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Why 5-Star Recruit Douglas Utu Flipped To Oregon Ducks From Tennessee Volunteers

Five-star offensive line recruit Douglas Utu flipped his Tennessee Volunteers commitment to join the Oregon Ducks and Oregon coach Dan Lanning. Utu's current high school teammate, Alai Kalaniuvalu, is also committed to Oregon. Utu is most impressed with coach Lanning's "family" approach.

Bri Amaranthus

Oregon Ducks Flip recruit Douglas Utu from Tennessee
Oregon Ducks Flip recruit Douglas Utu from Tennessee / Douglas Utu Instagram
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Five-star offensive line recruit Douglas Utu flipped his Tennessee Volunteers commitment to join the Oregon Ducks and Oregon coach Dan Lanning. Utu's current high school teammate, Alai Kalaniuvalu, is also committed to Oregon.

Utu is a class of 2025 five-star (on ESPN and Rivals) offensive tackle and interior offensive lineman prospect from Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, NV.)

Utu knows a familiar face also committed to the Ducks. The 6-foot-4 315-pound lineman is currently friends and teammates with four-star lineman Kalaniuvalu, who committed to Oregon in July. However, Utu is most impressed with the family connection and transparency that Coach Lanning has built with the Ducks.

“From day one, Coach Lanning, Coach Terry, and the entire staff made me feel like a priority,” Utu told On3. “They were upfront, genuine, and showed real belief in my abilities. Their energy, transparency, and vision for how I fit into the program were clear, and they made me feel like I would truly be part of the Oregon family... Coach Lanning is building an elite program at Oregon.”

Utu is a huge get for Coach Lanning's 2025 class, which now ranks No. 7 in all of college football and No. 2 in the Big Ten conference, On3's rankings. Utu is ranked as a four-star recruit on 247Sports and On3.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field ahead of the game as the Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field ahead of the game as the Oregon State Beavers host the Oregon Ducks Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Good news for Oregon offensive line coach A'Lique Terry, Utu has the versatility to play both tackle and guard.

Utu has shined for the powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School as a three-year starter. He started at right tackle on a team that went 12-0 on its way to the Nevada 5A Division-I state title last fall.

The Utu flip serves as a bit of on the recruiting trail as Tennessee managed to flip Oregon's only tight end commit in the class of 2025, DaSaahn Brame. 

Coach Lanning provided his thoughts on recruiting in the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) era, earlier this summer.

"One of the reasons I feel like where I'm at is because I had a chip on my shoulder," Coach Lanning told Colin Cowherd. "Now guys are coming in and they're taken care of, and do they still have that chip? That hunger, that desire to be great? Those are the guys you want to recruit. At the end of the day, what it really does is it reveals what your program is."

There could be one more flip on the way for Oregon. Coach Lanning and his staff are also looking to flip 2025 tight end Andre Olesh from the Michigan Wolverines. After losing Brame to Tennessee, Oregon has yet to secure another commitment from a tight end, a position that ESPN has deemed the biggest remaining area of need for the Ducks, as Oregon will lose senior Terrance Ferguson and Patrick Herbert after this season.

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Bri Amaranthus
BRI AMARANTHUS

Bri Amaranthus is an Emmy-winning sports reporter with over 12 years of experience in television, radio, podcasting, and digital sports journalism. She has been with Sports Illustrated for four years, providing breaking news, exclusive interviews, and analysis on the NFL, college sports, and the NBA. Prior to joining SI, Bri hosted NBC Sports Northwest's prime-time television show, where she also served as the Oregon beat reporter and created content covering both the NBA and college sports. Throughout her career, Bri has achieved significant milestones, including covering major events like the NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, College Football Playoff, NCAA Basketball Tournament, NFL Draft, and the NFL Combine. She earned a D1 scholarship to play softball at the University of San Diego and won two state softball titles in high school in Oregon. In addition to her Emmy win for NBC's All-Star Coach special, she has received multiple Emmy nominations, highlighting her dedication and talent in sports journalism.

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