Ducks Just Took A Couple Big Recruiting Blows

[Babyjesus615]

These are gonna sting for a bit, especially with how well the relationships seemed to be progressing.

 

5-star OT Kodi Greene flips commitment from Oregon Ducks

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

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The Oregon Ducks took a big hit on Thursday with the announced commitment flip from 5-star OT Kodi Greene.

 

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/24/2025 at 1:24 PM, Babyjesus615 said:

These ones are gonna sting for a bit, especially with how well the relationships seemed to be progressing.

 

5-star OT Kodi Greene flips commitment from Oregon Ducks

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

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The Oregon Ducks took a big hit on Thursday with the announced commitment flip from 5-star OT Kodi Greene.

 

 

Kodi, stand up, turn your back to a full-length mirror, look over your shoulder to see the part of your anatomy that will be kicked over the next few years by a Duck, then DUCK!

[David Marsh]

Still early in the cycle. Never underestimate Dan. 

 

I'm going to keep that faith. Remember when it comes to NIL the Ducks don't get into bidding wars until the end of the cycle. 

[JB89]

I enjoy the recruiting updates provided by all of you but I refuse to get too excited or disappointed this time of year. While it is preferred to keep verbal commitments we know that with Coach Lanning any great player leaving will be replaced with another great player. 

[Just Ducky]

This is the main reason for developing 4 star talent into five stars. Some five stars Don’t even pan out to be three star talent. This will all buff out this winter. In Lanning we trust.

 

However;  this is not a good look if you want the QB you’re after. Just saying.

[Charles Fischer]

On 4/24/2025 at 1:21 PM, David Marsh said:

Still early in the cycle. Never underestimate Dan. 

Agreed. While we don't like these hits....Dan will get it done.  When you consider what he had to do when he got here--he has proved he can get it done in the portal if need be.  Not ideal, but this year's offensive line is going to be very good, and four out of five starters are portal transfers.

 

It is a long ways until December, and once the football season begins...

 

[Nevada Dawg]

No other way to say it guys, but recruiting can be brutal. Aside from the news on Cantwell and Greene, backchannel buzz in Athens is that Jared Curtis will sign with Georgia as well. I know Curtis's mom prefers that he go to Georgia, but that may have changed and become less relevant after the OV to Oregon. At this point, how much of all this is supposition is hard to determine.

 

Not that his is directly relevant to the Ducks, but many knowledgeable Dawg fans are secretly hoping that Curtis ends up in Eugene. Their backup QB choice is a big mobile Texas gunslinger whom they believe to be better suited to Georgia's existing offensive philosophy. Their biggest qualm with Curtis, who has the slightly better am, is that Jared played in a mediocre at best private school league and may take a good long while to command the Georgia offense and become the Man. The other guy, by contrast is battle tested in the big leagues of Texas high school football competing against many D1 prospects. 

 

Who knows how this all turns out months down the road. One thing is certain though: Neither the Dawgs nor he Ducks will be talent poor as the recruiting dust settles and we tee up the pigskin to (finally) play again come August.

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/25/2025 at 1:35 AM, Nevada Dawg said:

No other way to say it guys, but recruiting can be brutal. Aside from the news on Cantwell and Greene, backchannel buzz in Athens is that Jared Curtis will sign with Georgia as well. I know Curtis's mom prefers that he go to Georgia, but that may have changed and become less relevant after the OV to Oregon. At this point, how much of all this is supposition is hard to determine.

 

Not that his is directly relevant to the Ducks, but many knowledgeable Dawg fans are secretly hoping that Curtis ends up in Eugene. Their backup QB choice is a big mobile Texas gunslinger whom they believe to be better suited to Georgia's existing offensive philosophy. Their biggest qualm with Curtis, who has the slightly better am, is that Jared played in a mediocre at best private school league and may take a good long while to command the Georgia offense and become the Man. The other guy, by contrast is battle tested in the big leagues of Texas high school football competing against many D1 prospects. 

 

Who knows how this all turns out months down the road. One thing is certain though: Neither the Dawgs nor he Ducks will be talent poor as the recruiting dust settles and we tee up the pigskin to (finally) play again come August.

ND, thanks for the great post. 

 

Jared Curtis and his Mom live in Nashville, TN, 307 miles from Athens, Georgia—a 5-hour, 46-minute drive.

 

The distance from Nashville to Eugene is 2367 miles. A 35-hour, 21-minute drive.

 

A reminder of what Oregon and Dan Lanning are up against when it comes to recruiting. California is a recruiting happy hunting ground, but as the draft proceeds, players from Dixie who played ball in Dixie in the SEC will be the most-drafted, again. 

 

And when the 2026 recruiting classes are finalized, the SEC will again be in the lead, by a lot. 

 

In 2024, 16 college football teams had a Blue Chip Roster, eight SEC teams, and five B1G teams. At the top, the two conferences are comparable. But from there and again, as will be evidenced by the 2025 draft, the SEC is the deepest football conference.

 

Considering what Dan is up against, including the SEC, via ESPN, having far more college football coverage than the B1G, that he can be competitive in recruiting against Kirby Smart and other SEC programs is impressive. 

 

As I have noted before, the demise of the SEC has been greatly exaggerated. In a wired-world, recency bias holds sway. 

 

See you in December, when the word 'commitment' corresponds to its definition.

 

WE WANT GEORGIA! (I think?)

[Washington Waddler]

     As Scott Reed points out, Dan’s recruiting strategy for this cycle has been to pass on the singles, and swing for the fence. When your quantity is low because you’ve limited your prospects to a select few, the transfers, decommits, and recruiting whiffs are going to hurt a bit more.

 

     As others have pointed out, this cycle is a work in progress, and Dan’s record would indicate there’s a lot left in his bat.

[Nevada Dawg]

On 4/25/2025 at 11:47 AM, Washington Waddler said:

     As Scott Reed points out, Dan’s recruiting strategy for this cycle has been to pass on the singles, and swing for the fence. When your quantity is low because you’ve limited your prospects to a select few, the transfers, decommits, and recruiting whiffs are going to hurt a bit more.

 

     As others have pointed out, this cycle is a work in progress, and Dan’s record would indicate there’s a lot left in his bat.

Well if you hope to knock it otta the park, you better be swinging for the fences. I heartily approve. Go Ducks!!

[Mike West]

Here's the thing: as much as it hurts that the Fuskies and USuC are nabbing some of our recruits, WE NEED BOTH TO RISE TO THE TOP OF THE B1G.

 

I've said this before.  I've done some research this week and quite frankly, last year's TV numbers scream the necessity for all of the name brands in the Big to  elevate their game. 

 

The SEC and ESPN killed it ratings wise, and the ACC actually nipped the heels of the B1G with FSU way down.  I believe ESPN raped the ACC, and their presence in the P4 gives them major leverage.  Fox and NBC have more than coverage of the B1G, so osu2, Michigan and Penn State cannot rely on OBD alone(and we don't have THAT much brand power to fill what is a very big gap in ratings behind the SEC).

 

In Dan I trust, and I think he's a better coach than Fisch and Riley (already better than Riley on offense).   The ACC may catch the B1G in ratings when FSU revives itself since Notre Dame is about to bolster that conference (on TV).  

 

I have some theories about what may happen to the whole landscape given the numbers I've seen, which I'll share once the playoffs format is set for this year (close to the beginning of the season).  

 

TV ratings for the B1G were disappointing in my eyes.  It needs to be fixed. 

 

That said, I believe DL will fill out the 26' class, and he sure can recruit experience to Eugene.  I expect a healthy playoff run this year.  I believe that will really help recruiting later this season..

[MarinDuck]

In reviewing the first three rounds of the NFL draft, not a single player from Fuskies. One third round pick from USC. I think this is important to recruits and their decision process. Can’t wait to see what today brings (additional drafts AND spring football)—I have no doubt it will have an impact on quality recruits for the Ducks. Keep the faith. Go Ducks!

[Jon Joseph]

 

Mike West, a not-surprising Spot On comment. Compared to Fox, the ESPN college football marketing machine is like NIKE versus PF Flyers. 

 

The B1G Noon game is a B1G mistake. Fox buried B1G headliner Ohio State with SEVEN Big Noon kickoffs. Ohio State at Penn State is a White Out and not a Noon game, and 3 million more people would have tuned in.

 

ESPN is much savvier at putting the top SEC games of the week in prime time.  After purloining SC and UCLA and breaking up the Pac-12, Fox rarely broadcast the two LA schools' games. 

 

Many prime-time games, like Ohio State at OBD, were broadcast on NBC, a network that promotes Notre Dame and treats the B1G like an afterthought. Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt versus Chris Fowler and Herbie is not a fair fight. Ditto, for the NBC talking heads. Nessler and Danielson are OK, but IMO they didn't come with the same enthusiasm in 2024 as they did when CBS had the SEC 3:30 game.

 

The B1G Network, the majority owned by Fox, does what it can, but ESPN and its affiliates, ESPN 2, ESPN U, etc., have far more subscribers for a daily in-season college football show that is on Tuesday through Friday and dwarfs the B1G Today viewer numbers. Just as College GameDay on Saturday dwarfs the Fox Big Noon pregame show.

 

Fox threw millions of dollars at Rece Davis to have him move over. ESPN responded in kind. Winner: Rece!

 

Tony Petitti is very much aware of the B1G being behind the SEC in viewership. Whether he can do anything about it before 2031 when a new media deal begins, I don't know. 

 

The B1G took the Fox and friends' dough and has to live with it. But why Fox would  what it did for the B1G media rights and shout itself in the foot?