Charles Fischer

I completely agree...their loss is huge, but on the other hand....if you are going into your junior year--you gotta be starting somewhere if you hope to play in the NFL. (And they all think they can) I have not hit the panic button left, as we have a ton left to see. I do think we have some high upside with Aydin Breland, and Matthew Johnson (who I featured in a Spring Football Analysis) We will also have incoming freshman Tony Cumberland, who is the sixth highest ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class. But let's see if something else doesn't develop... As it is, we will have five DTs for two spots. Not what the coaches want, but it can work and give those guys valuable playing time to prepare for 2027. But I hear you. Grey is going to be great, and I wish he remained here.

And Shelstad has been out for most of the losing streak as well....

Oh Jon....your articles are so informative and so much fun! The Penn State HC reference cracked me up... "Ummmmm, you also had Little Game James returning at the Head Coach position." 😝 We love your thoughts in articles and in the forum!

If the Playoff was at 16 teams this year--the SEC would have picked up even more teams in it, and the B1G would have had NO additional teams. You are depending on the Playoff Committee to NOT favor the SEC, and to give the Big-10 a fair shake?

As Chip Kelly once said....Every man thinks he can... "Light a charcoal fire without lighter fluid." "Drive to a distant location without GPS or directions." "Coach a football team."

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026 FOOTBALL | @OregonFootball Lanning Promotes Hampton, Mehringer To Coordinator Roles EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning announced the promotions of Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator and Drew Mehringer to offensive coordinator on Thursday. Hampton just completed his third season at Oregon, serving as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Mehringer was the Ducks’ co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach and has been with Lanning for all four of his seasons in Eugene. Hampton and Mehringer helped the Ducks to a 13-2 season in 2025 that ended with a trip to the College Football Playoff Semifinal, including a win at the CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. “Chris and Drew have been tremendous coaches and leaders since joining our program and are more than deserving of taking these next steps in their careers,” Lanning said. “They have each done an unbelievable job of helping our student-athletes excel both on and off the field. We are thrilled to be able to promote them to our coordinator roles and maintain the momentum we have created as a program and a coaching staff.” Hampton has played a key role in some of the most dominant defensive seasons in program history, joining the Ducks after leading a remarkable defensive turnaround in two years as Tulane’s defensive coordinator. Since Hampton arrived in 2023, Oregon is seventh nationally in scoring defense (17.9 PPG) and eighth in passing defense (185.9 YPG). UO is also No. 10 among FBS teams in that span in opponent completion percentage (56.6) and No. 7 in opponent passer rating (113.4). “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator at the University of Oregon,” Hampton said. “I want to thank Coach Lanning, Rob Mullens, and the administration for their trust and belief in me. This program is built on great players and more importantly great people. I’m excited to go to work with our guys every day and compete for championships.” Hampton helped direct one of the nation’s elite passing defenses in 2025. Oregon led all FBS teams in pass breakups (73) while ranking second in passes defended (88), fourth in passing defense (157.9 YPG), fourth in opponent completion percentage (53.3) and eighth in passer rating (107.94). The 2025 Ducks rank 12th nationally in scoring defense at 17.9 points per game, allowing less than 20.0 points per game in all three seasons with Hampton on staff. It is the first time Oregon has done so in three straight years since 1978-80. UO has also been in the top 10 in pass breakups in each season since Hampton arrived, ranking eighth in 2023 (74) and ninth in 2024 (75) before leading the nation in 2025. “Coach Hampton is one of the best defensive minds in the country and a terrific leader of men,” Lanning said. “He has really poured into our program over the last three years and has played a huge role in our improvement and success on the defensive side of the ball. Chris’ ability to build relationships with current and future student-athletes is special and we are excited to have him in this role moving forward.” Defensive back Dillon Thieneman was a second-team all-American, a first-team all-Big Ten selection and a Paycom Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2025 under Hampton’s guidance. Hampton also coached Jabbar Muhammad to all-Big Ten second-team honors in 2024. In addition to elite coaching on the field, Hampton has proven to be one of the nation’s most outstanding recruiters. He is the top-ranked coach in the nation in the 247Sports football recruiter rankings for 2025. Drew Mehringer Mehringer joined Lanning’s inaugural coaching staff in 2022 as tight ends coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. He will be an offensive coordinator for the second time in his career, after becoming the youngest play caller in the Power 5 in 2016 at Rutgers. Since 2022, Oregon’s offense leads the nation in points per game (38.7), touchdowns (283), total yards (2,165) and completion percentage (73.4). In Mehringer’s first season as co-offensive coordinator in 2025, the Ducks rank tied for 10th nationally in points per game (36.9) and 17th in total yards per game (452.2). “I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as Oregon’s next offensive coordinator,” Mehringer said. “I am honored that Coach Lanning and Rob Mullens believe that I am the right person for the job and I look forward to continuing to build on what we have accomplished over the last four seasons. The plan is to continue to have one of the most dynamic offenses in college football utilizing the strong connection we have built.” Mehringer coached the most productive tight end in Oregon history in his first three seasons in Eugene, helping Terrance Ferguson become a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ferguson finished as the leading tight end in program history in career receiving touchdowns (16) and receptions (134), and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards (1,537). Kenyon Sadiq emerged as one of the top tight ends in college football under Mehringer’s guidance in 2025. Sadiq led all FBS tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns while pacing the Ducks with 51 receptions, breaking the UO single-season record for catches by a tight end. His eight receiving TDs were also just one shy of tying the Oregon record in a season by a tight end. Sadiq became the first Duck to be a finalist for the John Mackey Award, presented to the top tight end in college football, and he was named the 2025 Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. Sadiq was also named a second-team all-American by three different outlets in addition to earning all-Big Ten first-team honors. “Coach Mehringer has been with us from the start here at Oregon and has made a consistent impact on our program,” Lanning said. “He is an incredibly smart and innovative coach who will do a great job leading our offense and putting our student-athletes in position to succeed. Drew has earned this opportunity and I am looking forward to seeing him continue to grow as a coach and a leader.” In the 56 games since Mehringer’s arrival, Oregon tight ends have combined to catch 287 passes for 3,454 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Jon...you make a great point about how much MORE money the 24 team format will provide for all. I dislike the bye weeks for the better seeds, and wonder if we shouldn't just go to 32 teams and be done with it? Home games for the higher seeds until the semi-finals? (That would be three home playoff games for those advancing that far) My preference is for 16 teams, but the SEC wants the Playoff committee to decide most of the participants, thus the B1G will get hosed. My Duck-Buddies, I appreciate Jon giving us a short summary of the Playoff options that the commissioners will be deciding upon soon, and invite your thoughts...

Winning!

Memory Lane! I ushered as a Boy Scout, only I grew up in Corvallis and at that time....loved to hate the Ducks. My best memory was ushering at the OSU-USC game of 1967 where the Beavers won 3-0 over OJ and John McKay. It was a horribly muddy field at Parker Stadium, of which McKay donated the first dollar after the game to begin a fund for artificial turf. Thank goodness I saw the light and went to Oregon!

Be still my pounding heart!

We are ALL thinking that, but isn't that part of the entertainment? To see if he can beat-his-demons in the off-season? Even if he doesn't....we are winning a boatload of games in 2026! (But I think he will)

Great post, and yep...I am frothing at the mouth for Baseball season. When we get to the week of the first series...I will put up some posts of information to help everyone, and whet the appetite. UCLA not only returns most of their team, but they got two incredible players in the portal. They will be a national power for sure, but Our Beloved Ducks are going to challenge them! Big-10 Champions of 2025!

From Canzano...a good take. Announce it on SportsCenter on Wednesday? Use the glow of the worldwide leader to elevate the brand? It was nothing short of orchestrated marketing genius. Give Moore’s camp some credit there. While in college, the QB has learned well from Oregon/Nike PR machine. I first heard about Moore’s impending announcement from a friend, who saw Adam Schefter’s tweet on Wednesday morning. Wrote Schefty: “Oregon QB Dante Moore is planning to announce his decision about whether he will or won’t enter the NFL Draft on ESPN’s SportsCenter at 2:30 EST.” Moore popped up on the screen, right on time. “With this decision, mainly all my life has just been about being as most prepared as I can for any situation I go into,” Moore said on TV. “And when it comes to me making my decision, I just want to do what’s best for my situation, especially as a quarterback. “With my decision, it’s been very tough. I’ve prayed a lot about it, talked to many people — my mentors and people I look up to. With that being said, of course I’ll be coming back to Oregon for one more year, being able to play for the Oregon Ducks and reach our goal and be national champions.” Again, he’s 20 years old. Where were you at 20? Gabriel would have stayed another year if he could. Bo Nix stuck around for one final season. So did Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert. The precedent was set in Eugene. Quarterbacks don’t go to Oregon to use the place as a quick hop to the NFL.

Can't blame him, and I assumed he was gone. He is being replaced at Oregon by the No. 1 portal safety from Minnesota?