We can be honest about Oregon’s victories over USC
The Oregon Ducks defeated the USC Trojans in the battle to land elite defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. Many USC fans will tell you that Phil Knight and his Nike money made the difference. Are they wrong? Let’s think about that question before answering it.
Ducks Wire wrote that “In the early transfer window, Harmon entered the portal and looked around for a new team, ultimately taking a visit to Oregon before deciding to return to East Lansing with Jonathan Smith. After a few offseason months, though, Harmon re-entered the portal and decided to fly west to Eugene.”
It’s clear that Harmon thought long and hard about his decision. Some might speculate that Oregon increased the value of the bag at the last moment, and that USC wasn’t willing to pay as much. Maybe that’s true, but we don’t know that. We can say that Harmon weighed his choice and didn’t make it quickly or easily. This obviously means Eric Henderson and USC offered something compelling, something worth considering. NFL-level development mattered in all of this. It might simply not have been the first — or only — factor.
When USC fans say that Phil Knight and his money were the difference for Oregon, they aren’t fundamentally wrong. That money is a powerful lure and a consistent advantage the Ducks have. However, while USC fans are basically right, they need to be careful and avoid saying that money is the only reason for Oregon’s player-acquisition wins. Is it the main reason? Very possibly, maybe even likely. It’s not the only reason, however.
Let’s be honest: If Mark Helfrich or Willie Taggart coached Oregon, and the Ducks were coming off the kind of season USC (8-5) just had, do you still think Harmon would be in Eugene right now? Money might be the main driver of this — we’re not arguing that point — but it’s not the only element and the sole reason for Harmon’s (or other recruits’) decisions. Dan Lanning has needed to display enough competence to pull in these portal and recruiting prospects. If he went 8-5 last season, he wouldn’t be winning nearly as many battles. We feel confident in saying that.
Money matters. Phil Knight matters. On those points, there is zero debate. We’re not fighting against those claims. We’re only saying money is not the only driver or the whole ballgame. The coaches have to be good enough. The program has to be good enough. Oregon is, and USC is coming off a five-loss season in which it didn’t look great. That matters, too.
We just want to make sure people realize that.
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