Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks appear to be a College Football Playoff contender heading into the 2026 season.
They’ve got one of the top quarterbacks in the country returning in Dante Moore. He very well could have been a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he decided to come back for one more year of “seasoning” in Eugene.
On defense, the Ducks returned four starters on the defensive line in Teitum Tuioti, Matayo Uiagalelei, A’Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander. Each could have been drafted a few months ago.
Lanning is also one of the best coaches in college football, so it’s no wonder the recent On3 college football Top 25 has ranked the Ducks No. 2 in the country, behind the Ohio State Buckeyes, heading into 2026.
But why not No. 1?
It’s worth noting that the Ducks did receive three first-place votes from On3’s experts, but there is one big question mark they have as they chase their first national championship in football.
“There aren’t many concerns with the roster, which is headlined by quarterback Dante Moore,” wrote Wilson Alexander. “The big questions are on the coaching staff. When he had to replace both coordinators, Lanning promoted from within.”
Oregon Ducks have questions at coordinator heading into 2026
Oregon lost offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Will Stein this offseason. He’s now the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. The defensive coordinator over the last few seasons, Tosh Lupoi, is now the head coach of the Cal Golden Bears.
“Brain drain” is a real thing. Those two coaches are gone because they were great at their jobs, and Lanning is betting that their former assistants can be just as good, if not better.
On offense, co-coordinator and tight ends coach Drew Mehringer was promoted. On defense, co-coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton was promoted.
Both men at least had “co” next to their titles last season, and they were both very involved on their respective sides of the ball. Neither has been a coordinator at this level of college football, though. Mehringer has never been a coordinator at all, and he’s now tasked with running what should be one of the most explosive offenses in the game.
Everyone starts somewhere, so both Mehringer and Hampton deserve their chances. Even Lanning was a coordinator at one point in his career.
It’s just a lot of pressure on two coaches who aren’t going to get much time to get their feet underneath them.
The pressure is on for Oregon. Anything but a championship will be a disappointment.
They won’t get much ramp-up time, either. The Ducks’ first five games are against Boise State, Oklahoma State, Portland State, USC and UCLA.
