Aaron Dunn Decommits

[WasatchRanger]

Source
247 Profile

Was the highest rated recruit in the 2025 class. Crystal ball to USC.

[The Miami Ute]

This is what happens when you turn out to be a mid-tier program in the Big XII. Only consistent winning and NIL payouts will fix this situation.

[Ute Dub]

Or maybe you don’t know wTF the reason was?

[The Miami Ute]

LOL…sure champ…but I can sure issue my opinion without having the fan police shake me down.

[Ute Dub]

This had little to do with Utah’s current winning this year, IMO. He’s the only recruit on the recruiting trip that was sideways with Utah’s NIL offer. And yeah, I get a little tired of the online fear mongering. Guess what, we’re not USC or Oregon. We started to buck the system so the system changed.

[The Miami Ute]

Your opinion is more valid than mine? Maybe you don’t know WTF the reason was? Funny how that works champ.

[RedUte14]

you are negative always. gets old.

[The Miami Ute]

Sure… LOL…

[Ute Dub]

In this situation, my opinion is backed up that this kids #1 priority is NIL.

[Central Coast Ute]

Do you think falling short of expectations plays no role at all?

[Ute Dub]

I think this kid is going to go to USC that is 1-3 in conference.

[Central Coast Ute]

That is a good point.

[The Miami Ute]

Do you know if Isaac was offered by USC?

[RedUte14]

you don’t state it like an opinion. you state it as facts. you made a STATEMENT.

you don’t know the reason, it’s weird to have a strong “opinion” or make a statement when you don’t know or have any inclination.

[The Miami Ute]

Oh yeah, that’s right…RedUte14 throwing pearls of wisdom. The same guy that was an economist last week disbursing on inflation. Whatever you say guy…you obviously know me better than I know myself to the point that you can magically extract whatever you want from my comments.

[Ute Dub]

Inflation applies here. There is no cap on spending on players in college sports and Utah is a small market. You think the coaches were happy about landing this kid and then losing out to a bidder with more resources? In essence, without a CBA, small market teams can do all the legwork to recruit and develop players only to have them steered away by those who work less but have more resources.

[The Miami Ute]

I’ve already said that USC doesn’t devote a significant amount of NIL to incoming HS recruits. Maybe they got him because they’re in the P2, have a much bigger brand than Utah, and promised to take care of him if he delivered? It makes sense to me. Why would USC, or any other big time program, devote large amounts of NIL on unproven players when it has a much greater guarantee of success poaching a guy who’s a sophomore or junior. Better for Utah to get this guy, develop him into something and then swoop on in.

[Tony (admin)]

We’re going to lose players to other schools due to NIL, blue bloods, or maybe they have hotter coeds. It’s just going to happen.

[Ute Dub]

Agree. We are Billy Bean now. The game changed. There’s no cap in College sports and we can’t get in an arms race with limited resources. At least in the NFL if you draft a guy, you can keep him for a few years for the time you invested into him. Not so in college.

[The Miami Ute]

Utah has to win, and win big, plus have a healthy infusion of NIL dollars if it wants to get the same type of recruits it was getting as the PAC ended. If all we’re doing is going 7-5/9-3, without regular appearances in the CFP, then it’s going to be very hard to be attractive to blue-chippers.

[Ute Dub]

Try looking at reality. Even at 6-0, this kid gets more money to go play tackle at a school that has outgoing seniors, it’s a no brainer.

[The Miami Ute]

USC doesn’t pay much NIL to HS recruits. They prefer to pay mature, upperclassmen from the transfer portal who can contribute immediately. Dunn might well go to USC but it’s highly unlikely that the Trojans made him a financial offer that he can’t refuse.

[Utes 69]

I agree with Miami Ute. some things that are common sense here.

got to win games, score points, be fun to watch, score in red zone.
who wants to play for a team averaging 14 points a game

[The Miami Ute]

No one.

[The Miami Ute]

Dunn going to USC will be interesting. The reason is because USC has a history of not paying much NIL (or stiffing) to HS recruits. The LA Times did a long version story on this issue earlier this year. Riley has also said publicly many times that USC’s method is to reserve its high NIL payouts from guys from the portal who have already proven themselves or organic recruits, like Zac Branch, who have demonstrated their worth already.

[Rick Walker]

A little off topic but I’m curious; you’ve mentioned that Zac Branch is more or less and exception to the veteran player NIL funds and usc, do you know if that was straight out of high school or after his freshman year?

[The Miami Ute]

I’m close to a couple of guys who are members of “House of Victory” (the USC NIL collective), and they gave me a thumbnail sketch of how USC uses its NIL. Branch was a highly touted recruit out of Las Vegas last year and did get some NIL to sway his decision to play at USC (well, that and also playing with Caleb and in an extremely offensive-oriented system under Riley) but also a promise, since fulfilled, that, if he did well, he would get rewarded for his performance. So, to answer your question, he did get some NIL to go to USC as a freshman, but that number has increased substantially after his great freshman season.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Meh. I predict he’ll be back with 3 years eligibility remaining.

[The Miami Ute]

Well, you’re not wrong.

[Tednab]

Lol .. geez .. the fan chemistry is falling apart like the team and season .. we really need a win Saturday

[Tony (admin)]

Can you imagine the exodus if we don’t? Yikes.

[The Miami Ute]

I will still be here and RES even if Utah finishes 4-8. Hope springs eternal.

[UtesRule]

You mean U$C

[ReconUte]

Everyone is slamming Miami yet he’s not wrong. This team is on the cuspose of mediocrity and its depressing. Everything seems to be falling apart and it’s frustrating watching the decline!

Yes NIL is going to ruin this game. We’re seing it across the board. It’s semi pro football now without regulation. The top Blue Bloods will always pull through. Winning histories, huge donors, prime locations and off the field perks (beautiful women, night life, celebrity status) will always prevail. These are still kids and honor, commitment and loyalty doesn’t exactly sway the young in today’s age.

Utah has caught up a little from where it started but there’s still miles to go. Utah has to win and win in fashion going away! This slow and boring as HELL offense has to change and it needs to happen now. No more runs up the middle and throwing 5 yards short of the sticks! If WE all can see the issues and know exactly what play is going to be called in real time then obviously so does the other teams. No high powered offense then no talented receivers. No Myles. Not a single fan on this board would want to block all famn game as a WR and only have 2 targets.

The defense will always be good to great. The ad will always get solid recruits and transfers. But the offense has to change and the OC is a great place to start. Whitt will be gone sooner than later but can we believe or trust Morgan will carry this team any different offensively? If he doesn’t then this slide and decline could be long and painful!

[Ute Dub]

STILL NOT THE REASON THIS KID Decommitted. If Utah had an outgoing senior LT and a bag of money this kid will be at Utah with a mediocre record. Stop projecting your insecurities on everyone else and Utah’s recruiting class. Or, change your expectations. It’s a competitive sport and we have punched above our weight for a while. We will again, but maybe not every year like you’re used to.

[ReconUte]

Insecurities….brother it’s just a game. Are you projecting? It’s ok if you are. Some Fan harder that others. I don’t judge.
What I and Miami are saying are factual. Some see facts as being “negative” or not being a “true fan” whatever the Hell that means.

Facts are more offensive talent will leave or not commit altogether. Kids wanna be featured in an explosive or at least capable offense. Right now Utah has neither.

[Anfernee]

Let’s even take NIL out of the discussion. Why would a 4☆ of any position on offense see this product on a weekly basis, the way the coaches don’t make adjustments or don’t seem to learn from mistakes (even after a damn bye week) plus the energy around the team and want to come here currently? All is not lost. We have 6 or more games left to write a different story about this season. But Whitt and Ludwig and HAVE to find ways to inject life back into this offense.

[AZUTE]

This has NOTHING to do with the big12 or Utah’s current record or the programs recent history.

This is ALL about NIL

USC and Oregon are getting into a bidding war for Dunn and he’s gonna be an instant millionaire when he signs on the dotted line.

Plain and simple

[The Miami Ute]

You’re kidding, right?

The only people making that kind of money, at any school, are veteran, proven SKILL players and that’s mostly QBs.

No school is going to make a million-dollar offer to an unproven, untried OL who’s not even close to being the best player in his class at his position. It doesn’t make sense.

This is what 247 Sports has to say about NIL and Offensive Linemen:

Average total earnings per player: $82,040

Offensive linemen may face a disadvantage when it comes to NIL earnings. While the elite players might secure lucrative deals, more often than not, the available funds are likely spread across the entire position group, leaving individual linemen with a smaller share. Offensive linemen had the lowest median total earning last year at $2,576. Some programs like Texas have NIL partnerships specifically for offensive linemen. The Pancake Factory provides every Longhorns linemen on scholarship with $50,000 annually — a compelling offer when targeting top recruits.

[AZUTE]

USC has 6 billionaires funding their NIL right now and are Way overpaying players to get signatures from them.

I’ll just leave it at that.

This is going to be a usc vs Oregon battle and I’d be shocked if usc gets outbid

[The Miami Ute]

I’m not disagreeing with you. It’s just that USC also isn’t stupid. Sure, they overpay, but they overpay for guys who come with proven credentials, not players who haven’t played a down of college football. Whatever the case, money isn’t really an object to them if there’s player that they really want.

[22Ute22]

Incorrect. That was USC these past few years, but it seems that they now realize their brand name alone and blueblood status isn’t going to recruit itself like it did 20 or even 10 years ago. No kid is gonna choose USC and no money over Oregon and 50k just because USC is a blueblood. USC started falling behind, but from what I’ve seen a few people say on Reddit and their 247 board, they are now more open to paying for HS recruits.

[The Miami Ute]

Phil Knight is worth over $36B…no collective anywhere will ever outbid Oregon if there’s a guy out there that they really want.

This article is six months old and kind of explains how NIL works at USC:

Is USC prepared for NIL floodgates opening and no NCAA restrictions?

[utefansince79]

Quite possible that had Aaron played for Utah one season, that he possibly would have looked to tran$$$$fer looking for more NIL cash the next season anyway.

[The Miami Ute]

That’s the name of the game now. And blue blood programs, with schools like USC leading the way, are using it in a consistent manner.

Just look at all of the players that USC has gotten via the portal in the last couple of seasons. The list is almost endless.

They essentially are using other, less powerful schools as a form of feeder system where the lower schools develop the player and then they come in and pay off the player. It’s another version of socializing the costs but privatizing the profits.

In the future you might even see schemes where USC gets a Five Star recruit but farms him out to Utah for one season for development and seasoning. Who knows where all of this is going?

[Trailgoat]

Yup. Utah at the moment is a top level player developer for the blue crew. Enjoying the rest of the season. It’s been a good run.

[Author]

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