Tag: Rob Mullens

10 things that Oregon Duck fans should be most thankful for in 2023

A look at some of the biggest things that Oregon Duck fans should be thankful for as we head into the 2023 holiday season.

In the world of sports, fans often choose to spend their time criticizing or complaining about how things could go better. Media members are no exception to this behavior, so as we wake up on Thanksgiving Day and get an opportunity to share some time with friends and family, we at Ducks Wire wanted to give thanks.

A year ago when we did this, things were looking pretty great for the Ducks. Though they had lost their second game of the year to the Washington Huskies, and were just days away from a memorable collapse against the Oregon State Beavers to end the regular season, the season as a whole was a resounding success under first-year head coach Dan Lanning.

This year, things are looking even better, with the Ducks right in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation should they be able to win against Oregon State on Friday, while Bo Nix is among the leaders in the Heisman Trophy race at the moment.

On top of the tangible success in the football world, Oregon is still Oregon, and Phil Knight is still the greatest Uncle in the world. The Ducks have some of the best facilities, best uniforms, best coaches, and best players in the nation, and routinely are in the conversation among the best teams across all sports.

So on this Thanksgiving Day, as we gather with friends and family, we thought it would be nice to reflect on what Oregon fans should be the most thankful for this year. Here’s what we came up with:

Where Tosh Lupoi ranks among the highest paid assistant coaches in college football

Tosh Lupoi got a lot of money to come Oregon from the NFL ranks. Here’s where his salary ranks among the most expensive assistants in college football.

As they were looking for a new head football coach last winter following the departure of Mario Cristobal, Oregon knew that not only would it have pony up some good money for his replacement, but the Ducks would also have to invest in his assistants as well.

Athletic Director Rob Mullens hired Dan Lanning and in turn, Lanning was able to coax Tosh Lupoi away from the NFL, which required cash. In fact, it required enough cash to make Lupoi the highest-paid assistant in the Pac-12 conference.

Lupoi’s 2022 salary of $1.74 million was high enough to be among the Top 10 nationwide. While the proof has yet to be in the pudding — Lupoi has had just one season to work his magic — the Ducks are hoping that with a few more recruiting classes to bolster the defense, Oregon will have a defense other Pac-12 schools will be envious of, and ultimately fear.

Here’s how Lupoi’s 2022 salary compared to those also in the Top 10 highest-paid assistants around the country.

11 things that Oregon Duck fans should be most thankful for in 2022

What are you most thankful for as an Oregon Duck fan as we get into this holiday season?

Last year when we checked in on the Oregon Ducks’ world of sports during Thanksgiving time, things weren’t looking so great. The football team had just suffered the first of two blowout losses to the Utah Utes, falling from their No. 3 spot in the nation; the No. 9 men’s basketball team was quickly exposed as fraudulent; the women’s basketball team was tanking in the standings after back-to-back losses as the No. 12 team in the nation.

Of course, things didn’t get much better from there, either. Oregon’s football team went on to get blown out in the Pac-12 title game by Utah again and watched as their head coach Mario Cristobal jetted to warmer weather. Dana Altman failed to align the Rubik’s Cube and missed the NCAA Tournament. Kelly Graves had his squad competitive, but nowhere near as good as we expected going into the year.

By comparison, the Ducks sure do have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

Not only did the football program bounce back in a magnificent fashion with an up-and-coming head coach that looks to be among the best young signal-callers in the nation, but Altman and Graves also have things rolling in the right direction on the hardwood.

On top of the tangible success, Oregon is still Oregon, and Phil Knight is still the greatest Uncle in the world. The Ducks have some of the best facilities, best uniforms, best coaches, and best players in the nation, and routinely are in the conversation among the best teams across all sports.

So on this Thanksgiving Day, as we gather with friends and family, we thought it would be nice to reflect on what Oregon fans should be the most thankful for this year. Here’s what we came up with:

Oregon names Jerry Schumacher new track and cross country coach

Oregon has announced the hiring of Jerry Schumacher to lead its track and field and cross country programs.

Oregon has announced that it has hired Jerry Schumacher as the Ducks’ head coach of their track and field and cross country programs.

Schumacher has spent the past 15 years at the helm of the Nike Bowerman Track Club and established himself as one of the premier distance coaches in the world. According to Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens, the hire was a virtual no-brainer.

“Jerry Schumacher is a world-class track and field leader with a unique ability to build a dynamic team atmosphere to support a first-class experience for the athletes,” said Mullens in a press release. “He understands the modern athlete, the importance of building connections and developing young people to their fullest potential. His commitment to the athlete through his tireless work ethic is well known and we are excited that his leadership and passion will add to the tremendous legacy of the Oregon track and field and cross country programs.”

This is not Schumacher’s first job in the college ranks. Not even close. He led the University of Wisconsin men’s distance and cross country program between 1998-2008. During his time in Madison, the Badgers won two NCAA team titles—2005 cross country, 2007 indoor—and he was named the 2005 National Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Schumacher replaces Robert Johnson, who coached the Ducks for seven seasons. But Oregon decided to not retain Johnson and decided to go in a different direction.

PK Park gets a facelift with new FieldTurf and shorter fences

The Oregon Ducks baseball team will get to test drive PK Park 2.0 on Friday with new turf, shorter fences and new graphics around the 13-year old stadium.

PK Park 2.0 is set to debut on Friday with new turf, shorter fences, and a soon-to-be new video board.

This is the first major renovation of the stadium since the Oregon Ducks brought the baseball program back in 2009.

“Through the tremendous commitment of athletic director Rob Mullens and associate athletic director Eric Roedl, and the incredible donations by Pat Kilkenny and numerous other huge supporters of our program, PK Park has never been a more ‘state of the art’ facility,” Oregon head coach Mark Wasikowski said.

The first noticeable difference will be the new turf that has a new PK Park logo behind home plate, the Oregon O in centerfield and outlines of flying ducks in left and right fields.

The center-field fence and the power alleys in left-center field and right-center field have been moved in 10 feet from the original design and lowered in height from eight feet to six-and-a-half feet from the left-field line to the right-center field gap. The fence in front of the Ducks’ bullpen in right field has been raised from four feet to six-and-a-half feet to match the rest of the outfield wall.

Moving the fences in should help Oregon’s offense and recruit more power hitters. Before, with the wind patterns, it took Herculean strength to hit a home run. It was more of a pitcher’s park, but now Oregon hopes it’s more of a fair park that’s equal for the pitchers and hitters.

Fans will get to enjoy a state-of-the-art 60-feet by 26.4-feet video board featuring the latest video technology from Daktronics, which is in the process of being installed behind the left-center field wall and will be finished and operational in late March.

The Ducks will get to officially test everything out Friday in the home opener against St. John’s in Game 1 of a four-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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The Oregon vs. USC recruiting rivalry is in its infancy, and the Pac-12 should be thrilled

After a truncated first year of recruiting battles between Oregon and USC, the Ducks got the upper hand. But there are more chapters to be written.

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As soon as USC hired Lincoln Riley away from Oklahoma, the shift in recruiting immediately went south.

Oregon figured it could more than hold its own with Mario Cristobal’s excellent track record. But then he left for Miami.

Ducks’ athletic director Rob Mullens had to find an answer to Riley, and find an answer he did. Dan Lanning came to Eugene and salvaged the class of 2022, which now ranks No. 25 in the nation after bottoming out in the 80s after Cristobal’s departure.

Order restored, correct?

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Not so fast, says Trojans Wire editor Matt Zemek. At first glance, Riley’s first class wasn’t impressive, but in his first few months at the helm of the Trojans, Riley filled out the USC roster with notable transfers, looking for that quick fix. Even their recruiting class is better than it appears to be upon further inspection.

“Lincoln Riley definitely sees the transfer portal not only as something he needed to exploit in a transition year, but as a tool he will continuously use to replenish the USC roster in 2023 and beyond,” Zemek said. “It’s a both-and approach, and I think that’s the right way to look at it. Annual use of the portal is a must. Maybe not always on a large scale, but certainly for acute needs which require seasoned players as opposed to high-school recruits who will need more time to develop within a system.”

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

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The Trojans want to win now and not be a rebuild. That plan took a significant step with the signing of former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams. The Ducks know Williams well after he torched a depleted Oregon defense in the Alamo Bowl.

Meanwhile, back in Eugene, Lanning went back to basics and recruited the prep ranks heavily and landed nearly every single targeted player, including flipping 4-star RB Jordan James from Georgia and beating out USC for 4-star CB Jahlil Florence and 4-star OL Dave Iuli.

In the traditional recruiting battle it’s Lanning: 1, Riley: 0.

But this is far from over and even though Oregon struck the first body blow, according to Zemek, USC isn’t concerned.

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“[Washington 5-star OT] Josh Conerly is the big unknown here. If USC gets him, it’s a home run. If the Trojans miss on him, then there might be some cause for concern,” Zemek said. “However, the bigger picture is that Riley has already upgraded USC’s roster in a transition year. Imagine what he will do in a non-transition year. USC knows Oregon will recruit at an elite level under Dan Lanning. The problem for Oregon is that whereas Mario Cristobal was able to raid Southern California under Clay Helton, USC is going to keep its backyard talent home under Lincoln Riley.”

Maybe that metaphorical fence is going to be put up next year because Florence — an elite CB — chose to leave his home in San Diego and come up to Oregon instead of staying close by in LA.

Ironically, the biggest off-the-field rivalry in the Pac-12 doesn’t meet on the field in the 2022 regular season. Unless the Ducks and Trojans face off in Las Vegas for the conference title, we won’t get to see how Lanning’s coaching ability as the head coach matches up with Riley.

But this is just the beginning of what promises to be a decade-long battle between the two west coast heavyweights.

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BREAKING: 4-star corner Khamari Terrell commits to Oregon

Dan Lanning has secured the commitment of four-star corner Khamari Terrell to become an Oregon Duck.

This is one of the main reasons Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens hired Dan Lanning. Oregon wanted to get someone who is a premier recruiter who can convince the top defensive talent to come to Eugene.

So far it seems like Lanning is producing.

With the February signing day coming up next week, Lanning has acquired the verbal commitment of four-star cornerback Khamari Terrell. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder from Texas is rated as the No. 43 corner in the country. Oregon was battling Baylor for his services and it seems as the Ducks have come out on top.

The Ducks are hoping Terrell is just the first part of a possible dynamic duo at corner as Oregon is one of just two schools four-star corner Jahlil Florence is considering with USC also in the mix. Florence has been a top priority of Lanning’s since he arrived in Eugene. If Florence does sign with the Ducks, the new coach would have salvaged a recruiting class that was once in flux.

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Who is Marshall Malchow, and why his hire is the Oregon Ducks’ biggest win yet

Where Marshall Malchow goes, recruiting success tends to follow. His hiring could be AD Rob Mullens’ biggest win yet.

Over the past week, we have seen a number of people be added to the Oregon Ducks football program. It started with the hiring of head coach Dan Lanning, the former defensive coordinator at Georgia who is expected to bring youthful energy and elite recruiting ability to the program.

The hirings continued with offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, and co-defensive coordinator Matt Powledge, both of whom bring some big upside to the table. The additions continued on Wednesday as the early signing period arrived, giving the Ducks six more 4-star recruits on the roster.

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On Thursday afternoon, though, Oregon made quite possibly the biggest hire of the whole bunch, reportedly bringing in Marshall Malchow as the new football chief of staff. He may not have the name recognition that the other hires hold, but his ability to change and define the Ducks program is more massive than you can even imagine.

Malchow is yet another young, up-and-coming figure that the Ducks have had an eye on. He was named to the 247 Sports 30-Under-30 list in 2019, and was hired as the Associate Athletic Director at Texas A&M in 2021, working with player personnel. He is thought to be among the most impactful members of the recruiting game in the nation. Where he goes, top-rated classes seem to follow.

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The list of names that he has worked under is pretty astonishing. Legends like Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Jimbo Fisher, and Chris Peterson; Malchow has been a part of all of their recruiting teams, essentially making himself the right-hand man to each one of those coaches. During his 5 years with the Bulldogs, Georgia signed five consecutive top-5 recruiting classes, with the nation’s No. 1 class in 2018 and 2020.

This past year when he was leading the charge at A&M, the Aggies signed the No. 1 overall class in the nation.

Malchow started as many front-office workers or coaches do, as a grad assistant working his way up the chain. He made his value known by parsing through the endless tape and figuring out the best way to single out the top recruits. He helped Nick Saban streamline his recruiting process and ultimately build a dominant dynasty in college football. That’s not to say that he is the reason for Alabama’s success over the years, but he was certainly along for the ride in the early years.

After landing at Georgia, Malchow was praised for his part in helping put the Bulldogs on the map when it came to recruiting, giving UGA a chance to compete with the likes of Alabama on the field.

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“It was also a major coup for the 29-year-old Malchow, who was honored as FootballScoop’s Player Personnel Director of the Year before being named to 247Sports’ 30-under-30 list,” wrote AL.com’s Rainer Sabin, speaking of Malchow’s ascension at Georgia. “Almost overnight, Malchow’s profile as backroom staffer was raised and pushed to the fore, which proved uncomfortable for someone who has spent his professional life operating behind the scenes in relative anonymity.”

Now he is established, though. People in the industry know his name, and they’re aware that when it comes to members of the player personnel world, there are few guys better at elevating the bar of success. Just this past week, The Athletic released a piece made to identify the best player personnel people across the country in college football. Malchow was ranked No. 2 on that list.

“He’s a top evaluator and leader in his role,” one recruiting coordinator said. “He has done it at the highest level at multiple places. And he’s a great dude.”

“In the two years he’s been there, coming from Georgia, they’ve been able to become a national power in recruiting,” another wrote. “The 2021 class they signed and 2022 class they are signing are special.”

Now Malchow is in Oregon, working alongside Dan Lanning and Don Johnson, buoyed by the resources given by Uncle Phil Knight. Not like he didn’t have the abilities to reach far and wide across the nation with the athletic departments in Georgia, Alabama, and Texas A&M, but with the shield of Nike University now around him, it’s almost intoxicating to think about what he might be able to achieve.

After losing Mario Cristobal, there was a deep-seated worry that the Ducks might slip in the recruiting game and fall back to the levels of talent that we’ve seen over the past decade. The result is quite on the contrary.

Oregon AD Dan Mullens went out and hired a head coach who is one of the best recruiters in the nation, and now he went for the kill shot. Marshall Malchow is now a Duck, and he very easily could be the man to deliver the level of talent to Oregon that will ultimately bring a championship trophy back to Eugene at long last.

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Opinion: Dan Lanning recruiting former players before future ones is the right play

Dan Lanning knows he wasn’t the first pick for some former Duck players. He wants them to give him a chance to earn their trust.

It seems like forever since Mario Cristobal resigned as the head football coach at Oregon, doesn’t it?

To be exact, it took the Ducks one week to go from that resignation to the introductory press conference of Dan Lanning. In those seven days, it wasn’t exactly quiet inside the Oregon program.

Athletic director Rob Mullens received a letter from 14 prominent former football players saying they were worried that the Ducks were going away from their roots in order to chase a national championship.

According to reports, Mullens took that letter to heart and offered the job to former Oregon Duck standout and current California head coach Justin Wilcox.

One problem, however. Wilcox said no thanks. So Mullens turned to Lanning. Knowing he wasn’t “in the family,”  Lanning attempted to squash the idea of him ignoring Oregon’s past and just focusing on the future right away.

“To our former players, I am a servant to you,” Lanning said on Monday. “Whether I’ve coached you or not, we want you to know that this is a program that you can be proud of, and be part of. This is a place that your involvement is very important to us. We want you back, and one thing, even if you leave home, this place should always feel like home for you.”

Lanning is known as one of the nation’s top recruiters, but his most important recruiting job might come in that one statement. He’s going to need former players such as Joey Harrington and Akili Smith as allies.

Besides himself and whoever else he might hire to be on his staff, Lanning could use former players to sell potential recruits on the Oregon experience and why coming to Eugene would be the correct choice. Lanning can’t speak that experience, but they can.

He also attempted to erase another narrative that surrounded the idea of Lanning leaving Oregon for a bigger and better job since his most recent stop was the defensive coordinator for Georgia. Fans are worried he will use the Ducks as a stepping stone for a possible job in the SEC.

It’s a legitimate concern since the last two head coaches left Eugene to pursue their “dream jobs.” Both Willie Taggert and Mario Cristobal left as soon as those supposed dream jobs opened up.

But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend!”

“My situation is unique. If William Jewell College comes calling, I love William Jewell College, but I’m staying at Oregon,” Lanning said. “I’ll stay at Oregon for as long as Oregon will have me. There is no other out there for me. This is one of the premier jobs in the nation. It was going to take a premier job for me to leave the situation I was in.

“I’m thrilled to be here because I know what we can do here. There doesn’t have to be a next step for me because this job can be the final step.”

Those words have to be music to everyone’s ears, including former, current, and future Duck players.

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Rob Mullens, Kirby Smart react to Oregon Ducks new head coach hiring

The Dan Lanning hire at Oregon certainly has some people talking, with the Ducks’ AD and Georgia’s head coach weighing in.

The Oregon Ducks ended their search for a head coach on Saturday afternoon, reaching an agreement with University of Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning to be the next coach in Eugene.

Oregon fans have shown some real excitement for Lanning, who is now the youngest head coach in Oregon history at age 35, and also has an extensive resume of success after leading the Bulldogs to come of the best defensive finishes in recent memory. On top of that, Lanning is considered one of the best recruiters in the nation, and will likely continue the talent pipeline to Eugene that was started by Mario Cristobal.

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Aside from the fans, how did everyone else react to the hiring, though?

Here is what the man himself said after the announcement:

And here is what Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said:

Finally, here’s what Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said, noting that Lanning plans to still coach the Bulldogs through the rest of the season, where Georgia will play in the College Football Playoff.

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