The Oregon Ducks’ stars aligned when it comes to their head coach. Under Dan Lanning, in 2024, they opened with a clean slate of 13 straight wins, topped up with the conference title. He heads into his fourth season at Oregon with a combined record of 35-6. But Lanning knows that surrounding himself with talented peeps like him would only accelerate the Ducks’ rise. And what better option than someone who knows the program in and out? After going through a directory of alumni, Lanning has counted on ex-plater Verone McKinley. Well, he is not the only alum in the Ducks’ staff.

Last year in January, Lanning returned fan favorite Ryan Walk to Eugene. The 6-foot-3, 292-pound former offensive lineman first joined the Oregon program in 2017 when he walked on to the football team. He was also one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy. Lanning later hired him as the assistant offensive line coach. But what makes Lanning count on McKinley? 

On August 25, Matt Zenitz reported on X, “Oregon is hiring former Ducks star safety Verone McKinley as a member of its recruiting staff, sources tell @CBSSports. McKinley was a first-team All-American at Oregon in 2021 and then spent three years in the NFL with the Dolphins and Cardinals.” Now, that calls for some great responsibility, isn’t it? After all, when it comes to recruiting class, compromising is a BIG NO NO for Lanning. Oregon has the No. 3 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle, per Rivals’ rankings. And what better way to boost it other than passing the reins to a familiar face?

Back in college, McKinley totaled 11 career interceptions and 10 passes defended. He was a redshirt freshman when the Ducks won the 2020 Rose Bowl Game against the Wisconsin Badgers. Even though he was an All-American in 2021, his luck did not favor the NFL break, and he went undrafted in the 2022 NFL Draft before landing with the Miami Dolphins. 

In the pro league, he had 16 tackles with one interception and one pass breakup in 10 games with two starts. Later on, he signed with the Cardinals in January 2024, but the stint was short as he was released in August 2024. Now, how is he feeling after getting the call from Lanning?

“Excited to be back home and starting the second phase of my. This is a special place to me, and I am ready to continue to help my school in its pursuit of excellence. I want to make sure I thank Rob Mullens, Coach Lanning, and Marshall Malchow for the opportunity. Go Ducks!” said McKinley in an interview with SI. While Lanning focuses on making a spotless coaching roster, he continues to do what he does best. That’s gifting Oregon top recruiting classes. But right now, a 2027 QB recruit is giving them a hard time.   

Dan Lanning goes on the back foot in the 2027 QB recruiting race

That’s none other than Dane Weber. Right now, Lanning and Co. are having a close fight with the Kansas Jayhawks. And already, Lance Leipold’s squad has acquired a soft place in the 2027 quarterback recruit’s heart. The young chap paid a visit to Lawrence, Kansas. In an interview with On3, right after the visit, he left no one hanging and spoke his heart out.

“After the visit there, they’re extremely high for me just based off the relationships I have.  To be able to see their offense and go more in-depth with coach (offensive coordinator Jim Lebowski) and how I’d fit in… They definitely moved up after the visit,” said Weber. And where did Lanning start to lag in the recruiting race? Kansas recently renovated its football stadium, which has impressed the quarterback recruit. On top of that, they scored 10/10 when it comes to winning the first impression.

Weber was present in the Jayhawks’ camp when they secured a win against the Fresno State Bulldogs in their 2025 opener. Even though Lanning needs to put his 100% efforts and attention to lay the founding stones of the future, right at the moment, something more important calls for attention. After all, Oregon got to fill a Dillon Gabriel-sized crater in the QB position. And guess what? Lanning is yet to gain clarity on whom to pass on the QB1 torch. It’s going to be a tough call between Dante Moore and Austin Novosad. However, Lanning knows what he is looking for. 

As in an interview with SI reporter Bri Amaranthus, he shared, “At quarterback specifically, we want guys to take care of the ball. We have enough talent around that you don’t have to make every play yourself. Great decision makers that are able to make great throws, and we have some guys that can do that.” Meanwhile, Dan Lanning is still carrying the 21-41 loss trauma against Ohio State within himself. So much so, he confessed on the NBC Sports podcast, “You just go to bed every night thinking about it and wake up every morning thinking about it. Not a lot of processing. Probably need to see a therapist.” Let’s hope that the 2025 season comes with a lot of healing for the Oregon head coach.