I know this is par for the course in our new Transfer Portal / NIL world, but I still don't have to like it.

It's like two people getting engaged and one of them saying, "I'm committed to you, but I'm going to check out 'Name', 'Name', and 'Name' over the next few weekends to see if they have anything to offer that might change my mind . . . But still, so excited. Love ya!!"

Unfortunately, it makes recruiting not worth following. I'll tune in at the end of signing day to see what happened, but don't bother me in the meantime.

Oregon Ducks On SI

Oregon Ducks in Danger of Losing Five-Star Recruit to LSU...

The Oregon Ducks are playing like arguably the best team in the country through the first three weeks of the college football season, as the program appears pri

A commitment means absolutely nothing in recruiting. Sure it might increase your odds but I don’t get excited about a recruit until Oregon receives their signed LOI, and even then we’ve seen kids back out or transfer to another school.

Verbal commitment = a verbal contract that gives leverage to negotiate higher NIL money with other suitors. While money isn’t everything, it certainly looks good in the savings account.

Remember, these are teenagers making their first big life decision for recruiting. Then for the Transfer Portal, there are many reasons to change teams. Should somebody stay at a job that isn't the right fit for them?

Don't get me wrong, there are probably many players just frustrated they expected something different. Some are willing to struggle, most want the "easy" path.

You'll need to board the Soul Train to ask these folks the C(ommitment) Question -

Zsa Zsa Gabor - 9 marraiges. 🤪

Only eight for - Liz Taylor, Lana Turner, and Mickey Rooney.

Rooney's bank account got shorter after every divorce. 🤑

1 hour ago, Tandaian said:

Remember, these are teenagers making their first big life decision for recruiting. Then for the Transfer Portal, there are many reasons to change teams. Should somebody stay at a job that isn't the right fit for them?

Don't get me wrong, there are probably many players just frustrated they expected something different. Some are willing to struggle, most want the "easy" path.

I understand the transfer portal side a little more.

For example, it would make complete sense to me if Austin Novosad decided he'd been loyal long enough to the Ducks and decided he actually wanted to play QB, and entered the portal.

What I have trouble with are high schoolers that haven't even practiced/suited up for the job that, after committing to a school, say they're going to keep checking other places. I have no problem with the fact they're high schoolers making the first major decision in their life, but finish the decision making process before committing.

If I'm not mistaken, both of the recruits on "flip watch" (Tank and Iheanacho) took valuable air time on The Pat McAfee Show to tell the world where they committed . . . to then immediately go on other school visits.

My recommendation is get all those other visits out of the way first, then commit.

22 minutes ago, WTD25 said:

then commit

The underbelly is the fact that a school may hint after you commit that maybe you'd be better off somewhere else when they recruit over you. This is a side that we do not hear about.

Then again, maybe it is mutual . . .

I swore I would love you to the end of time!
So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
But God only knows what I can do right now
I'm praying for the end of time, it's all that I can do
Praying for the end of time so I can end my time with you!

57 minutes ago, Steven A said:

The underbelly is the fact that a school may hint after you commit that maybe you'd be better off somewhere else when they recruit over you. This is a side that we do not hear about.

There's method to the decommitment game. Find out what you're worth at Program O, a program with sound NIL management, and then put yourself out for bid.

How many flips are up to the recruit compared to his parents and agent? Probably not that many.

You could pay a recruit a signing bonus and have him sign a contract, but a program, Miami, for instance, will ignore the deal until the agreement passes muster in court.

To date, the key OBD stat for me is that OBD has not lost a starter to the transfer portal. I trust Dan and company to fill holes from the portal. You're more likely to pay the correct salary to a guy who has played college ball and whose play at the college level is not a complete guess.

Folks market their skills all the time. This is how Head Hunters, a/k/a business recruiting concerns, make their money. And Head Hunters have been known to tamper with a company's roster on occassion. 😁

Without an agreement with a players union there will be no surcease of players trying to earn all they can as soon as they can; especially, when you can put yourself up for auction season after season. Imagine what the NFL would look and what players would be paid without fines for exceeding a salary cap, and with no restraint on free agency and tampering. In other words, today's CFB.

Before December's signing day, I simply ignore recruiting and the falaciously referred to 'commitments.'

Commitment regarding recruiting has become a leverage tool. Many players are just looking for the largest "paycheck", believing their raw talent will carry them on through to the pros. Many are looking to get paid, but value development beyond what their talent alone allows. Many want to "be" somewhere that they feel they "belong". Many want the "high profile" program to get the most media (traditional and social) attention. Then, many know and Are committed to a program, but why give up all that free "swag" and "courting" by other programs if they "truly" believed you where committed.

Being "committed" says to any program that, I believe I have found the place that best meets my needs, whatever those personally are to the individual recruit. Challenging other interested parties to prove them wrong.

I believe Lanning and Co. know this. I believe Division St. knows this. I believe most recruits (and their advisors) know this.

So like many have already posted. Following recruiting is fun and all. But absolutely no one or nothing to get "excited" about until pen hits paper...and then sometimes not even then...transfer portal and all.

Remind me? Didn't we have a 5* recruit who wAs "committed" until days before signing day where he went...elsewhere. BUT, now back where he originally "committed" to and BTW is going to tear up "Happy Valley" in a couple days???

😉

GO DUCKS!

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Before December's signing day, I simply ignore recruiting

Words to live by.

4 hours ago, Jon Joseph said:

Zsa Zsa Gabor - 9 marriages. 🤪

Oh now...she explained that she was, "just a housekeeper."

"I marry them, divorce them, and keep the house!"

I have read in a couple places, the going rate to get a five star to visit is $10,000 (if the staff wants an in-person opportunity to steal them). I believe individual recruit's official visits are now unlimited as long as they remain one each per school.

If a recruit visits and commits to a place (like Oregon) and shuts it down, he is most likely leaving some large bags on the table. Plus skipping out on several all-expenses paid lavish weekends (and the chance to see some games). 🤷‍♂️

It's good to be a five-star.

Edited 9 hours ago9 hr by AnotherOD

I don’t usually mess with people's Cornflakes…if someone still wants to follow recruiting super closely and they enjoy it, go for it.

That being said, since this is a thread on the topic, for me personally I used to rabidly follow recruiting, but stopped as soon as the portal became a force. I still follow the macro and want us to do well, as it perpetuates perceived success which translates to success on the field eventually. But I personally refuse to be held hostage by the whims of a 17 year old trying to leverage himself. I’m all for kids getting what they can, but really don’t care about the negotiation process.

Don’t get me wrong, the staff needs to be following this very closely, and they do an amazing job.

As a fan, tell me who’s made it to fall camp and I’ll start drilling down more at the individual level.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by JabbaNoBargain

18 hours ago, MicroBurst61 said:

but why give up all that free "swag" and "courting" by other programs if they "truly" believed you where committed.

Because no swag or colors are better than the green, yellow, black, white, cookies and cream, orange, silver, etc. of THE Oregon Ducks :)

19 minutes ago, JabbaNoBargain said:

if someone still wants to follow recruiting super closely and they enjoy it, go for it.

I used to follow all the twists and turns in the recruiting process, but now I like to see who has verballed to us, who offered them, etc. Then the occasional news from there, and when it looks exceptional solid, (such as not taking trips) then I might look at film on a few. While I have not cut it down to the level you have--my attention to recruiting is probably down 70% from years ago.

When they verbal...I will report and read up on them. While players do flip, the vast majority....don't. And for those we lose, Lanning and staff flip others our way.