I mentioned Monday that at this time last year, Oregon had just six commits. Around that same point, when I was asked about Tank Jones, I told someone I thought the Ducks were in a better position than most people realized, but I still wasn’t sure they would be able to win out in the end. There were too many moving parts, too much time left and too many programs still involved. Two months later, Jones committed to Oregon.
That is why I think it is important to understand where Oregon is in what has become the “Dan Lanning Cycle.” Lanning does not appear overly interested in chasing a high volume of early commitments just for the sake of building a list in the spring. There are still too many elite players on the board, and Oregon wants to use the spring and summer to showcase the full strength of the program. Recruiting misses and decommitments sting no matter when they happen, but the Ducks are just now entering the part of the calendar when their recruiting operation tends to create the synergy and momentum that can turn a slow May into another top-five class.
Today in the War Room, some thoughts on where Oregon stands with key targets.
