In a testament to his profound influence on the Oregon football program, Coach Dan Lanning is set to showcase a deeply personal initiative. When the Oregon Ducks take the field against Michigan State on October 4th, it will mark the debut of the program’s fifth iteration of a special uniform dedicated to supporting cancer awareness and research. This year’s “Heroes” uniform, a collaborative creation with Lanning’s family, serves as a powerful symbol of hope and resilience.
This unique University of Oregon football uniform is particularly meaningful as it is deeply inspired by the Lanning family’s personal journey. Lanning’s wife, Sauphia, a bone cancer survivor who completed her treatment in 2017, played a pivotal role in designing the uniform. According to Quinn Van Horne, senior designer for Van Horne Brands, the company that brought the Lanning’s vision to life, the “Heroes” uniform is “her love letter to her heroes.” He further explained, “This is her thanking the people who truly helped save her life.”
The “Heroes” uniform is rich with details suggested by Dan and Sauphia Lanning, along with their three sons. The primary color, yellow, pays homage to Sauphia’s battle with osteosarcoma. However, the helmet, cleats, gloves, and sleeve patches incorporate a vibrant multi-color panel, representing solidarity with individuals affected by all types of cancer.
The helmet design features the iconic Oregon “O” logo intertwined with a yellow ribbon, a concept personally sketched by Sauphia. This emblem is prominently displayed on both the back of the helmet and a sleeve patch, an inclusion championed by the Lannings’ middle son, Kniles.
Their eldest son, Caden, contributed the idea of an ice cream cone, which will be featured on merchandise sold to raise funds for cancer research. This emblem is a nod to the special treat the Lannings shared to uplift spirits after Sauphia’s treatment sessions. Youngest son Titan suggested the multi-color panel’s inclusion on the cleats. Coach Dan Lanning himself brought the molecular structure of the “red devil” chemotherapy treatment to the design. This powerful symbol is subtly integrated as a background image on the gloves and sleeves worn by players and will also appear on select retail items related to this special University of Oregon football uniform.
“I’m really glad the boys and Dan got to be a part of it all,” Sauphia expressed. “They were definitely my driving force in getting better and healing. I’m just so glad they were able to put their touch on it.”
The genesis of this “Stomp Out Cancer” uniform initiative began shortly after Lanning’s arrival in 2022. UO athletic director Rob Mullens proposed creating a uniform that would share Sauphia’s impactful story of overcoming osteosarcoma.
During Oregon’s Holiday Bowl trip that year, Sauphia sketched the “O” logo with a ribbon. Around the same time, Dan encountered a fan with a tattoo of the “red devil” molecular structure, which sparked the idea to incorporate it into the “Heroes” uniform. The following spring, Todd Van Horne, chief creator of Van Horne Brands, his son Quinn, and the Lannings convened for a design meeting.
During this meeting, the Lanning sons were given art supplies to sketch their ideas, resulting in many of the personal touches that now define this University of Oregon football uniform.
“This is beyond what I would have envisioned for this whole series,” Sauphia shared earlier in the year during a meeting where the Van Hornes presented the synthesized design concepts to the family. “We’re just really honored and grateful for you guys, and we’re looking forward to it — I can’t wait to see it all really come to life, and everyone really represented.”
Sauphia’s original sketch of the “O” with a ribbon also included the phrase “Take Flight + Fight.” Her deliberate use of a plus sign, instead of “and,” was to mirror the sign of the cross, an internationally recognized symbol for healthcare providers. One sleeve of the uniform features a “Flight + Fight” patch, while the opposite sleeve displays a “Stomp Out Cancer” patch beneath the image of a bell, which cancer survivors traditionally ring to celebrate the completion of their treatment.
Todd Van Horne explained, “That represents triumph for her.”
Additional design elements of this University of Oregon football uniform jersey include wings and diamond plating on the shoulders. Quinn Van Horne clarified, “with the diamond plating representing that gritty, tough fight, and then the wings on top representing flight.”
Much of the “Heroes” uniform imagery will be available on merchandise for public purchase. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the University of Oregon’s Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact, further emphasizing Sauphia Lanning’s desire to support the “heroes” involved in the fight against cancer.
“The medical staff was a big role in helping us get where we are,” she acknowledged. “They were there the entire time, and so I do see them as heroes and I’m so glad (the designers) honored that and put that in there. I think that’s incredible.”
