Dan Lanning on Kyler Kasper: "It's not just because of his talent —  it's how hard he works"

On3 imageby:Jarrid Denney04/19/22

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Over the weekend, Dan Lanning and his Oregon staff and one final, monumental addition to their 2022 class.

Kyler Kasper, one of the top 2023 pass-catchers in the country, committed to Oregon on Sunday. Additionally, ScoopDuck broke the news soon after that he has reclassified to the class of 2022 and will join the Ducks this summer.

In Kasper, the Ducks add a player who fills a need from both a positional and skillset standpoint. At 6-foot-5, he’s a massive target, and as QB11 points out in his evaluation of Kasper, he has sensational instincts that allow him to high-point the ball.

Oregon officially announced the signing of Kasper on Sunday and indicated that he is indeed going to reclassify.

While meeting with reporters for his Tuesday press conference, Lanning was able to discuss the addition of Kasper and what it means for his program.

“I’m really excited about Kyler,” Lanning said. “Big catch radius, obviously a phenomenal family. Really special talent, though, that works really hard, has a pedigree. But it’s not just because of his talent; it’s how hard he works.”

Lanning was asked specifically about Kasper’s decision to reclassify, and if that was a unique situation for him, or if it’s a trend that could be more frequent for players in the future.

“I think more and more you’re gonna see guys graduating earlier,” Lanning said. “Obviously in the last few years, it’s been more mid-year. But if a guy puts himself in position and is ready to go play college football, I think it makes sense for certain guys.

“Each person is a case-by-case basis.”

Earlier in his press conference, Lanning was asked how he would like his receivers to be known, and what type of players he, offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham and the rest of the offensive staff hope will emerge at that position.

That question was posed in reference to Oregon’s group of young receivers who have jokingly adopted the collective nickname “the skinnies” in reference to the wirey frames of Troy Franklin, Dont’e Thornton, Isaah Crocker, and a handful of others.

“I want us to be known by the way we play on the field,” Lanning said. “Dynamite comes in small packages, right? I’m not concerned about what we just look like; I’m concerned about how we play. Certainly (head strength and conditioning coach Wilson Love) is as good as anybody in the business when it comes to helping guys in the weight room. But we wanna have every advantage we can.

“We wanna be a physical group that threatens deep down the field.”

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