"Oregon is Nike and Nike is Oregon": Oregon's Dan Lanning embraces Phil Knight's deep connection while leveraging support for Big Ten transition

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning is embracing the deep connection with former Nike CEO Phil Knight while gearing up for the Big Ten transition. With the Ducks boasting the No. 5 recruiting class, Lanning's enthusiasm is palpable.

In a recent chat during the 2024 B1G Football Media Days, Lanning shared insights on the support for the Big Ten move and Nike's influence on the program.

"Oregon is Nike and Nike is Oregon," Lanning said. [Timesamp - 8:00]

Coach Lanning highlighted the inspirational story behind Nike’s founding, encouraging everyone to read Phil Knight’s book, Shoe Dog.

“There's a lot of things that we want to build our program off of based on some of those principles that Nike really created, and some of those being change and being different,” he said.

Lanning admires Nike's principles of innovation and change, which he aims to embed in the Oregon football program.

“We're kind of stepping behind this year because that's how we want to be, and I think if you look at Nike's approach, that was certainly something that might be different,” Lanning added. “They've done a phenomenal job.”

Nike, co-founded by University of Oregon alumnus Phil Knight, has a long-standing relationship with the university. Knight has donated over $1 billion to the University of Oregon.

According to Statesman Journal, in 2017, the university and Nike agreed on an 11-year, $88 million sponsorship deal. This includes annual cash payments of up to $2.5 million and increasing apparel provisions, showcasing Nike's continued commitment to the Ducks.

Behind Nike’s unmatched NIL influence on Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks?

Oregon's Dan Lanning welcomes the strong support from former Nike CEO Phil Knight as the school gears up for the Big Ten transition. This support might have been misunderstood by some.

The buzz started with a tweet from Rick Neuheisel, mentioning that Knight is ready to provide unlimited resources for Oregon's Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) efforts.

However, On3’s JD Pickell pointed out that there's no hard evidence of Oregon receiving unlimited Nike resources.

Pickell highlighted that top quarterbacks Dylan Gabriel and Dante Moore chose Oregon, possibly due to financial incentives. The success of Bo Nix and his potential first-round draft status also likely attracted top talent to the school.

"If we're using common sense, they probably didn't get those guys for free," Pickell said. “But also, so are those guys picking Oregon if Bo Nix doesn't have the season he's had last year, with the resume he's had since he got to Oregon." [Timestamp - 3:53]

"If Bo Nix isn't projected to be a first round pick, or trending that way, which he ultimately ended up being, I think that probably factors in as much, if not more heavily, than NIL."

According to Pickell, Oregon isn't a hotspot for high school football talent, requiring the school to cast a wide net for recruits. While Nike's financial backing helps, it's not the only reason for Dan Lanning's recruiting success.