way that we recruit on a national level over multiple time zones, and playing against the best of the best, that’s something that our guys are really really excited about.”

“Obviously, it’s not really our focus right now. We’ve got an entire season to play. This is about the 2023 season. That’s what we want to attack. But, I think that creates a unique student-athlete experience for our guys moving forward. It certainly sets us up. I really appreciate (athletic director) Rob (Mullens), the administration, and all the people at the top that did a great job of looking out for the future of Oregon, and I think that really protects us.”

Lanning said he always had confidence that university leadership would make the best decision for Oregon.

Stability from the Big Ten was a major talking point from UW’s leadership on Saturday when they met with reporters. The lack of it in the Pac-12 clearly irked Washington’s president. Now, everyone involved can move forward with some finality. For Oregon, the future appears to be secure.

And that’s a win for Lanning.

“We have really clear direction right now,” he said. “It’s really clear where we’re gonna be in the future and how we’re set up for long term.”

In talking about his recent contract extension, Lanning said he feels he has everything he needs to compete at the highest level of college football in Eugene. He talked about making a commitment to the university that has made a commitment to him.

Oregon leadership certainly repaid Lanning’s faith. The move to the Big Ten is expected to eventually provide a massive financial windfall for the athletic department.

And for a school with world-class facilities and cutting-edge football equipment, continuing to have the resources to compete with the rest of the sport’s elite was crucial for the Ducks.

“We are a team that is a national brand,” Lanning said. “We should be seen across the nation.”