TAKE ONE: Apples & Trees VIII
In 2013, Oregon headed into newly renovated Husky Stadium and the Duck-Husky rivalry seemed as one-sided as ever. Time and the coaching carousel may have changed who is on top in recent series history, but it has done little to extinguish the fire between the two fan bases.
Most consider the series to have been reinvigorated in 1994; while this is not entirely true, it was, in many ways, reborn the moment that Oregon believed it could compete with the Huskies with more than just ‘moments of luck.’ The 1994 game was the moment when Oregon realized it could compete with the talent – and that was monumental.
Often, there is the bitterness of the Duck rise – that they bought their way into an elite status. Rival fans decry the amount of money Oregon has spent on facilities as some sort of unfair advantage. First of all, Washington has a significantly larger donor base and alumni base to tap into, to call Oregon's advantage is simply silly. The renovation at Husky Stadium cost $281 million; that is more than the Autzen upgrade (2002), Jacqua Center, Hatfield-Dowlin Complex and Matthew Knight Arena combined. Unfair advantage? Hardly.
The money enhanced the foundation that had already been laid by Rich Brooks and Mike Bellotti. This foundation lay in recruiting and player development. As the team got better results, they were able to see a higher caliber athlete willing to forsake the beaches and sunshine for the fog and rain of winter in the Willamette Valley. What has made the Ducks special is not just the results on the field, or the money received from boosters. The Ducks have become special for a simple reason.
While other schools sell a "family" atmosphere, Oregon went to a whole new level of family.
It is hardly a coincidence that during the moments created in the early part of the 2000’s – bad hires by the Huskies at the head coaching position – the Ducks really seized momentum by owning their rivals in recruiting Northwest talent. When the Ducks lost that edge; they lost out on a critical component. Despite the Huskies looking to recruit ‘academic prowess’ they had failed to recruit players to improve their football prowess.
Conferences are better when rivalries are heated.
Ten years ago I said this heading into the game at Husky stadium “As long as the Ducks continue to find creative ways to stay ahead of the curve and avoid falling victim to complacency, there is no reason to fear the future.”
The finger point eight years ago was the moment the future changed. It was galvanizing among the fan base while also embarrassing. After a decade-plus of dominance, Oregon was being taunted by a sophomore quarterback.
It was only eight years ago – and yet it seems as if two decades have passed during those eight years. Watching Browning account for 8 total touchdowns (6 passing, 2 rushing) while the Huskies had a historic offensive output in Eugene had a very large hand in the sweeping change that would soon take place in Eugene. Washington would go on to the College Football Playoff while Oregon would fire their entire staff and start from scratch.
When the Huskies dispatched Oregon 38-3 in 2017, fans in Seattle drooled at the possibility of their own 12-year run of Northwest Dominance. But something strange happened on that road to dominance – Oregon recruited better than they ever had, and the Ducks upset Washington in 2018 in an overtime thriller with CJ Verdell scoring a walk off touchdown run. Since then, the tides have seemed to shift again; Oregon won three straight in the series – and now Washington is on their own three game winning streak. We won’t go down the Lincoln Riley road. Three-point losses count the same as 70-21 in the standings and those three losses to Washington were costly. It will not be the rivalry itself that is the driving force in how Oregon prepares; it will be what still lay in front of this team and how Washington has taken that away for two straight seasons.
It seems plausible for fans, players and coaches to feel confident; Washington melted down three years ago and seemingly broke former head coach Jimmy Lake. A year ago, Washington was charmed and used resiliency to take two close wins and propel themselves to a National Championship Game appearance.
This season, though, the tables have turned once again. Washington saw their coach leave for Alabama and their roster decimated by the transfer portal. In some ways, getting to bowl eligibility for Washington was a very impressive coaching job by Jedd Fisch. Their roster lost 21 of 22 starters and the depth also took a hit. Getting this team to even have some level of success given where they were in February is a testament to that success? A feral animal cornered is a dangerous thing; one which all should be wary.
This game will mean a lot to Oregon and you can be sure that there are people wearing purple that want nothing more than to ruin a perfect regular season. Now we see if the lessons learned in three straight losses will allow Oregon to eclipse the hurdle that has cost the Ducks a chance at the College Football Playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
TAKE TWO: Silent Treatment
When it comes to elite recruiting, few do it better than Dan Lanning and his staff at Oregon. One hallmark of their approach is knowing when and how to deliver their most compelling message, ensuring it resonates at the pivotal moments in a recruit's decision-making process.
The bye week provided Oregon with a unique opportunity: a chance to focus all their attention on key recruits without the distractions of game preparation. Heading into the weekend, we identified three known visitors expected on campus. While Brandon Arrington did not attend as planned, the other two—Jahkeem Stewart and Brandon Finney—were high-profile targets with significant implications for Oregon’s recruiting class.
Finney, in particular, has been on "flip watch" for well over a month, drawing attention from other elite programs despite his commitment to the Ducks. Oregon’s coaching staff has remained steadfast in their efforts to keep him on board, demonstrating their commitment by bringing him back for another visit, this time during the Ohio State game. This weekend’s visit further reinforced their intent to solidify his place in the fold. By all accounts, the approach seems to have worked, bolstering the Ducks' chances of retaining one of their most sought-after commits.
However, Oregon’s recruiting strategy goes beyond routine visits and conversations. The program operates with an extraordinary level of secrecy, particularly in the critical weeks leading up to signing day. This veil of confidentiality, while frustrating for those of us in the media, is a deliberate tactic. It protects Oregon’s plans and gives them an edge in the competitive world of recruiting.
Take Jahkeem Stewart, for example. Few outside the inner circle truly know the specifics of the Ducks’ presentation to him or their broader recruiting strategy. Those details are kept under lock and key, shared only among a select few within the program. This tight-lipped approach ensures that Oregon’s efforts to land elite recruits like Stewart remain shielded from competitors, preventing leaks that could undermine their pitch.
Recruiting at the highest level is like assembling a puzzle, where the final pieces are often the hardest to place. For Oregon, competing with other powerhouse programs requires not only the right message but also the ability to maintain privacy. In an environment where every detail can tip the scales, the Ducks' discretion is as much a part of their success as their persistence and pitch.
Ultimately, this blend of strategy, timing, and confidentiality exemplifies why Oregon has emerged as one of the premier recruiting programs in college football. Under Dan Lanning’s leadership, the Ducks continue to set a standard that few can match.
