With Oregon's move to the Big Ten in Summer 2024 comes a transition to a conference that prides itself on a more physical brand of football than what the Ducks may have been accustomed to in the Pac-12. Even with that in mind, Oregon coach Dan Lanning hasn't seen much of a need to change his recruiting approach ... not as the Ducks look to finalize a top-10 signing class for a second straight season. Raw talent is still just that to Lanning, who hopes that if anyone had to adjust stylistically, it will be the current Big Ten schools accounting for Oregon's entrance along with USC, UCLA and Washington.
"We believe in winning football, and winning football, to me, does not exist based on a conference," Lanning told Josh Pate Wednesday on 247Sports' YouTube channel. "It exists based on the attributes of your team. We want to make sure we get the right pieces in place for our team. I feel like that if anything, there are going to be some teams [in the Big Ten] that have to adjust based on what we do. We are going to make sure we are always do our best job at getting great talent in here and, more importantly, developing that talent."
Of the Ducks' 25 commits for the 2024 cycle, 16 have a four-star rating or higher, according to 247Sports. The haul is headlined by defensive lineman Aydin Breland and edge-rusher Elijah Rushing, both of whom are considered five-star prospects and top-20 recruits nationally, according to 247Sports.
It's no accident either that Oregon's two highest-rated recruits come along the defensive front, an area Lanning sees as the foundation for success elsewhere on that side of the football.
"It translates again to winning football, and we know we have to win games up front," Lanning said. "The best way to have great coverage is a great defensive line. The best way to stop the run is to have a great defensive line. We realize that. Players are realizing that they don't necessarily have to go to the [SEC] to have that opportunity. On the same note, they feel comfortable coming from the South or the East Coast to play for a team like Oregon where they can develop and play at a high level."
Offensively, the Ducks seem intent on remaining fast paced after leading the Pac-12 at 44.2 points per game this regular season. Oregon made a splash Wednesday by flipping a pair of four-star receivers -- Ryan Pellum and Jeremiah McClellan -- from USC and Ohio State, respectively, after going to the transfer portal to reload at quarterback. With Heisman finalist Bo Nix on his way out, the Ducks added former Oklahoma starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel and former UCLA quarterback Dante Moore, who was originally a five-star Oregon commit in the 2023 cycle before flipping to the Bruins.
As Lanning has learned from past mentors, embracing change -- the transfer portal included -- is a must in order to compete at the highest level. As of Wednesday, the Ducks' recruiting class is complimented by a transfer class that ranks No. 13 in the country, according to 247Sports. All of it leaves Lanning riding a wave of optimism ahead of a new chapter for Oregon.
"One way to improve is to improve your roster," Lanning said. "Obviously our focus is to continue to get great players here, but there is no time to cry over spilt milk [after losing the Pac-12 title game]. We have to get back to work. I have a great staff that has done a phenomenal job of bringing pieces to the puzzle. An we know we can outwork people.
"If you are not adapting -- I've learned this from the best coaches I have been around -- then you are going to fail," he later added. "We want to be on an upward trajectory, which we are right now."
