The Oregon Ducks football team had another banner weekend on the recruiting trail when they landed 5-star offensive line commit, Kelvin Banks to their 2022 class. The dude is 6-foot-4 and weighs 315 pounds. If all goes according to planned, he’ll be a force for the Ducks’ offensive stability in the next four-years. It’s important to note that Banks fielded offers from schools like Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama and Florida. The bluest of the Blue Blood schools. But in the end, this star recruit chose head coach Mario Cristobal’s message of growth.
It’s a message that’s framing Mario’s position among the country’s very top recruiters.
Oregon has made one appearance in the college football playoff since its inception, while Alabama and Clemson have been regular guests on college football’s biggest stage. This fact is what separates Cristobal from the nation’s top recruiting coaches. He’s found success in luring a few 5-star players to Eugene, but hasn’t quite delivered on the product.
Cristobal’s recruiting operation will continue to build steam for the next decade, but if he hopes to maintain the accelerated growth there will need to be playoff appearances to validate his hard work recruiting.
NIL legislation will only make Cristboal’s job more difficult. SEC school will be able to lure top recruits with lucrative sponsorship deals that pay out fast. Oregon’s relationship with Nike should help alleviate that pressure. Mix that with Mario’s message of growth and intensity, and you could see coach’s name alongside Saban and Swinney come next year.