10 things that Oregon Duck fans should be most thankful for in 2023
In the world of sports, fans often choose to spend their time criticizing or complaining about how things could go better. Media members are no exception to this behavior, so as we wake up on Thanksgiving Day and get an opportunity to share some time with friends and family, we at Ducks Wire wanted to give thanks.
A year ago when we did this, things were looking pretty great for the Ducks. Though they had lost their second game of the year to the Washington Huskies, and were just days away from a memorable collapse against the Oregon State Beavers to end the regular season, the season as a whole was a resounding success under first-year head coach Dan Lanning.
This year, things are looking even better, with the Ducks right in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation should they be able to win against Oregon State on Friday, while Bo Nix is among the leaders in the Heisman Trophy race at the moment.
On top of the tangible success in the football world, Oregon is still Oregon, and Phil Knight is still the greatest Uncle in the world. The Ducks have some of the best facilities, best uniforms, best coaches, and best players in the nation, and routinely are in the conversation among the best teams across all sports.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, as we gather with friends and family, we thought it would be nice to reflect on what Oregon fans should be the most thankful for this year. Here’s what we came up with:
Uncle Phil Knight
Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Is there any man more influential to the Oregon Ducks athletic program than Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight?
He’s nicknamed Uncle Phil for a reason, and the Ducks aren’t referred to as ‘Nike University’ just for fun. The unbelievable amount of money that Knight — a former Oregon alum — and his company have donated to Oregon over the years is astounding, and the university certainly wouldn’t be where it is today without him.
The uniforms, the facilities, the players, the coaches; everything that we will go on to talk about today and be thankful for, none of it could be possible without Knight and the resources that he has given to the University. Beyond even the athletic department, Phil and his wife, Penny, have taken a vested interest in the university as a whole, donating millions of dollars for the new science campus, and endless other facilities around the city of Eugene.
The University of Oregon, as we know it, would not be what it is today without Knight.
Dan Lanning
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
I’m not sure there is any man inside the state of Oregon who has upped his Q-rating as much as Dan Lanning has this year. While fans were largely approving of him last year, losses against both Oregon State and Washington left a bitter taste in the mouths of many. However, it’s clear now that the Ducks have the right man for the job and are on a clear ascension to the top. Whether it’s coaching, recruiting, pregame speeches, post-game speeches, or rebukes against other job offers, it’s pretty clear that Lanning has Eugene in the palm of his hand right now, and the Ducks would like it no other way.
Bo Nix
Do you remember in December of 2021 when it was announced that Bo Nix was transferring to Oregon, and many Duck fans met that news with disdain and skepticism?
That seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
Fast forward to now, and Nix is among the leaders in the Heisman Trophy race, and playing like one of the best quarterbacks we’ve ever see at Oregon. He’s chasing down school records left and right, and doing everything you could ask from a QB who is leading his team into championship contention. A few months from now, it seems like a lock that he will be a first-round draft pick, and likely one of the top-10 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nix has found a way into the hearts of Oregon fans, which didn’t seem likely at the start of his tenure in Eugene, but the Ducks are certainly thankful for him.
Elite Football Recruiting
While the jury was initially out on Dan Lanning’s ability to coach, there was never a question about his ability to recruit. Now it’s become incredibly clear that he can do both at a high level.
Lanning’s first-ever full recruiting class in 2023 was ranked No. 9 in the nation, and several of the players in that class have had a significant impact on the team this year. The 2024 class is looking even better, ranked No. 6 in the nation with a pair of 5-star defensive linemen that project to be instant difference-makers a year from now. There’s a good chance that the class gets better going forward as well, with several top-rated prospects still considering the Ducks.
Successful Pros
Whether it’s Sabrina Ionescu, Justin Herbert, or Marcus Mariota, it’s rare that Duck fans can’t look to the professional ranks and find one of their own, thriving. Take Kayvon Thibodeaux, or Dillon Brooks, or Payton Pritchard, or Satou Sabally, or DeForest Buckner, or Arik Armstead, or Jevon Holland, or Tyler Anderson, or Devon Allen, or English Gardner. The list goes on. It’s clear that over the past decade, Oregon’s success has bled into the professional ranks and started to plant the Ducks’ flag on a bigger level. For that, we are thankful.
Cinematic Recaps
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Landa
A new development that has taken place this year for Oregon is the introduction of “cinematic recaps” after each game of the season. In other words, they are 6-8 minute long videos that take us into the locker room pregame and postgame, while giving us a look at the sideline and a listen on the coaches’ headsets throughout a game. They have been an absolute homerun, having fans count down the hours on Monday’s until the newest edition drops.
The most popular recap video was probably after a Week 2 win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, but I think that my favorite was this recap after the Utah game:
I don’t have a ton to say about the recaps other than that if you haven’t watched them, then you need to stop what you’re doing right now and go catch up. They are endlessly entertaining, and a great gift to fans.
A Fun Final Pac-12 Season
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The end of the Pac-12 is near. It’s a very sad thing.
Fortunately, we were gifted with a highly entertaining final Pac-12 season that saw a ton of really good teams, and a lot of high-level play. There are still two teams — Washington and Oregon — in the mix for the College Football Playoff, and a handful of others still trying to get a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game. While we can all mourn the loss of this conference, I feel thankful that the final year of the Pac-12 at least gave us a lot of good memories.
New Friends
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
As sad as it is to see the Big Ten go away, I can’t help but be very excited for what is to come next year in the Big Ten. Alongside Washington, USC, and UCLA, the Ducks are embarking on a new chapter, joining the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State in one of the best conferences in the nation.
While you can be upset at what conference realignment has done to the sport, and justifiably so, I think that many Oregon fans would agree that they are thankful the Ducks at least have a seat at the table going forward and are not left in no-man’s land like some others.
Transfer Portal Success
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Once again, Dan Lanning and the Ducks hit several home runs in the transfer portal this year, landing some of the most impactful players on the roster. The likes of Evan Williams, Tez Johnson, Khyree Jackson, Jestin Jacobs, and Jordan Burch all transferred to Oregon this year, among others, and have been integral parts to what the Ducks have been able to do.
A year after getting guys like Bo Nix, Bucky Irving, and Christian Gonzalez from the portal, it’s clear that this coaching staff knows what it’s doing when assessing outside talent, and bringing the best players to Eugene. For that, Duck fans are all extremely thankful.
AD Rob Mullens
(Pool photo by Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard)
We started this list with Phil Knight, and we will end it with Rob Mullens.
As the athletic director for the Ducks, Mullens has been among the most influential people in all of Oregon, helping to create one of the more prominent athletic programs in all of the nation over the past couple of decades.
He’s served time as the head of the College Football Playoff committee, and made some of the most impressive hires you’ve seen, bringing in Dana Altman, Kelly Graves, and Dan Lanning. He’s helped grow the partnership with Nike, and build Oregon’s sporting facilities through the roof. He’s pulled the strings and orchestrated almost everything that we are left to enjoy with these teams. His contributions to Oregon should absolutely not go unnoticed.
