Tag: Oregon

Dan Lanning shows why Oregon NIL, recruiting success goes beyond money

Dan Lanning showed why he’s a recruiting juggernaut.

If you watched Dan Lanning at Big Ten media days on Thursday, you might have gained a sense of why he is doing such a good job of attracting top players to the University of Oregon football program. Yes, Lanning has a lot to prove as a gameday coach. That’s where he still needs to evolve and grow. As a recruiter and a salesman for his program, however, Lanning is elite, and it’s hard if not impossible to dispute that claim. What he says might carry some value, but the instructive part of watching Dan Lanning at Big Ten media days is that he acted like the big dog, the alpha male, the skullcrusher who insists on excellence and dominance.

Lanning strutted onto the stage. His remarks to assembled Big Ten reporters were marked by the confidence and swagger with which he said them. Lanning wasn’t uncomfortable the way many coaches are in these settings. He loved being there. He projected infectious enthusiasm about everyone and everything in his Oregon program. He radiated positive energy. Who wouldn’t want to play for Dan Lanning? Who wouldn’t want to be around him?

Lanning underscores the point that if Oregon was still coached by Willie Taggart or Mark Helfrich, it would not be recruiting or portaling at such an elite level. Sure, Phil Knight’s money is hugely important, but the head coach has to sell the vision and offer players a compelling set of reasons to come to Eugene and the Pacific Northwest. Dan Lanning showed why he’s a recruiting goliath. It’s not just Daddy Phil’s dollars.

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Tennessee predicted to flip 2025 Oregon tight end commit

Tennessee football is predicted to flip 2025 Oregon tight end commit.

2025 tight end prospect and Oregon commit Da’Saahn Brame is predicted by both Steve Wiltfong and Chad Simmons of On3 to flip his commitment to Tennessee.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound four-star tight end prospect is from Derby High School in Derby, Kansas.

Brame ranks as the No. 112 prospect in the class of 2025. He ranks as the No. 4 tight end and No. 4 player in Kansas, according to 247Sports.

Tennessee offered a scholarship to Brame on March 2, 2023. He committed to Oregon on June 29.

Brame officially visited the Vols on June 14.

Tennessee has 18 commitments in its 2025 recruiting class: Quarterback George MacIntyre, defensive lineman Ethan Utley, tight end Jack Vandorselaer, cornerback Dylan Lewis, running back Justin Baker, wide receiver Joakim Dodson, cornerback Tyler Redmond, safety Sidney Walton, wide receiver Radarious Jackson, offensive lineman Antoni Kade Ogumoro, edge Jayden Loftin, offensive lineman Nic Moore, defensive lineman Charles House, offensive lineman Douglas Utu, cornerback Tre Poteat, edge Mariyon Dye, wide receiver Travis Smith Jr. and linebacker Christian Gass.

Move over Ohio State, USC and Oregon are bringing elite receivers to the Big Ten

USC and Oregon have receivers who can challenge Ohio State’s pass catchers in the Big Ten.

When it comes to wide receiver rooms in the Big Ten, it lately it has been Ohio State setting the gold standard, and then there’s everyone else trying to measure up. In 2024, USC and Oregon enter the league with elite receiving corps of their own.

Although the Ducks lose multi-year starter Troy Franklin, Tez Johnson emerged last year as a star receiver, leading Oregon with 86 catches for 1,182 yards and 10 touchdowns. Joining Johnson, Gary Bryant J.r and Traeshon Holden is one of the hottest names from the 2024 transfer portal class, Evan Stewart. Stewart was a five-star prospect out of Memphis, Tennessee. He starred at Texas A&M for two years, earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors in 2022 and a FWAA Freshman All-America nod.

On the Conquest Call-In Show, we talked about USC’s wide receiver room anchored by talented sophomores Zachariah Branch, Duce Robinson, Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. There’s a lot to like about USC’s receivers, who join Oregon’s receivers in providing a level of quality and depth which can match what Ohio State is doing at the wide receiver position in the Big Ten this year.

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Another day, another USC recruiting loss to Dan Lanning and Oregon

It’s a broken record, and it’s not going to stop this summer.

The hits just keep on coming for USC football recruiting, all while Oregon and Dan Lanning continue to collect more high-end players.

Ducks Wire has more on the latest Oregon recruiting win over USC:

The Oregon Ducks are staying hot on the recruiting trail, landing a commitment now from 4-star interior offensive lineman Alai Kalaniuvalu.

Just earlier on Wednesday morning, we wrote about the Ducks being projected to land Kalaniuvalu, and a few hours later he announced his commitment. Kalaniuvalu is rated by 247Sports as the No. 172 overall player in the 2025 class, and the No. 7 OT in the nation.

Kalaniuvalu is the second offensive tackle to now join the Ducks’ 2025 class, joining 3-star OT Demetri Manning.

With the addition of Kalaniuvalu, the Ducks now move up into the No. 4 spot in terms of the 2025 recruiting class rankings, sitting only behind Ohio State, Alabama, and Georgia.

USC isn’t going to change recruiting realities this summer. The Trojans need a big 2024 season. Then they might be able to flip some recruits and change some minds in December and on into the winter.

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49ers should be watching this offensive playmaker during college football season

A playmaker the #49ers should have their eye on during the college football season.

The 49ers need at offensive tackle will continue to linger into the 2025 draft after it went unaddressed with their 2024 selections. How big that need is will depend on a couple of factors like Trent Williams’ desire to continue playing and Colton McKivitz’s development. Chances are OT will continue to sit atop San Francisco’s list of needs in next year’s draft, but it won’t be the only position they’ll need to address.

Trevor Sikkema at Pro Football Focus identified Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson as an offensive prospect the 49ers should have their eye on during the 2024 college football season.

Ferguson is entering his senior season with the Ducks coming off three productive seasons for them. The 6-6, 255-pound behemoth has hauled in 91 receptions for 946 yards and 13 touchdowns in 41 college games. His production has also gone up in each of his three seasons. The former basketball player could fill a handful of roles in the 49ers’ offense depending on how their roster shakes out next offseason. Via PFF:

Out of fairness to the rest of the NFL, perhaps we shouldn’t give yet another offensive playmaker to the 49ers.

They could look at wide receiver if Brandon Aiyuk is no longer there in 2025, but they did just draft Ricky Pearsall. One player they should keep an eye on is Terrance Ferguson from Oregon, an excellent potential depth piece behind George Kittle.

Ferguson is listed at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds and was a former four-star tight end recruit who also played basketball in high school. He separates well as a receiver (73rd percentile versus single coverage) for a player of his size.

It’s not out of the question that San Francisco could aim for a TE relatively early in next year’s draft. Kittle turns 31 this year and it would behoove the 49ers to start planning for life without him. Even if he’s going to be around for the foreseeable future, however, adding another would still make sense for depth and offensive flexibility.

Even if they do need a tackle we saw this year that they won’t force the pick if they like a playmaker in their draft slot instead.

We’ll keep a close eye on Ferguson this year. He and the Ducks open their schedule at home on Aug. 31 against Idaho.

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Dan Lanning continues to hit home runs while USC hits singles and bloop doubles

Dan Lanning continues to smoke Lincoln Riley … and nearly everyone else … in recruiting.

USC football recruiting might not exactly be terrible. The Trojans could have a top-15 class for 2025. That’s certainly not atrocious. Moreover, USC is taking big swings and is not shying away from high-profile recruitments in the South and other contested regions. However, for all the swings USC takes, the Trojans aren’t hitting it out of the park. That’s what Dan Lanning is doing at Oregon, as the big hits keep coming — in a good way for Oregon, in a bad way for USC.

Ducks Wire has more on the latest Oregon splash:

This is a 4th of July that Oregon Duck fans are going to remember for quite some time. Dan Lanning and his staff kicked off the fireworks show a bit early, landing a commitment from 5-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, one of the biggest prospects on Oregon’s radar this offseason. Moore committed to the Ducks over his home-state Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and LSU Tigers.

Rated as the No. 1 WR in the 2025 class, and the No. 3 player overall in the nation, Moore now joins the Ducks as the third 5-star recruit in this cycle, alongside 5-star WR Dallas Wilson and 5-star CB Dorian Brew.

Oregon is simply crushing it. USC might not be doing poorly on an objective level, but the Ducks make the Trojans look pedestrian in a two-team comparison. It’s a remainder that the Trojans have to step up their NIL game and reduce situations in which top recruits commit but then back off. This can’t keep happening if USC wants to be on Oregon’s level. It increases the pressure on the Trojans to deliver a 10-win 2024 season, which would very likely get them into the College Football Playoff and change the national conversation surrounding them.

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Four-star defender picks Alabama over Ohio State

Four-star defender picks Alabama over Ohio State #GoBucks

Ohio State football has been killing it on the recruiting trail and although they haven’t gotten a commitment from everyone on its wish list, it has been close. The most recent commitment though is a tad more depressing than most and a bit surprising.

Justin Hill is a four-star edge rusher in the Buckeye backyard of Cincinnati, Ohio. The consensus top 65 player in the country was expected by most to choose Ohio State, but unfortunately the Winton Woods product chose the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Hill had his choice of schools narrowed down to four and in addition to Alabama and Ohio State, included Oregon and USC. He visited all four universities during the month of June, but most Ohio State pundits expressed confidence in him becoming a Buckeye.

Despite signing day being right around the corner, the class of 2025 stud still has time to reconsider and stay home.

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Countdown to Kickoff: Shane Lemieux is the Saints Player of Day 66

Countdown to Kickoff: Shane Lemieux is the Saints Player of Day 66. The veteran free agent is pushing Nick Saldiveri to start at left guard:

We’ve got 66 days to go until the New Orleans Saints kick off their 2024 regular season, which makes the current owner of the No. 66 jersey our Saints Player of the Day: Shane Lemieux.

The former New York Giants draft pick signed with the Saints this spring and entered a competition to start early on at OTAs. So what are realistic expectations for him in 2024? Let’s get to know him a little better.

  • Name (Age): Shane Lemieux (27)
  • Position: Offensive guard/center
  • Height, weight: 6-foot-4, 310 pounds
  • Relative Athletic Score: 6.64
  • 2024 salary cap hit: $1,055,000
  • College: Oregon
  • Drafted: Fifth round in 2020 (New York Giants)
  • NFL experience: 5 years

Lemieux played left guard in college and for most of his career in the NFL, though he’s had a little experience at right guard and center. He started most of his rookie season at left guard with the Giants but he allowed five sacks in  nine games and was limited to a combined 147 snaps on offense over the next three years.

A big part of those absences was due to injuries. A September knee injury took Lemieux out for the entire 2021 season. In 2022, he suffered a preseason toe injury in August and wasn’t able to return until late in December, only to aggravate the same injury and miss the rest of the year. And his 2023 season ended with a torn biceps in October. Durability has been a major challenge for him.

Still, Lemieux was the primary backup for Nick Saldiveri at OTAs, though the second-year pro pulled away in front by the time minicamp came around.  Lemieux has time to win the job but he isn’t the only experienced pro in the mix. The Saints also gave Lucas Patrick a look at the left guard spot, and Olisaemeka Udoh (who has started for Klint Kubiak before) is expected to compete there, too. The hope is for Saldiveri to blow away his competition and win the job cleanly. If that comes to pass, it’ll be Lemieux or one of those other veterans backing him up.

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Big Ten expansion marks the end of an era for legendary advertisement

Big Ten expansion marks the end of an era for legendary advertisement

With the Big Ten conference expanding to 18 teams officially on Monday, the end of June marks the end of an era for the legendary Big Ten map television advertisement.

The ad takes the viewer from the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, to each of the current 14 Big Ten campus locations from west to east, wrapping up at Rutgers, while “Silver Lining” by Guards plays in the background.

The current iteration of the Big Ten came into effect in 2014 when Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference, expanding to 14 teams for a decade. Now in 2024, Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington will all be joining the Big Ten.

It’s unclear if the conference will simply adjust their popular advertisement, adding the new the programs, or if they’re scrap the whole thing and go a different direction.

Nonetheless, it’s the end of an era for the Big Ten and the future is officially here for the 18-team conference.

Wanna live on two fairways from a former Oregon golf course? You can (and design the house of your dreams)

Want to work the ball through trees as gorgeous as those at this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship?

It’s one thing to head out to a manicured backyard green to work through a few putting issues or to drop a bunker behind your house to improve your sand game.

But it’s another to be able to tinker with working the ball through trees as gorgeous as those at this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

According to a story at The Oregonian, a prime piece of real estate that formerly was part of the Sandelie Golf Course is now available. The property has two of the fairways from the former municipal golf course so a buyer can do what they like.

A prime piece of real estate that formerly was part of the Sandelie Golf Course is now available, (Courtesy photo)

The contract for the 13-acre property comes with an agreement to build through a certain builder, according to Gerald Rowlett of Westlake Development Group.

“This is already a golfer’s destination,” Rowlett told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “Imagine the edge someone would have practicing daily by teeing up outside the back door.”

At 405 feet wide and more than a quarter-mile long, the land with a robust well can be farmed or used for hobbies and interests like riding horses or playing polo, said listing brokers Thomas Cale and Justin Krug of Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty.

A barn, pool and outdoor entertaining areas can also be added, and the land can be expanded to 28 acres with the purchase of an adjacent 15-acre parcel, the brokers said.

“Westlake is ready to build a home in the style of your choice,” Cale and Krug said. “Select an already created plan or let your imagination roam free.” National award-winning home designer Michael Barclay of Barclay Home Design will work with the buyer to create the architectural plans.

The price of the property starts at $6 million and goes up depending on the home that’s chosen. The parcel houses two of the former nine holes on what was Sandelie’s east nine. The other nine is still open and has been renamed Kohl Creek Golf Course.