Dan Lanning’s Fortunes Take Shocking Turn as Lincoln Riley Makes Bold Move to Leave Oregon HC in High Alert

Another day, another flip! While the winter portal has closed and the spring portal is yet to open its gates, it’s time for the recruits to draw the ‘FLIP’ card. The recent flip? It could prove costly for Dan Lanning and Co. They took a massive blow on Friday, February 21st, losing their four-star quarterback. And guess who got lucky to get commitment from the Oregon Ducks commit? None other than Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans who pulled through some poaching action on the Ducks.

Just a few days before on Wednesday, February 19, the 4-star QB Jonas Williams became a hot topic for discussion on the On3 podcast. The reason? The analysts Steve Wiltfong and Chad Simmons could already sense what the near future held for Lanning as far as Wlliams’ commitment is concerned. The analyst duo was so sure that they even predicted that Lanning would lose Williams to a Big Ten Rival. Even for them, Riley’s program was closing in on the quarterback prospect. Finally, the day came when the QB flipped from Ducks to Trojans.  

Maybe the Ducks were still in disbelief. After all, Williams has been committed to Lanning’s squad since August last year. But so what? The Trojans did not stop pursuing the 4-star QB. Finally, their efforts paid off. Now is this going to be a costly loss? Of course! The 6’2”, 200-pound quarterback from Lincoln-Way East High School in Illinois is No.7 in quarterback rankings in the 2026 class. Not just this. In Illinois, he is the No.1 prospect, while Williams is ranked No. 65 nationally. But when did the cracks start to appear in Williams’ relationship with Oregon?

Even though he was committed to the Ducks, during a Super Bowl week interview in New Orleans, the QB couldn’t stop raving about his visit to Riley’s program. “Coach Riley, he is the driving factor in my recruitment. He’s been recruiting me pretty hard…What they did with the ‘25 class and what they’re doing with the ‘26 is pretty intriguing.” Looks like this has been a relevant factor that might have pushed Williams to flip his commitment. Even after committing, he could not stop talking about the Trojans. 

He thought about taking some more visits in the spring, but this opportunity at USC was one he couldn’t pass on. The QB stated, “My favorite things that excite me are the relationships I’ve built with Coach Riley, (Luke) Huard, and the GM Chad Bowden. That was an important factor for me and knowing that this offense will fit my playing style is reassuring.” Now Lanning’s about to see what he’s really losing with Williams gone.

How can Lincoln Riley leverage Jonas Williams’ versatility?

Director of Scouting in On3, Charles Power had done quite a bit of research on the quarterback. In his analysis, “Jonas Williams has a very well-rounded game. He’s a strong passer…Good arm, good mobility, is a good decision-maker and plays with a competitive edge.” Now how could we forget his strong resume? Williams guided his team to a 12-1 campaign. With this, he completed 68 percent of his passes for nearly 3,000 yards and 42 touchdowns with just six interceptions. Now it’s an absolute WIN-WIN situation for Riley, isn’t it?

As Power noted, “I think he gives another Top 100 type of talent in the USC quarterback room.” The Trojans have got a big advantage here. Riley can pair him up with Husan Longstreet, which would give him back-to-back Top 10 quarterbacks in the cycle. With this well-roundedness of the game, the Trojans HC can play with experimenting a bit and be a run threat. Now for the ones who are still not sure about Riley’s future at USC, given the NFL buzz, here is the answer.

In a recent interview with On3 analyst J.D. PicKell, the HC made it clear that he is not jumping ship anytime soon. “So, it’s flattering; it’s nice when people say that. It’s not a long-term goal of mine. I love college football, I love coaching at USC, I love the job that I have…It’s nice of them to say but I’m a Trojan,” Lincoln Riley sounded all confident. Like Jonas Williams, he too looks forward to working with their new GM, Chad Bowden who, in his words, was a “difficult” hire. Looks like all things are falling into place finally for the Trojans. Touchwood!