It’s the offseason for all but 2 teams across the CFB sphere, but the grind just doesn’t stop. The focus has swiftly pivoted over to the recruitment trail. Teams are still warring, albeit indirectly. Jared Curtis, the no.1 QB in the 2026 class, is a coveted man. Amidst the plethora of teams after him, one has managed to pull itself in front of the chasing pack. Or so we thought. Dan Lanning and Oregon’s supposed efforts to land Curtis are under threat from the southeast.

Jared Curtis, the no.4 overall prospect in his class, hails from Tennessee. The southern native was earlier on the Georgia Bulldogs’ commit list. However, he later de-committed to further weigh his options.“Obviously, they’re not out of the race yet. [I] love [coach Kirby Smart and coach Mike Bobo], and I’d love to get back up there and talk to them.” said Jared Curtis at the time of his decommitment. This tryst with the Bulldogs is very much on, evidenced by recent activity.

OC Mike Bobo hit the road and visited Jared Curtis earlier in the week. He posted a picture standing next to coach, and one thing is conspicuous. The physicality of this 6’3, 225-pound man is college-ready. The visit will not go down well in Eugene, with the Ducks consensually considered favorites to eventually acquire Curtis.

The player visited Oregon for their week 11 game vs Maryland. He met with Dan Lanning and OC Will Stein. This was his second visit on campus. “I had a great visit up there…My dad went up with me and my mom has been up with me once. I loved the atmosphere and look forward to getting back up there. I’d say my relationship with coach Stein and coach Lanning is really good.” said Jared Curtis in the aftermath of this visit.

Lanning and Stein’s lineage of developing QBs is what’s been a proponent of them being the preferred landing spot. Bo Nix is doing better than what was expected as a rookie in the NFL. Dillon Gabriel, too, had the best season of his vetted college career. The Georgia knock is a resounding one though, and Lanning will be wary. There is one element which makes things difficult for Oregon. It has allowed adversaries to gain traction in the race.

Dan Lanning’s pursuit of Jared Curtis undercut by one factor

Jared Curtis has suitors vying for him for good reason. The signal-caller put up a gaudy 52 touchdowns in his junior year at Nashville Christian high school. This included 38 through the air, to go along with 2,672 passing yards. Off the back of his escapades, he’s won the 2024 Gatorade POTY for the state of Tennessee. The SEC is not willing to let this caliber of player leave its terrain, and Georgia has company.

South Carolina is another major player in this proverbial race. In fact, 247Sports’ recruiting analyst Tom Loy earlier logged in a prediction stating SCal are frontrunners. Curtis has made a couple of visits to campus, and the response has been largely positive. The problem for Oregon is that they’ve already got two 4-star QB recruits committed from the 2026 class. Commitments are clearly not worth a lot in this era of CFB. But that facet inadvertently casts doubt over their Jared Curtis recruitment.

A career-altering decision beckons for Curtis. His frame, in tandem with his skills, makes him a potential NFL prospect. He’ll need to find a coach that he trusts to develop him to the fullest. Whether that’s Dan Lanning, Mike Bobo or a third individual. Whoever manages to have Jared Curtis under centre will reciprocally benefit just as much. With so much of the menu, you’d expect this process to elongate further.