Signing Day 2025: The Ducks are the hunters now
"What he pitched is what’s happening."
The cigar video caused a stir because people didn’t know who was smoking it.
Remember, it was two years ago that Dan Lanning celebrated his first class with the Oregon Ducks by lighting up a stogie, taking a rip and posting a video to social media with “It was a Good Day” playing in the background.
It undeniably was for the Ducks — on that early signing day, the Ducks had the No. 1 class in the country. While the group would eventually finish No. 9 come February, the point was clear that, despite the recent program turnover, Lanning’s Ducks could at least recruit at the level set by Mario Cristobal before him.
But outside of Oregon circles — particularly north of here — the video was seen as another offseason trophy. Lanning’s Ducks had fallen short of the playoff a month earlier thanks to losses to Washington and Oregon State, and with one season on his resume there was little to suggest that the 30-something-year-old coach of the Oregon Ducks should be taking a victory lap quite yet.
“I think everybody sees what we’re building,” Lanning said earlier that day. “I think there are some players that want to be a part of something special.”
Two years later, the No. 1 Oregon Ducks are readying to play Penn State in the Big Ten title game. And while the Ducks have gotten plenty of headlines for the transfers they’ve brought in during the Lanning era, they’re the only undefeated team in America largely thanks to the contributions of players like Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti and Kenyon Sadiq from that class.
They are big-time players who bought into Lanning before he had proof of concept. Same goes for Josh Conerly Jr., the first five-star Lanning signed back in the spring of 2022.
A month ago, I asked the Big Ten first-team all-conference lineman how reality has matched what Lanning pitched him back when he was the No. 8 player in the class of 2022.
“What he pitched is what’s happening,” Conerly said.
In short, Lanning has always had a vision. And while there have been some speedbumps along the way — see Washington prior to Saturday — the Ducks have ultimately arrived at the destination.
Dan Lanning’s Ducks are winners now. And on Wednesday, the winners presented the spoils of their hunt.