Have you ever seen a man get criticized for having too much money? That’s Dan Lanning and Oregon right now. The Ducks are out here trying to stack five-stars like they’re Pokémon cards, but instead of giving props, haters wanna talk about how they’ve got a $113 billion bombshell backing them. Honestly, what’s the fuss about? Oregon’s just figuring out how to compete with the big boys, and they’re snagging elite talent from all over. It seems like they’re doing something right. So what’s not to like?

Josh Pate hopped on his Late Kick Live podcast and threw down the gauntlet on February 23rd, addressing the $113 billion bombshell so-called ‘Nike factor’ that folks use to knock Oregon’s recruiting success. “They’ve got deep resources, which for some odd reason is used pejoratively against them. Like, everyone knows what wins in college football—and it’s money,” Pate said. “Then Oregon goes and acquires talent, and they win on the field. For some reason, the more insecure corners of the internet say, ‘Well, yeah, but they’ve got Nike.’”

And here’s the kicker—Lanning isn’t even trying to argue with y’all. Pate went on: “I would think Dan Lanning just sits back, puts his hands behind his head, and smiles, like, ‘Keep trashing us.’” Because when the biggest knock against you is that you have resources, you’re doing something right.

Let’s get something straight—just because Oregon has the Nike bag doesn’t mean they’re automatically cooking in recruiting. This ain’t the SEC or the Midwest, where you trip over five-star recruits in your backyard. Oregon? They gotta go nationwide just to build a top-tier class. While Georgia and Alabama can pull up to a local high school and find their next All-American, the Ducks are flying players in from 1,299 miles away on average just to get a conversation going. Another crazy statistic: Oregon got only 5% of in-state talents on their roster.

Oregon’s sitting out in the Pacific Northwest, where elite high school football talent is not growing on trees. The top four talent pools? California, Texas, the Southeast, and the Midwest—none of which are anywhere near Eugene. And who else is recruiting from those spots? Just so you know, USC, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio State—teams with decades of built-in prestige, in-state advantages, and a whole lot more than a flashy uniform to sell.

“You’re trying to compete against a team in Southern California, a bunch of teams in the Midwest close to major population centers, and a bunch of teams in Texas and the South,” Pate backed the Oregon X Nike combo. “So for all the disadvantages that Oregon should have, for all the ways the tables of the sport should be tilted against them, when I put the Nike bowling ba-l on the table, I don’t look at it as tipping it way in their favor. I look at it as more balancing the table back out—maybe a slight tilt in Oregon’s favor.” Translation? Nike isn’t some cheat code—it’s what’s keeping Oregon in the fight, not handing them automatic Ws.

Dan Lanning and Oregon Ducks’ 2025 recruiting class: more than just a checkbook

Even with the Nike factor, you still gotta close the deal—and Lanning? Oh, he’s closing. The Ducks’ 2025 class is coming in hot, sitting in the top five across major recruiting services. According to 247Sports, Oregon is sitting at No. 2 nationally, trailing only Texas. ESPN ranks them No. 3, just behind Texas and Georgia. Meanwhile, On3 puts them at No. 4, rounding out an elite group. That’s big time.

Oregon’s class is sitting at 20 commits, with some serious headliners. The crown jewel? Five-star WR Dakorien Moore, a burner with hands for days. Then there’s 5-star CB Na’eem Offord, who flipped from Ohio State—an absolutely huge win. And let’s not forget four-star LB Gavin Nix, who decommitted from Miami to roll with Lanning and the Ducks.

Lanning is out here robbing blue-bloods for their top commits. He ain’t just keeping up—he’s taking food off SEC and Big Ten plates. And don’t think for a second that Nike alone is doing that. It’s the message, the culture, the vision—and yeah, a little bit of that Phil Knight money too. But if money alone won chips, Texas A&M would have five by now.

End of the day, Oregon’s biggest “disadvantage” is also their biggest flex. Yeah, they gotta recruit differently. Yeah, they gotta travel cross-country for talent. But guess what? They’re getting it done. The Ducks are pulling in elite classes, flipping top talent from powerhouse programs, and stacking the type of roster that can go toe-to-toe with the heavyweights. So yeah, keep the Nike talk going and make excuses. Meanwhile, Oregon’s building a title team.