Boy, I know I am trying to mentally catch-up, and adjust to the new approach to roster management . The strategies and the overall philosophy has changed dramatically in the past three years with the emergence of the transfer portal and NIL. Below is from a post by HDuck in another thread that illustrates my point:

"Why is Ohio State losing so much? Keeping depth players sidelined for multiple years doesn’t work anymore when they can get money and playing time elsewhere. But Ohio State’s commitment to developing high school players, which has been the Buckeyes’ philosophy for years, is being overhauled right now."

"Losing 29 players to the transfer portal is never good. That’s the equivalent of losing an entire recruiting class."

In the last two years...I have written FishDuck.com articles warning Oregon fans to savor this year, because next year is a major rebuilding year. Yet, by the time Dan Lanning was done in the portal--we ended up with a great teams that finished in the top ten--again.

I look at how so many great young defensive linemen have left in the last two days, and I feel a twinge of, "Dan is sacrificing the future years, to make 2026 a great one with the Defensive Line starters returning." And boy...those starters must be getting some tasty NIL numbers thrown at them to remain, but it worked.

No, Charles. Roster management is now looking at next year only. Why? Because if you are Oregon, you can massively rebuild each year, just as the other elite teams are. The new philosophy is, "Forget Next Year and Beyond," and assemble a great team for this year, and worry about next year--next year.

That's spot on, Charles. It's a totally different game nowadays. But it can't sustainable, can it?

It's got to be much tougher for these players too (formerly student athletes), not knowing where you are going to end up year after year. But then again, the big carrot is definitely there. It's really a wild wild west where only the fittest survive and advance!

Although the one exception to "assemble a great team for this year and worry about next year, next year" seems to be at the QB position. There the approach seems to be, "recruit/pay the next starting QB this year with the understanding that he will get his opportunity NEXT year."

Dan Lanning has always "over recruited" areas of need. Remember when he recruited 11 edge rushers after his first year... KNOWING they would not all stay. He just knew that he needed QUALITY at the position NOW and was willing to recruit 11 to hopefully find 3 or 4. Everyone else would transfer out.

It does not bother me at all that guys in the 2 deep are transferring out because we are keeping all the starters along the D-line. If those guys would have moved on, the #2s would be the starters (with maybe a portal or 2) and the redshirt sophomores and and juniors (next year) would make up the new #2's.

The difference with the D-line staying is that we will have NFL ready starters and the #2s that we would have next year anyway.

We can only develop guys as much as they themselves put into it. After 3 years (redshirt, frosh, sophomore), they will either be well prepared to step into at least the 2 deep, or they will be well prepared to transfer and add value to the team they transfer to.

I think that's a win-win for everyone.

There is no limit to the HS kids you can sign... and no limit to the portal either. There is only a limit on the roster size. We can lose 30+ students a year, if needed.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Jon Sousa

When such a large percentage of D1 players hit the portal, having less than 50% leave because of expired eligibility, NFL aspirations, or portal out, is pretty good. Then it becomes a personnel juggling act.

It really requires a solid player management coordinator to feed information to our coaching staff. My understanding is that our last one went to Kentucky with Stein.

16 hours ago, DuckFan93 said:

But it can't sustainable, can it?

I think, as always, it can be for the "haves".

It is the ever-evolving world of college football . . . adapt or become a beaver.

Slowly the "haves" are increasing. Texas Tech and Indy have now joined the club. Who's next?

The more in the club, the more chaos and that in itself is entertaining both on and off the field.

Of course, personally I love a good train wreck.

Which Oregon Duck players will be going to the NFL in 2026?

Players are making decisions about what to do with their futures.

For many, this means deciding between an early declaration for the 2026 NFL draft or a return to school for one more year.

The Ducks have a number of players trying to make that decision this year, with several guys possessing Day 1 or Day 2 draft grades, should they choose to jump to the pros. So far, we've already seen a couple of guys announce their intentions to return for another year, while more are bound to make their decisions in the near future.

So far, no players with remaining eligibility for the 2026 season have announced that they will forego their final year with the Ducks in order to enter the 2026 NFL draft.

Here's a look at what we know so far, and who we are still waiting to hear from over the next few weeks.

https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/football/2025/12/24/oregon-football-nfl-declaration-tracker-2026/87903938007/

Oregon Football Roster Tracker: Tracking the Ducks’ 105-Man Limit Entering the 2026 Season

A complete breakdown of Oregon football’s roster as the Ducks head into the offseason, tracking the 105-man limit, position-

by-position numbers, and where depth is strong or still needed for the 2026 season.

Fundamentals for me to mentally deal with portal world 2026:

• 25% roster churn is normal

• Don’t get attached to any HS recruit not good enough to start from day 1

• I don’t even learn most HS kids names until fall training camp

• Our players that leave typically leave because they will never start, and by never, I mean next season

• My memory of Bo Nix being announced was fans mostly being perplexed and skeptical - I trust this staff with recruiting

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by JabbaNoBargain

GET THIS GUY!

These 5 schools are instant top contenders for Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton

Jamari Johnson Announces Return to Oregon, Giving Ducks a Star Tight End for 2026

Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson announced Tuesday that he will return for the 2026 season after a breakout 2025 campaign, solidifying the Ducks’ tight end room and bringing back one of their most productive offensive weapons.