Published Jan 28, 2025
Take Two: How Green?
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Scott Reed  •  DuckSportsAuthority
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TAKE ONE: Carousel Rumors

With the news that Jim Knowles left Ohio State for Penn State, one Oregon coach saw his name pop up on at least one “hot board” list to replace him. However, I think that rumor is a bit misguided—more a case of someone needing to come up with a few names and defaulting to five or six highly regarded assistant coaches who might be ready for the next step. Realistically, Ohio State likely already has its replacement on staff.

Matt Guerrieri, the Buckeyes’ current safeties coach—whom Ryan Day has called one of the brightest minds in college football—seems to be the logical choice. I suppose there’s a scenario where he and someone else might be co-defensive coordinators, but that feels unlikely at this point.


None of this is to diminish just how good a coach Hampton is for Oregon. He was pursued by multiple SEC and ACC programs last offseason, ultimately turning those opportunities down to stay at Oregon with a larger role following Demetrice Martin’s departure. At some point, he’s going to land a position that’s a clear promotion from Co-Defensive Coordinator, and that day could be sooner rather than later. Hampton is an elite recruiter and yet another strong defensive mind.

The longer Dan Lanning and Oregon enjoy sustained success on the field, the more likely it becomes that these coaches will move on. But one thing that has really impressed me is how Lanning seems to help others see that a move must be the right move—not just a change for the sake of change.

I know of multiple analysts and assistants who have turned down jobs elsewhere because they feel Oregon is a better fit, and they don’t want to take “any old job” just because it has a flashier title. That’s a testament to Lanning’s “The Grass is Damn Green” philosophy, and it will be interesting to see if this mindset becomes more common in college football.

Too often, we’ve seen successful coordinators jump at the first head-coaching offer they receive, only to be fired within three years. If the program isn’t stable, lacks proper support, or suffers from a poor athletic culture, it’s sometimes better to keep honing your craft until the right opportunity arises.

Hampton is one example, but I imagine Will Stein is also paying close attention to what happens when coordinators join programs that aren’t set up for success. In both the short and long term, this approach stands to benefit Oregon.

TAKE TWO: The Quiet Time?

Every year, the day after signing day rolls around and there’s this collective exhale like, “Finally! Now it’s quiet.” But if you’re like me, you know it’s not truly quiet—more like that moment in a movie right before the big twist, where everyone thinks the plot’s winding down, but the real action is just around the corner.

Sure, the flurry of five-star faxes, dramatic hat picks, and last-second flips is in the rearview mirror. For a hot second, it’s easy to think we can all just throw our feet up, chug some coffee, and rest our voices from screaming “He committed where?!” But that’s just not how the recruiting world works. In fact, this stretch of so-called downtime is when we really dig into what’s next.

“Quiet” is a bit of a misnomer. We’re not looking at all the 2025 prospects, shrugging our shoulders, and tapping out for a few months. Nah, we’re trying to mine information from high school coaches, shooting messages to kids still sorting through their early options, and keeping tabs on the next wave of talent. That early momentum is crucial—it can shape the narrative for an entire cycle.

It’s like cleaning up after a big party. Sure, the confetti from the last group is still all over the floor, but you’re already thinking about the next round of guests. Who’s topping the boards for the next cycle? Which hidden gems are about to burst onto the scene after a strong spring camp? The “quiet” time is when we start setting the stage for answers to those questions.

And let’s not forget the superpower that is the Transfer Portal. Just because Signing Day is done doesn’t mean the rosters are locked and loaded. Folks are still eyeing the spring portal window, crossing their fingers that some top player emerges to fill a last-minute need. I’m telling you, nothing sparks a fresh wave of excitement like the random Tuesday afternoon announcement: “Four-star QB from last year’s class just entered the portal.”

Cue the phone calls, text messages, and Twitter sprees. Coaches rally to see if they’ve got a shot, and we’re here covering all the madness. It’s “quiet,” but it’s the kind of quiet like reading the script of a thriller before the big reveal. You know something’s coming.

From the outside, it might look like the recruiting media goes on vacation after we wrap up coverage on the last signing period. But to me, this is the time to do a deep dive into the next group of kids. We’re scouring junior day invites, ranking combine performances, rummaging through high school tape like detectives.

We might not be counting down to a big, splashy signing day press conference right now, but we’re still studying the field. We’re tracking who’s blossomed into a sure-fire five-star and who’s still got to prove themselves. This is the prep work that makes the eventual explosion of offers more informed and more accurate.

Don’t sleep on the fact that coaches are in “host mode.” Spring ball is around the corner. High schoolers flock to campuses, they watch practices, meet the staff, and start forming their opinions in real time. That conversation about how “there’s nothing going on” is wildly off-base. If anything, we’re on more phone calls, Zoom interviews, and social media stalking missions—just trying to piece together the puzzle of each recruit’s next move.

We’re not just rummaging through highlight reels. Sometimes, the best storylines pop up in these transitions—coaching changes, behind-the-scenes staff tweaks, or maybe the 7-on-7 circuit that draws a who’s who of rising talent.

Local high school tournaments and camps become gold mines for the next big story. That four-star receiver who didn’t quite sign where everyone expected? We want to know why. Is he a portal candidate next year? Is there friction at his new program? People eat that stuff up, and we’re out here hustling to get the scoop.

You might see a little less fanfare on your Twitter feed—fewer “QUACK!” tweets from coaches, fewer commitment graphics. But trust me, the wheels are still turning. For the truly obsessed (and let’s be real, we’re obsessed), this is the time we lick our chops. We gather intel, build relationships, and figure out how to piece together the big picture.

So, the next time someone says, “Hey, signing day is over—now it’s the quiet period,” just give them a little wink. We know there’s no such thing as ‘quiet’ in the world of college football recruiting. There’s always that next top prospect, the next official visit spree, or the next blockbuster portal addition lurking around the corner. We may not be in the spotlight, but we’re definitely still grinding behind the scenes—because in recruiting, the quest for tomorrow’s headline never takes a day off.