Oregon has flipped four-star O-lineman Utu from Tennessee

It’s rare to see a recruit leave an SEC school for the Big Ten, especially when that SEC school is Tennessee, which is currently red-hot right now at 4-0 and ranked No. 5 in the nation.

For as good as head coach Josh Huepel is doing on the field and the recruiting trail right now, he’s not impervious to outside pressure, though. That’s especially true when outside pressure comes from Dan Lanning and Oregon, a newly minted Big Ten program.

With that in mind, it’s being reported that Douglas Utu, a big-time four-star offensive lineman from Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman High School) has flipped his commitment from Tennessee to Oregon.

“From Day 1, coach Lanning, coach [A’lique] Terry and the entire staff made me feel like a priority. They were upfront, genuine, and showed real belief in my abilities. Their energy, transparency, and vision for how I fit into the program were clear, and they made me feel like I would truly be part of the Oregon family,” Utu told On3 regarding his decision to become a Duck.

“Coach Lanning is building an elite program at Oregon,” he continued. “He’s creating a culture of toughness, discipline, and accountability, and you can feel that everyone is bought in. It’s exciting to be joining a program on the rise, and l know I’m stepping into a winning environment where excellence is expected every day.”

It’s worth noting that the same thing can be said of what Huepel has done at Tennessee (the elite program building and culture setting) but Lanning did have a few things going in his favor.

One is the distance from Las Vegas to Eugene, which is a ton closer than from Vegas to Rocky Top. Utu will also be joining a fellow Bishop Gorman offensive lineman at Oregon. Alai Kalaniuvalu, Utu’s teammate, had committed to the Ducks in July.

Whatever worked in the Ducks’ favor, this is a big-time recruiting get for Oregon.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Utu, who checks in at 6-foot-4, 317 pounds, is the No. 2 ranked interior offensive lineman recruit in the country.