Oregon Ducks, Dan Lanning National Championship Window Open in NIL Era?

In a new era of college football, the Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning seemed to be positioned for success when it comes to competing for national championships. Name, image, and likeness is as important as ever. Will Oregon hang around the Ohio State Buckeyes, Georgia Bulldogs, and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the top?

Dec 30, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on the Big Ten Network stage during Rose Bowl media day at Sheraton Grand LA. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first 12-team playoff in college football history. In this new era of the sport, which programs are best set up for success?

Teams like Notre Dame, the Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Miami Hurricanes have not won a national championship in a while, or ever, in cases like Oregon's. Familiar faces in the College Football Playoff are expected to succeed, like Ohio State, the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Clemson Tigers.

What will it take to compete in the future College Football Playoff? The short answer is resources. The rules surrounding NIL and the transfer portal continue to change, but the main constant has remained money.

Ohio State Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) carries the ball on a run against Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio (97) in the third quarter during the College Football Playoff championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coaches cost more than ever in college football. The highest salaries in 2024 were Georgia coach Kirby Smart's of $13,282,580, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney's of $11,132,775 and Texas coach Steve Sarkisian's of $10,600,000

Oregon coach Dan Lanning is considered a rising star after leading his team to a Big Ten Championship, and his name is consistently brought up whenever a high-profile job has opened. However, the Oregon coach publicly announced his intentions of staying in Eugene after being linked to the Texas A&M job opening in 2023.

"Everything I want exists right here. I'm not going anywhere. There's zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else," Lanning said to the media. "I've got unfinished business here. . . . We have the resources, the tools, anybody that can't understand why you would want to be at this place, doesn't understand exactly what exists here."

Lanning's salary in 2024 was $8.2 million, according to reports. He was the 14th-highest paid coach in the country last season and the fourth-highest in the Big Ten, behind USC's Lincoln Riley, Ohio State's Ryan Day, and Penn State's James Franklin.

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After winning the national championship, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith reportedly has an offer of $4.5 million to enter the portal and leave the Buckeyes. After losing to Ohio State, Notre Dame also lost multiple offensive linemen who decided to transfer.

Well-funded teams can use the transfer portal to fill holes in their roster. The Ducks, for example, are expected to start multiple transfers along the offensive and defensive line in 2025.

Multiple teams in this season's College Football Playoff featured transfer quarterbacks, like the Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, Ohio State's Will Howard, Notre Dame's Riley Leonard, and Arizona State's Sam Leavitt.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (91) rushes at Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during the second half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In addition to the quarterback position, the depth that teams can build through the portal becomes increasingly important if the playoff field continues to expand to more games.

NIL deals are also deeply connected with transfer portal and recruiting decisions. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, the Ducks boast the No. 5 recruiting class from the 2025 cycle, and in the class of 2026 Oregon is currently ranked No. 1.

Will these recruits help lead Oregon to its first national championship?

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