FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted 10 hours ago Oregon is getting beat on the recruiting trail pretty badly this off-season. It’s been ages since the program has had a major win. It appears that Dan Lanning and Oregon’s main NIL cooperative, Division Street, may be changing their strategy, with a greater focus on spending NIL dollars in the transfer portal rather than on high school recruits. Mr. FishDuck ... Is Oregon’s NIL and Recruiting Ahead of Everyone? | FishDuck FISHDUCK.COM Oregon is getting beat on the recruiting trail pretty badly this off-season. It’s been ages since the program has had a major win. It appears that... 1 2 1 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smith72 Moderator No. 2 Share Posted 6 hours ago I think you hit the proverbial NAIL on the head! Why spend millions on unproven talent? The transfer portal has given athletes the chance to be truly rewarded for their skills, and the freedom to go where that is possible. Thank you David for today's article! It is "right on". 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 3 Share Posted 4 hours ago Here is some good use Oregon football QB Dante Moore makes $10,000 donation to former high school with NIL funds DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore reportedly made a large donation to his former high school in Detroit. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 4 Share Posted 4 hours ago Thank you, David, for a terrific, balanced look at today's world of recruiting. As Ohio State evidenced last season, it's also important to have money on hand to keep quality players on board for one more season. NIL is influencing decisions on whether to leave early for the NFL. Meanwhile, the Spendthrift Portal King did not take 'sure roster thing' Mississippi to the playoffs—Ditto for Norvell at FSU, whose incoming portal class was lauded at the start of the season. And then there are the spend like there's no tomorrow MIA Hurricanes. Cam could not do what NIL-trailblazer $cam did at Auburn. (SIGH) Thanks again. Let's see where things stand after signing days for recruits and the portal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 5 Share Posted 3 hours ago Couple other things of note... I wrote this article a couple weeks ago so things have changed slightly or just proven my point the more. Brandon Arrington jr (a highly sought after CB in the 2026 cycle) is considered a TAMU lean because their offer on the table is so much larger than what Oregon is willing to pay. Some school's NIL program is still using blunt force (aka just outbid everyone) to recruit. Oregon hasn't and isn't playing that game. But as we saw with Dante Moore ... That doesn't mean we can't catch some of these players on the rebound. What if they don't have the season they dreamed of at their chosen school? They might be coming to Oregon after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 6 Share Posted 3 hours ago On 6/19/2025 at 7:47 AM, Jon Joseph said: Meanwhile, the Spendthrift Portal King did not take 'sure roster thing' Mississippi to the playoffs—Ditto for Norvell at FSU, whose incoming portal class was lauded at the start of the season. Yes... He who shall not be named does use the portal in a way that differs greatly from Oregon. The portal in bulk approach that Kiffin at Ole Miss kinda uses as well. I would say the portal bulk approach is there because they are searching for overlooked diamonds in the portal. There are some absolutely... Benson was fantastic at FSU but didn't emerge at Oregon. But Lanning has something that few teams do... The ability to pick the top talent from the portal and land them consistently. Often taking the BEST players from other teams and treating them like feeder schools. We don't know how all this NIL stuff is going to playout in the near future as the House Settlement is still proceeding. But what's clear is that Oregon isn't going to overspend on high school recruits when they can dominate the portal. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 7 Share Posted 2 hours ago TAMU & Jimbo should have been a flashing stop sign, but USC and Riley are blasting through it. NIL and the portal have made roster stability archaic, but USC in the midst of a drought thinks making a big splash is a sound strategy. Meanwhile, Oregon, the flashy brand, is playing it cool. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 8 Share Posted 49 minutes ago On 6/19/2025 at 9:49 AM, 30Duck said: NIL and the portal have made roster stability archaic, Only to those who don't understand how to maintain a stable roster. Oregon rarely loses any players to the portal they want. The NIL money is going to the roster and to the players who stay and produce. Much of the Oregon model seems to be come to Oregon and you'll get a fair deal. You'll develop and if you're good enough you'll get paid more and be ready for the NFL. Not a great pitch for those who want to be paid NOW. Which is what USC and others are using. However, USC did lose by far their best offensive lineman to the portal (to Oregon). So they obviously aren't doing a good job maintaining their roster. They lost other prices of their production as well. One thing has remained true even in the portal and NIL era. The rosters with the oldest players who have developed in the program the longest are still the ones winning the national titles. Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Georgia are the last four... All had senior heavy rosters who were in the program for a long time. Sure there were some important transfers but they supplemented the team and were often veterans themselves. USC can bring in all the No. 1 classes they want but they won't win anything if they can't develop and hold onto them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 9 Share Posted 15 minutes ago I love the article, David, and the research and quotes to support your points. I agree with this strategy, (especially at QB) but I also acknowledge that, 1) this is probably a short-term strategy until the underclassmen develop more, and 2) while it is an innovative strategy, it is an unproven one. But my bets are on the rest of the elite teams copying this strategy within the next few years. (Then Oregon will shift again?) Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Waddler Moderator No. 10 Share Posted just now Great article David. A less visible reaction to the difference between the Oregon way and that of TAMU or USC is that by bringing in proven players who are being paid for their recognized worth, Oregon creates less chance of position room friction than the potentially hidden resentment veterans may feel towards newly minted high school millionaires. That may have played a part in Pregnon’s decision to transfer. Recognized worth is valued by veterans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
