Kalani Sitake’s Sly Move Against Dan Lanning Confirmed as Oregon Closes In on Double Recruiting Win

Dan Lanning has built a powerhouse in Eugene and guided the Ducks to a record-breaking, undefeated regular season and Big Ten championship in their first year in the league. The recent buzz is about a wave of momentum, as the program not only secures elite prospects but also disrupts the recruitment terrain for others. The news gained momentum when four-star wide receiver Messiah Hampton, rated the No. 102 overall player and No. 11 wide receiver in the class of 2026, committed to Oregon over other powerhouses. His coming set Oregon up in the national rankings, rising from No. 42 to No. 33, a step that, although still short of the program’s normal top-five aspirations, is a warning sign of things stepping up in Eugene.

Potential gems such as linebacker Tristan Phillips, running back Tradarian Ball, and defensive lineman Tony Cumberland would significantly strengthen Oregon’s roster. Quarterback recruiting has been volatile. The Ducks lost Jared Curtis to Georgia but quickly turned their attention to other best-available targets. As they develop the Oregon 2026 recruiting saga, everyone looks toward one of the most fascinating pages: the chase for Ryder Lyons. Lyons, a five-star quarterback from Folsom, California, the nation’s number one uncommitted signal-caller, is in town for an official visit.

What distinguishes Lyons’ recruitment is his intention to serve an 18-month LDS mission following high school, so whichever program signs him will have him report in 2027, not 2026. And now that USC is no longer an option, the fight for Lyons now pits Oregon and BYU against one another. “My On3 RPM is on the Ducks, but BYU remains in the middle of it, and he’s slated to be back on the Cougars’ campus next weekend. Offensive coordinator Will Stein has been on the gas recruiting Lyons as long as anyone, and the defending Big Ten champs have a lot to showcase from a track record of success with quarterbacks and electric offensive play,” according to On3’s Steve Wiltfong.

The Ducks have invited him on an official visit, and let it be known that he’s their man. Oregon’s staff is peddling a dream: come to Eugene, grow under Dan Lanning and offensive coordinator Will Stein, and become the face of a program constructed to win in big ways. But Kalani Sitake is not sitting idle. He’s been all-in on Lyons for years—literally. BYU was the first school to make Lyons an offer back in December 2021. The Cougars are bringing out all the big guns, from family ties to guarantees of immediate playing time and a spotlight that’s difficult to find elsewhere.

Lyons recently called off his trip to USC and, in a shocking turn of events, appeared at BYU’s summer camp, posing for photographs with kids and generating speculation that he may be considering the Cougars. “Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, USC, and others have been involved since the beginning, but this feels like a two-team race down the stretch. As much as the outsider sees the Ducks as the front-runner here, BYU is under very serious consideration, and as a bonus, his sister lives in Provo.” Adam Gorney wrote. His elder sister even issued a mysterious TikTok, hinting that she knows something about his choice—a gesture that had fans abuzz and recruiters breaking out in hives.

BYU fans are dreaming big. If Lyons chooses the Cougars, he would be the highest-recruited signee for BYU since Ben Olson signed with the school in 2002. Sitake is reminding Lyons—and the rest of us watching—that BYU has a way with developing quarterbacks who succeed in a system designed to feature dual-threat playmakers. Jake Retzlaff’s development last season is Exhibit A, and the similarities between Retzlaff and Lyons, both in size and style of play, are impossible to ignore. So, will Oregon sign Lyons, or will Kalani Sitake and BYU steal the recruiting coup of the year? The answer is looming near. Lyons himself indicated it’s “decision time,” and everyone is waiting with bated breath for his decision and deliberation.

How Bryson Beaver fits Oregon’s 2026 plans

As BYU and Oregon both fight to secure a quarterback for the future—the former having a family twist, the latter having a national spotlight—another player is unexpectedly stealing some of the recruiting headlines. Bryson Beaver, whose name was just a few weeks ago a low-key commit to Boise State, is now at the focal point of a high-stakes battle royale that’s got everyone abuzz. Bryson Beaver, a three-star quarterback out of California, was ready to join the blue turf of Boise State. He committed in April, eager to be the next thing for coach Spencer Danielson. Beaver is already making waves by developing something special out west, with impressive stats from last season: 3,214 yards, 33 TDs, and 6 INTs. And then, seemingly out of thin air, Oregon calls.

The Ducks, having recently struck out on a couple of their top quarterback prospects and still very much in the mix for Ryder Lyons, look at Beaver. They invite him to camp, see him throw, and within a matter of hours, they’re offering him a package that blows his mind. Beaver, still reeling from the maelstrom, publicizes that he’s decommitting from Boise State and reopening his recruitment. But this isn’t a straightforward flip. The transfer shocks the Mountain West. Spencer Danielson, the mastermind behind Boise State’s recent turnaround, puts himself on high notice. Beaver would be a body blow, particularly after another blue-chip QB prospect, Jackson Presley, defected to Montana State just days before.

The Broncos are not going quietly into the night, however. Back in Eugene, meanwhile, the Ducks have their hands full with a couple of balls in the air. Beaver now appears to be the ideal insurance policy. He has the talent, the potential, and the type of narrative that renders recruiting so unreliable: a late developer with a grudge and an opportunity to redeem himself at the sport’s highest level.