Oregon Ducks Mailbag: How Current Struggles Will Affect Recruiting

The Oregon Ducks (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) enter their first Halloween game since 2009 with the Northwestern Wildcats making their first trip to Autzen Stadium in program history.

After losing a third game, the upcoming challenge of coach Dan Lanning and crew adjusting to a new offensive play caller, the added layer of Northwestern offensive coordinator being former Oregon coach Chip Kelly, and the persistent search for a definitive starting quarterback, it's time to open the mailbag and answer fans questions.

Oct 24, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola (8) passes the ball as Illinois Fighting Illini defensive lineman Joe Barna (43) defends during the second half at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Team Struggles and Recruiting

"The real question is how this affects recruiting. Losing Stein and then Mehringer eliminates a lot of previously laid groundwork for young offensive players. How do we feel about the Ducks keeping their offensive commitments?" - @CaribbeanTitan

In my opinion, I think it's hard to think this season's results are not going to affect the recruitment efforts, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

My mind goes back to the class of 2026 recruitment cycle where formerly enrolled four-star quarterback Bryson Beaver departed the program in January with reports of Kentucky coach Will Stein (Oregon's then-outgoing offensive coordinator) seeking to pull the talent to his new program. Beaver eventually went to Georgia, but that's a direct showing that someone Stein himself recruited left the program after the former offensive coordinator's departure.

Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham calls out to players during practice with the Ducks on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. O40522 Eug Football Practice 10 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On field results and personnel changes in staff will always have an effect on recruiting, but it's also possible the right choice for Oregon's permanent offensive play-caller and recruiter could be a shot in the arm to recruiting, like when Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham joined the Oregon program as offensive coordinator in 2022 and used his previous experience at Auburn in 2019 as a quarterback coach to recruit now-Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

Lanning said that he's got some ideas for who to call in the back of his mind, and it seems like the search for a new offensive coordinator (with recruiting certainly in mind) is looking for someone with the biggest impact, not the quickest get, which I believe will benefit recruiting in due time.

"You want to be really thorough as you go through that. Is that going to be occurring over the next few weeks, months? Yes. Does that mean that we make an announcement tomorrow? It just doesn't really fit with the cycle of football to say that that's going to happen here in a week. And there's other things that our team needs to be focused on right now," Lanning said in his pregame press conference.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Akili Smith Jr. eyes a pass during warmups as the Oregon Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Akili Smith and the Transfer Portal

"Does Akili Smith ever become QB1 at Oregon or does he end up transferring?" - @ThePDXKid

In my opinion, I think seeing quarterback Akili Smith Jr. as the starting quarterback is unlikely but possible, because Lanning replied "There's 100 percentt an opportunity," when asked if Smith could play this season. I think it's more likely the sophomore gets playing time in later quarters than starts, but weirder things have happened.

When it comes to how Lanning and crew choose who steps on the field, I look to Lanning's choice to consistently have fifth-year senior Brock Thomas as a back-up or starter. In 2025, Lanning stated Thomas' consistency in practice is what won him the back up job for then-junior Dante Moore last year. Lanning's stance hasn't changed since.

"Consistency," Lanning said about what he's looking for on Monday. "And again, we've got to be able to make sure that we can help create consistency with play calls. We've been a really good quarterback room off the bench. We haven't been a very good quarterback room consistently at the start of games.”

Will Smith go to the transfer portal? I can't definitively say one way or another (not a mind reader here), but there is precedent for younger quarterbacks departing the program.

Out of the 30 players who departed Oregon last season, quarterback Luke Moga (New Mexico), Beaver (Georgia), and Austin Novosad (Bowling Green) all left after not getting much playing time. Perhaps Smith's familial ties to the Ducks keeps him in Eugene (being the son of former 1990's Oregon quarter back Akili Smith), or he uses his time at Oregon to potentially transfer to a Group of Six program. Only time will tell on that one.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Brock Thomas looks to pass as the Oregon Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Thoughts On Brock Thomas

"What are your thoughts on Brock Thomas continuing as QB3 (I guess QB2 now). He can't see over his O-Line which probably accounts for his dismal performances (except for about 3 mins of UCLA game). Raiola, too? has shown he can't hold his own in big (and not big) games?" - @LDØDouble

Senior quarterback Brock Thomas did not play well against Nebraska, with a 45 percent completion rate with 54 yards, one interception, and one sack over three quarters. Like Lanning said postgame, Thomas just couldn't settle into the game and find a groove, which likely didn't help as Duck fans began to shout at Oregon's offense as they continued to go three-and-out.

What I find also interesting is Thomas only carried the ball three times for -3 yards. Thomas, who went to Sheldon High School in Eugene, was also a sprinter competing in the 40-yard dash, 100 meter, 200 meter, and multiple relay events.

In my opinion, I wish more was done with Thomas' legs against Nebraska, but I also understand being one of the smallest sized quarterbacks Nebraska has ever faced with such a struggling offensive line, the Ducks likely didn't want to risk the health of another quarterback.

I do agree that junior quarterback Dylan Raiola has been very hit or miss since Oregon's loss against UCLA, but his ability to run 37 plays in one quarter and win the game for the Ducks against his former team (the 17-14 win against Nebraska), I'm hoping the nerves and outside runs with jerk-reaction overthrows will subside with more game minutes. Prior to facing Northwestern, I get more excitement out of seeing Raiola play in comparission to Thomas as the Ducks continue a search for QB1 that feels very far from over.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning talks to the officials as the Oregon Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Perspective Going Forward

"I think this was the match that's gonna light the fire going forward. I think we'll see more aggressive portal acquisitions, and I think Dan will get this OC hire right. All the off-season distractions go away next year." - @surly_s

This hot take is something I think a lot of Duck fans can adopt for their perspective. With the current resume Oregon shows on the field, and Lanning admits this in being judged by "your body of work", the Ducks are likely going to pick up another loss this season (Ohio State on the road, Michigan at home, and Washington at home come to mind).

“Yeah, I mean those expectations were created by previous performance by us. I don't think I ever said we were going to be something other than what we create, right? It's football. It's about what you go to do every single day, what you do, your body of work. We don't have the body of work, right, as a team right now, to be anything other than who we are. You are your film, right? And that's who we are," Lanning said after the Illinois loss.

However, with the amount of investment Oregon places into their program (The Athletic reported earlier this season that the Ducks were the No. 3 most expensive team in the nation for the 2026 season) and the mounting pressure from fans and donors alike, Lanning and crew have no choice but to do what they can to get back to regular season results mirroring the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

That body of work has to get better, and with such a marketdly large slump of a season compared to the No. 2 preseason AP Poll ranking (as well as the nationwide preseason media hype) the Ducks received, there's an expectation to bounce back or simply be a flash of what could've been.

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