Flock Talk: Respect Yourself

 

Built Different: Why Oregon’s NIL Approach Is Built to Last

Oregon’s recruiting success has never been just about money. It’s not about gimmicks, trendy pitches, or transactional relationships disguised as commitments. The Ducks, under Marshall Malchow and Dan Lanning’s leadership and with a forward-thinking approach to NIL and revenue sharing, are building something more sustainable—something grounded in culture, character, trust, and respect.

When Oregon secured a commitment from elite EDGE prospect Anthony Jones out of Alabama, the immediate chorus from rival fanbases was predictable: They must have paid more. But if that were true, Oregon would have signed Tyler Atkinson—the top-25 defender whose Texas offer, according to Rivals’ Keegan Pope, was double that of Georgia. Oregon was in that race too. But they didn’t bend.

Because that’s not the Oregon model.

As of August 1, schools are now permitted to offer formal, written revenue-sharing contracts to high school seniors—a sea change in the recruiting landscape prompted by the House v. NCAA settlement. In theory, the era of promises whispered behind closed doors is over. Now, numbers can be presented in black and white.

“It’s not rumor... It’s an offer on paper,” Auburn AD John Cohen told The Athletic in a piece by Antonio Morales (The Athletic, 2025).

But in practice? The waters remain murky. The offers aren’t binding until the early signing period in December. A bad senior season, a torn ACL, or simply a more pressing need in the portal could cause a school to backtrack. As one Power 4 personnel director put it, “It’s not really accomplishing transparency because it’s not binding.”

Some schools are already using this new system as another tool for aggressive roster manipulation. Take Florida State, whose revenue-sharing contracts include language allowing the school to unilaterally extend a player’s contract, fine players thousands of dollars for infractions like losing gear or missing weight, and renegotiate or cancel a deal due to injury, even those sustained during sanctioned football activities (CBS Sports, 2025).

One agent, quoted in the CBS report, was blunt: “The way they’re going about it, they’re having it all in writing where at their discretion they can renegotiate at any time... I’ve never seen something like that with an injury.”

That’s the contrast. That’s why Oregon stands out.

Oregon isn’t just winning recruiting battles. They’re winning the right ones. The Ducks aren’t giving players multi-page fine print contracts with opt-out clauses for stubbed toes. They’re giving them an experience rooted in mutual respect.

That’s not just branding. That’s practice.

Behind the scenes, Oregon emphasizes structure, support, and development—not only on the field but off it. The Ducks’ NIL collective, Division Street, has focused on positioning athletes as brands with real market value, rather than treating them like disposable assets. They work to ensure families feel involved and respected throughout the recruiting process. They seek alignment—not just talent.

As one agent said of the aggressive rev-share models: “They’re throwing everything they can and the kitchen sink.” Oregon is busy building kitchens, not throwing sinks.

Revenue sharing is going to reshape recruiting. Some schools will race to the top of the dollar mountain. Others will throw massive offers at five-stars only to trim their roster when someone gets hurt or falls behind on conditioning. The transactional model, where players are valued only for their current utility, breeds distrust and chaos.

That’s not a culture. That’s a casino.

In contrast, Oregon is investing in people. That investment starts in high school and continues through player development, alumni support, and long-term career-building. Recruits who choose Oregon often speak about being treated like family—not being promised they’ll never transfer or get injured, but knowing that if they do, they’ll be treated like a human being, not a spreadsheet liability.

That’s how you build trust.

That’s how you build buy-in.

That’s how you build a future.

Every school in America is going to offer money now. And some of them will offer more than Oregon. But few will offer what Oregon offers:

• Clarity over confusion
• Respect over restriction
• Development over dependency

A transactional culture will eventually cannibalize itself. Players will take the money and leave. Teams will fracture. Administrators will scramble to rewrite clauses and protect donors. But a program built on shared purpose, honest communication, and player empowerment? That program can withstand the chaos.

This is about more than Anthony Jones. It’s about every recruit who sees past the gimmicks and hears the truth in Oregon’s pitch: We care more about who you become than how many stars you bring.

That may not always win the bidding war.

But it will win the future.

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“You gotta respect yourself / or you’ll never be respected at all.”
And in Eugene, that’s the foundation—because the grass really is that damn green.