Oregon Ducks Coach Fires Back At Critics of School's NIL Program

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning did not hold back when responding to recent comments about the school's deep NIL pockets.

Jul 25, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach ??Dan Lanning speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The Oregon Ducks have thrived during the new NIL era of collegiate sports. The football program has benefitted greatly, landing several top transfers to help put the team in position to contend this season.

The biggest name of those transfers is quarterback Daniel Gabriel, who will be replacing Bo Nix. Nix was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Along with Gabriel, the Ducks also landed former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore and wide receiver Evan Stewart, who comes from Texas A&M.

Given the current landscape of college football, NIL programs are needed to remain competitive. If a school can offer players more money in the transfer portal, you are at a disadvantage.

That isn’t a problem that Oregon faces. Their NIL program, with Nike co-founder and chairman emeritus Phil Knight as the chief benefactor, has left some wondering whether there is a limit to their funds.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, who current Ducks head coach Dan Lanning was the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach for from 2019-2021, made comments about Oregon’s NIL program. During SEC media day, he joked around, saying he wishes he, "could get some of that NIL money he's giving Dan Lanning."

Lanning has heard all of the comments. When talking to ESPN on Thursday, he offered a response to everything that has been said.

"The reality is, find a top-10 team in college football right now that doesn't have great support. Do we have a lot more than everybody else? I think that'd be an exaggeration or we'd never lose. Everyone else right now is focused on our ice cream cone, and if I'm busy looking at theirs, that means mine's melting."

Lanning did note that Oregon is always going to be in the mix for top players. He also spoke about Michigan, who are the defending national champions and had a program record 13 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

"I'm sure there's a correlation, right?" Lanning said. "Is our situation different than other teams in the nation? Absolutely. Is our team's situation different than the premier teams in the nation? Probably not. And that's OK. We want to be in that [group]."

Heading into the 2024 season, the Ducks look to be in that group. Many analysts believe they will be somewhere inside the top five when the first rankings of the season are revealed.

In their first season as a member of the Big 10, they are going to be facing some unique challenges. Travel will be among them, but roster-wise, they will be able to hang with all the big boys.