Insane Recruiting Metric? Oregon Coach Koa Ka’ai Explains Why Ice Cream Choice Defines Quarterback Recruits

The Oregon Ducks have become one of college football's most consistently elite programs. For most of the past two decades, thanks in large part to an influx of cash from Nike's Phil Knight, they've brought in top tier recruits, made the most of their talents, innovated on offense, and sent a number of players to the NFL. 

While the NIL era caught some other big programs by surprise, Oregon and head coach Dan Lanning were ready. And it's paid off. 

They reached the College Football Playoff after the 2025 season, winning in the first round before shutting out a very good Texas Tech team to reach the semifinals. The Ducks couldn't get past the Indiana Hoosiers, who wound up winning the National Championship, but it was no doubt a successful season and follow up to their elite 2024 run. 

RELATED: Oregon And Ohio State Lead Big Ten Charge In New 2026 College Football Rankings

All this is to say, if any team knows how to evaluate recruits, it's the Oregon Ducks. And yet, a new interview with the team's quarterback coach seems to indicate that their criteria are, uh, confusing, to say the least.

An Oregon Ducks spirit team member waves a flag after a touchdown against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half during the CFP Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

Oregon QB Coach Koa Ka'ai Compares Recruits To Ice Cream

Ducks quarterback coach Koa Ka'ai, speaking recently, said he asks recruits a simple question during their evaluation process: "Do you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream?"

Ok, sure. But Ka'ai wasn't done there, saying, "The minute a kid pauses, I don't really want that kid." What? Why? 

"Because you need to have some kind of conviction," he continued. "Right, wrong or indifferent. So whether you like chocolate or vanilla, I don't really care. But if you sit there and say, ‘Ah coach, I don't know. I want, is it melted, it is not, what's the brand, so on and so forth…' What is this kid going to do on third down in front of 110,000? He's probably going to think about it, more than he should. He's not going to have conviction.

"Like I just said, long-winded, I understand, but it's the mental aspect is really what we're after."

There's some logic in there somewhere. Conviction is important for young players, particularly on the road in tough environments where noise and pressure can impact decision-making. But breaking it down to an answer on chocolate or vanilla ice cream seems… ill-advised. Someone could hesitate when asked their food preferences, but still have the ability to react athletically, with conviction, when the situation requires it. Maybe Ka'ai was exaggerating for effect, but it sure doesn't seem like it.

Still, quarterback Dante Moore improved dramatically in his first year in Eugene, so Ka'ai is clearly doing something right. And Moore clearly knows what ice cream he likes.