Ryder Lyons, Oregon Ducks target and 5-star quarterback, reacts to Dan Lanning's pay raise

Andrew Nemec | Mar 7, 2025

Ryder Lyons prepares to take on a Long Beach Poly defender. / Photo by Todd Shurtleff

This week it was reported the University of Oregon and Dan Lanning had agreed to an annual raise of $2 million per year, making him the fourth highest-paid coach in college football.

Lanning has improved his record in each of his three seasons in Eugene - 10-3, 12-2, 13-1 - and is expected to break the program record, set just last year (8), for most NFL draft picks in a single draft.

He is also making a strong case to be considered the best recruiter in program history.

And a long-term stay in Eugene is music to recruits' ears.

Folsom (California) five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, the nation's No. 5 overall prospect in the class of 2026, is high on the Ducks, but will take a one-year LDS mission upon graduating high school.

So, he'll technically be a class of 2027 addition wherever he goes.

That means stability at head coach and offensive coordinator are put to the test in his recruitment.

He likes what he sees in Eugene.

"It makes it, for sure, much more stable," Lyons said. "I don’t think Coach Lanning is a coach stability problem."

>>> Oregon Ducks pay Dan Lanning, double-down on recruiting secret weapon - stability

In truth, however, Lyons indicated he is watching the future of Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, who has been intregral in the success and development of both Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel in Eugene.

Who does Lyons talk to the most in recruiting?

"Oregon... pretty much all the time," he told Rivals last week. "Coach Lanning, coach (Will) Stein... pretty great relationship with those two, my whole family, which is pretty incredible."

Clearly Lyons wants the Lanning-Stein combo to stick together, and stick around, at Oregon.

The Ducks took a major step closer toward making that happen this week with an agreement on a raise for Lanning.

Scouting report (via 247Sports):

"Lyons is on the short list when talking about the top overall signal caller in the ’26 class. He's coming off a huge sophomore season where he showed off his rare ability as a thrower and runner and accounted for 61 all-purpose touchdowns. At the SoCal Elite 11 Camp (3/17/24), he showed off one of the quickest releases in the camp, the ability to make throws from in and out of the pocket and was accurate to all three levels of the field. His 36" vertical jump was 2nd highest in the camp and he combines rare physical tools with an advanced feel for the position as well."

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