Dan Lanning Makes Local Recruiting Push During Oregon's Bye Week

Coach Dan Lanning didn’t have to travel too far to watch one of his class of 2027 commits in action during the No. 15 Oregon Ducks’ bye week.

Four of Lanning’s 25 commits in the 2027 cycle play in or around Portland, Oregon. The Ducks’ coach went to watch a Friday Night Lights matchup between Lake Oswego and Oregon City, featuring three-star edge rusher commit Josh Christensen.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field before the game as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan Lanning Scouts Recruiting Targets

Christensen is the No. 2-ranked player in the state, according to Rivals. The Lake Oswego edge rusher committed to the Ducks back on June 19, despite also garnering interest from the Washington Huskies, California Golden Bears and others.

While it’s easy to say that Lanning traveled up I-5 to see one of his future defensive players, Christensen might not have been the only reason Lanning went to watch the game. Four-star tight end in the 2028 class, Presley DeLance, is one of Christensen’s teammates on the Lakers.

DeLance is the consensus No. 1 player in Oregon for the 2028 class and a consensus top-10 tight end overall. The Ducks have the highest percentage to land DeLance, per the Rivals Prediction Machine, sitting at 31.3 percent.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning cheers on his team as the Oregon Ducks host the Portland State Vikings on Sept. 18, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The tight end has earned plenty of other Power Four interest, however. That includes recent offers from the Wisconsin Badgers, Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs, according to 247Sports.

Three-star Central Catholic tight end George VanSandt, three-star Nelson receiver Malachi Garlington and four-star West Linn cornerback Josiah Molden join Christensen as the four in-state commits in the 2027 cycle.

Given that Lanning chose to watch the game with both a current and future recruit playing indicates that the Ducks are still making a push for DeLance as he finishes his junior year of high school.

Utilizing Oregon Ducks’ Bye Week

Oregon coach Dan Lanning, left, and James Madison coach Bob Chesney meet at midfield before the CFP game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Dec. 20, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lanning answered a question during his Wednesday press conference about whether he tries to prioritize the next recruiting class or future ones during his bye week break.

“It's all of it, right? You're always trying to enhance your team,” Lanning said. “You know, I feel good about the class that we have right now. I want to continue to maintain the class that we have, and then go ahead and evaluate the future and what that looks like.”

Oregon entered the bye week off an emotional 41-27 road victory against the No. 18 USC Trojans in Week 4. Lanning and his program are set to prepare for a No. 23 UCLA Bruins team next on Oct. 10.

Both the Bruins and the Ducks earned bye weeks ahead of their matchup. UCLA coach Bob Chesney, like Lanning, was seen attending a high school football game on Friday night during his bye.

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning runs out to the field with players before a game against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But outside watching the Lake Oswego vs. Oregon City game, Lanning also used his break to attend Seattle Seahawks practice, as well as prepare his team for what’s ahead. Despite the gritty ranked win last time out, Lanning doesn’t seem satisfied with the Ducks simply sustaining their level of play – he’s still looking to elevate it.

“Yeah, we just have so much improvement that we have to attack, that we have to work on, and certainly we're in fine moments for connection where we spend some time outside of the facility,” Lanning said. “You know, got to protect myself a little bit from wanting to go too much, right?”

“Because it can be a long season, but the reps we get have to look a certain way, and we're trying to push right now,” he added.

Luckily for Oregon, it plays three of its four October games at home at Autzen Stadium after already playing two road games.

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