Phil Knight 'Unlimited NIL' Not Why Oregon Ducks Dominating Recruiting

The Oregon Ducks' recruiting success has called into question the role the NIL money plays in the process. Some claim that the NIL money is the sole reason for the Ducks success and ignores the hard work done by coach Dan Lanning and his assistants.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) talks to head coach Dan Lanning on the sideline during the second half against the Liberty Flames in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The college football landscape has been forever changed with the introduction of direct payments to players, a program known as NIL—Name, Image and Likeness. Along with the transfer portal, this shift in how college football teams conduct business raises all sorts of questions with Oregon Ducks football in the middle of the conversation.

To that point, On3 Sports’ J.D. Pickell recently addressed the notion that Oregon’s success in the recruiting battles is all about “unlimited NIL” provided by Phil Knight and Nike. Per Pickell, the story started with a tweet from former college football coach and media commentator, Rick Neuheisel, regarding NIL deals. The gist of the message was that Knight has opened the bank in order to buy a team that can bring home Oregon’s first national championship in football.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix greets Phil Knight after defeating the Liberty Flames to win the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 1, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

There isn’t any sort of official program or tracking device to verify or compare NIL payments to players, so there could be some truth to the comment. Yet, Pickell argues that many have taken this statement literally and used the comment to point a finger at Oregon and their “history” of buying players. Furthermore, these so-called experts are attributing Oregon’s recruiting and transfer portal success solely to NIL payments. Even if this is all about the money, it only makes sense that Oregon or any other school would use their resources to better their team and win championships.

On the other hand, there is more to the story than dollars and cents. Pickell argues that simply believing it is a money thing ignores what Oregon has accomplished over the last few seasons. This is not to say that they haven’t paid players because they have. If you dig a little deeper into the Ducks’ brand and their success in recruiting and on the field, you find reasons why transfers and high school athletes are drawn to Eugene.

First, these are competitive athletes and they simply want to play against the best and win. In addition, many aspire to take that next step to the NFL. As such, these players are looking to find anything that gets them closer to playing on Sundays. Pickell points out that Oregon’s success in landing two blue-chip transfer quarterbacks in Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore can be linked to the success Box Nix had in 2023. Yes, NIL money was involved, but on the field Oregon has proven they can develop a quarterback picked in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a first down past Liberty Flames linebacker Tyren Dupree (35) in the first half during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Jan. 1, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Another area of recruiting success is in the wide receiver room. In 2023, Oregon had two receivers who gained over 1,000 yards last year in Tez Johnson and Troy Franklin. To a transfer player or a high school senior with NFL dreams, this is golden. Specifically, the Ducks landed Dakorien Moore, a consensus five-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 3 player nationally, No. 1 wide receiver, and No. 1 player in the state of Texas. Many believed that Moore was locked into the Texas Longhorns but surprised many with his reasons for committing to Oregon.

"The reason I chose Oregon is because I want to be different. I want to be a part of something legendary,” said Moore. “I see coach (Dan) Lanning building a program that will win a national championship. I feel like (Oregon wide receivers) coach (Junior) Adams will develop me into the best wide receiver and man outside of football, and the culture Is different there most of all."

Speaking of coach Dan Lanning, to ignore his relentless approach to recruiting and solely credit NIL for landing players is disrespectful, said Pickell. In the case of Moore, the NIL deal was center stage, but that ignored the work Lanning and his coaches did in bonding with the young receiver, getting to know his family and ultimately giving Moore solid reasons to choose Oregon as noted above.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field during practice with the Oregon Ducks Thursday, April 4, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

The bottom line is that the importance of NIL money is going to vary from player to player and school to school. While you can’t ignore the financial support Oregon receives from Knight and Nike, the fact of the matter is Lanning is building a team based on talent, character and family values. Oregon Ducks’ fans have just seen a glimpse of what this looks like and can look forward to even bigger success as they embark on a new chapter as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

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