After the drama and fireworks of Dan Lanning’s first signing day as an Oregon Duck in 2022, I don’t think many fans expected the start of the 2023 early signing window to be quite as eventful. But, Dan Lanning and Co. had other plans, and they turned in the highest-rated recruiting class in Oregon Ducks history, with more commitments potentially still to come.
After the success of Wednesday morning, Lanning spoke to the media in the afternoon to talk about signing day and the new additions. Lanning was asked how much elite skill players like Troy Franklin, Tez Johnson, and Terrance Ferguson impact Oregon’s ability to recruit new talent out of high school.
“Yeah, huge. I mean, I think early on when you come to a program, you tell people what you hope to do. Right?” Lanning said. “And after you’re able to have a couple of seasons, you can point to what you have done.
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“Guys like Troy, and Tez, and Bo and what we’ve done on offense the last two years, and what we’ve done on defense, I think all those things attribute to being able to point to success and what it will look like for people here in the future.”
With Lanning headed into his third season, he now has spent enough time in Eugene to point to his results with the Ducks, instead of just his goals. Sometimes, those results are the performance of certain players, such as Franklin, Johnson, and Ferguson, all of whom have blossomed under Lanning’s coaching.
And if recruits can see themselves becoming the next Troy Franklin or Terrance Ferguson at Oregon, Lanning’s job becomes easier.
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The Ducks certainly had success recruiting skill positions in this recruiting cycle. Tight end Roger Saleapaga and wide receiver Dillon Gresham signed their letters of intent on Wednesday as they were expected to, but Oregon also flipped two major 2024 WRs: Jeremiah McClellan and Ryan Pellum. Originally, WR seemed to be a weakness of this class, but it has become a strength
As is always true with recruiting victories, getting the player is only half the battle. The key is developing those blue-chip players into cornerstones of the program, otherwise, you see former 5-stars jumping in the portal after two seasons and minimal snaps. Dan Lanning has shown that he is an elite developer, by bringing players like Bucky Irving and Johnson to the national stage, so hopefully, he’ll have the same success with this new crop of talent.
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