Georgia Bulldogs' Kirby Smart Throws Shade At Oregon Ducks Coach Dan Lanning

The Oregon Ducks football program, coach Dan Lanning, Nike and NIL are being talked about at SEC Media Days. Georgia coach Kirby Smart jokingly looks a little green with envy when talking about his former defensive coordinator Lanning.

Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning midfield before the Chick-fil-A kickoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

The Oregon Ducks football program, coach Dan Lanning, Nike and NIL are being talked about at SEC Media Days. Georgia coach Kirby Smart jokingly looks a little green with envy when talking about his former defensive coordinator Lanning.

“This year, we took Nike, who I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting Phil Knight and his wonderful wife Penny,” Smart said at day two of SEC Media Days. "And I wish I could get some of that NIL money that he’s sharing with Dan Lanning. But that’s another note.”

Lanning coached under Smart as Georgia's defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at from 2018-21. Lanning helped Georgia go undefeated in his final season with the Bulldogs, winning the 2021-22 National Championship.

Sep 3, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart greets Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning midfield before the Chick-fil-A kickoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Lanning will have a chance to react to Smart's comments at Big Ten media days at the end of July. The Ducks are also bringing linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, tight end Terrance Ferguson, and transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Name, Image, Likeness has completely changed the college football landscape and some programs are adjusting quicker to the change than others. The Oregon Ducks are thriving in the new environment in their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference.

Part of this success has been due to the efforts of Oregon’s Division Street NIL collective which has been lauded by many as the most innovative and effective in the country.

Two Oregon Ducks are top NIL earners in the country. Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and receiver Evan Stewart are both in the top 10 of NIL earnings among football players, clocking in at No. 8 and 10 respectively. This represents quite an accomplishment for the two high-profile transfers as they’re both yet to play a single snap for Oregon. 

Oregon is recently receiving attention because of a report that Nike's Phil Knight is allowing "unlimited NIL" for the Ducks. Has Knight written a blank check in order to buy a team that can bring home Oregon’s first national championship in football?

All football programs, including the Ducks, are of course using their resources to better their team and win championships.

But the Ducks' success in recruiting and transfer portal runs deeper than that.

Oregon's conference realignment means the Ducks will play against the top talent in the country vs. teams like the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes. Recruits and transfer athletes want to play against the best to prove they are the best. Next steps would be making it the NFL. With Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota all playing on Sundays... It's no wonder transfer quarterbacks like Gabriel and Dante Moore want to be a Duck.