On December 11, 2021, Dan Lanning was appointed head football coach at University of Oregon. One year later, he received a large, elaborate tattoo which reflected his journey and the life he has lived.
Lanning, 36, was married to Sauphia in 2009. He got his tattoo from her, measuring just below his armpit and just above his waist on the left side.
Also on Sauphia’s neck is a yellow ribbon. It is the only colour on the whole tattoo and carries most weight.
A yellow ribbon signifies bone cancer. Sauphia was first diagnosed with Osteosarcoma back in 2016. She has been cancer-free since May 2017.
The rest of Dan Lanning’s tattoo represents his coaching career.
- — 2008-2010: Park Hill South High School in Kansas City, Missouri. (Area code: 816.)
- Special Teams, Defensive Backs, Wide Receivers
- — 2011: University of Pittsburgh
- — 2012-2013: Arizona State University
- Graduate Assistant, Recruiting Co-ordinator
- — 2014: Sam Houston State
- Defensive backs, co-Recruiting Coordinator
- — 2015: University of Alabama
- — 2018-2021: University of Georgia (UGA beat Bama 33-18 in the national championship)
- Defensive Coordinator, Linebacker Outside
- — 2022-present: University of Oregon
- ???? — Boomerang?
Lanning was also the Inside Linebackers coach, and Recruiting Coordinator for Memphis for two years. The tattoo does not reflect his time with Tigers. I can’t figure it out.
The unknown seems to be a boomerang. It could be Memphis.
Boomerangs, if not, symbolize that what you send out into this world comes back to you. Maybe it has some symbolic meaning in the Lanning household. I can’t figure it out.
Lanning’s tattoo very profound. His entire life has been spent on his left side.