Dan Lanning opens up on how being in Big Ten impacts Oregon recruiting

The 2024 National Signing Day just wrapped up, and the Oregon Ducks have secured a top-10 class under head coach Dan Lanning, according to On3’s team recruiting rankings. Lanning and his coaching staff were able to successfully do so despite the program changing conferences in 2024 from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten.

In most college football experts’ minds, the conference change means a change in playing philosophy. However, according to Lanning, that does not change his recruiting philosophy. Recently, the Oregon headman sat down and had a chat with On3’s Andy Staples on the Andy Staples On3 Podcast.

And it was then that Lanning revealed how little the change from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten impacted how he recruits players.

“We’re still gonna go try to recruit the best players in the nation,” said Lanning. “And I think, more than anything, it gives a clear vision about where our program’s headed, how we’re going be doing it, and who we’re doing it with. So, players want to be a part of great programs, right? We talk about great programs; great programs are often a part of great conferences, and that’s something that we have now with some clarity going into the Big Ten.”

According to On3’s Industry Ranking, Oregon ended National Signing Day with the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation. And that class is also second best in the Big Ten, only behind the Ohio State Buckeyes, who finished with the No. 3 class of recruits.

Lanning and the Ducks did not land any five-star recruits, per the On3 Industry Rankings, but did bring in several high-end four-star recruits, including five within the top 100 of the 2024 recruiting class. The most notable of them all is EDGE Elijah Rushing out of Tucson, AZ. Rushing, a six foot six defensive lineman who played his high school ball at Salpointe Catholic, ranked No. 38 in the nation, No. 6 at EDGE, and was the top player to be recruited out of the state of Arizona.

Oregon finished the 2023 season in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff ranking, with their only two losses of the year coming at the hands of the Pac-12 champion Washington Huskies. In his two seasons in Eugene, OR, Lanning has proved he is more than capable of keeping the Ducks in the College Football Playoff picture. And regardless of what conference Oregon calls home, their head coach intends on hitting the recruiting trails with the mindset of bringing back the best talent from across the country.