Dan Lanning claps back at Kirby Smart after NIL comment

At SEC media days last week, Kirby Smart used part of his podium time to highlight an offseason visit with Nike, while also taking a sideswipe at a former assistant-turned-recruiting rival. 

"This year we took Nike, who I've had the great pleasure of meeting Phil Knight and his wonderful wife Penny," Smart said. "Wish I could get some of that NIL money he's sharing with Dan Lanning, but that's other note."

Lanning obviously would be asked about that comment during his turn at Big Ten media days this week and, with more than a week to prepare, Lanning matched his old boss zinger for zinger.

"I think it's impressive that guys like Kirby have been signing the No. 1 class without any NIL money this entire time," Lanning told The Pat McAfee Show. "So impressive."

For those that don't follow recruiting, Oregon's 15-man recruiting class ranks fifth in the 247Sports composite and first on a per-player basis. The Ducks have secured the commitment of the nation's No. 5 player and top wide receiver Dakorien Moore out of Duncanville, Texas, along with top-100 players from Florida, Texas and Maryland, and top-250 players from Kansas, Illinois and Missouri, along with their usual hotbeds of California, Arizona and Nevada. 

Oregon also signed the No. 2 transfer portal class this past winter, signing Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart, and Michigan State defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, among others.

Georgia, for the record, has the nation's third-ranked recruiting class, following a No. 1 ranking in 2024. The Dawgs haven't finished lower than fourth since Smart's transition class in 2016. 

Back to the original point, Lanning did not deny that NIL has played a large part in Oregon's recruiting success, because it pays a large part in everyone's success in a post-NIL world (and before that, too, wink wink.) Oregon's collective, Division Street, is run by former Nike executives. 

"I don't think it's a secret: if you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you better have great support," Lanning said. "We have that, but it's one plus one plus one. It's also the 300 teams we went to this spring, it's the 23 satellite camps, it's when they come to your campus, it's our staff, it's our alignment with our entire university that makes our recruiting work." 

Still, there's no bad blood between mentor and mentee, at least none that Lanning would admit to to McAfee. 

"I still definitely visit with Kirby, I consider him a great mentor. I wouldn't be sitting here if not for guys like that. I probably learned more from Coach Smart than any other coach I've worked with in my entire career."

Lanning's first game as a head coach came against Smart and Georgia, a 49-3 Bulldogs win. Here's hoping we get another soon.