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.

both these coaches need to be up in the booth calling plays. No more on the field play calling.

I was wondering when the official announcement was going to come.

That being said, I have a ton of questions that will hopefully be answered in the coming months:

• Both are excellent position coaches, I wonder if development in those respective positions will suffer since they're now performing two roles at once?

• Will defensive line recruiting take a step back without Lupoi?

• Will TEs have a more prominent role in the offense with Mehringer at the helm?

• Will they hire a QB coach+passing coordinator?

• Will the offense feature an enhanced passing game? Bring back the bird bombs!

Seeing Tulane's defense under Hampton, I think he is an upgrade over Lupoi.

Mehringer has way more to prove. Rutgers offense sucked when he was OC, but he was young and it was Rutgers.

I don’t know anything about the promotion of Mehringer to OC and will trust Lanning on that one. I am nervous about switching him to QB coach.

With Dante’s return and the star studded depth behind him and an absolutely stacked receiver room, I’m sure we could get the best QB coach in the country.

1 hour ago, Solar said:

Mehringer has way more to prove. Rutgers offense sucked when he was OC, but he was young and it was Rutgers.

Absolutely this... that stint as an OC was in 2016!!! That was 10 years ago. He's developed and changed as a coach or frankly he wouldn't be a Oregon.

I trust Lanning and I look forward to seeing some minor changes. I want to see more deep passing routes on offense for starters. Let lose some of these speed demons we have. Probably need some offensive line improvements as well but I think he'll get them.

It can be difficult to coach QBs and run the offense. It is also difficult for a QB coach to stay within the philosophy of the OC. Moore needs specific improvement in his skills.

1) Reading defenses pre snap and deciding which side of the field the defense is "giving" him.

2) Reading the defense post snap and attacking accordingly

3) Setting his feet sooner

4) Much better pocket presence a) recognizing where the pressure is coming from immediately and responding accordingly

b) waiting as long as he can-even if that means getting blasted-so he can read the defense fully.

5) Throwing receivers open-like he did in Iowa City and the first TD of the semi final game. He must do this 90% of the time.

a) this requires plenty of work with the receivers as sometimes he will not know the exact angle they will cut, other times it will be in a very tight window (like both the passes mentioned above).

6) More ability to check into plays that the defense is giving him. He must be able to accurately audible into positive plays, and sometimes explosive plays.

7) coaching his players up. Sometimes the OL needs to be told to immediately attack a gap instead of trying to read his assigned defender. Sometimes the receivers need to recognize gaps in coverage they can sit in so they are open quickly or simply open at all.

8) Obliterating blitz packages and simulated pressure. There is a solution to every challenge. Even on third and long. Max protect if necessary. Just smack the hell out of blitzes. Make em scared to pressure you.

9) Fire in his eyes. Even when you are angry at yourself, show some fight. Continue to lead, but let your offense know you want to kick a$$. Moore showed some grit coming off that opening pick six. I want to see that an entire game because mistakes will happen.

Dante Moore is one of the most naturally gifted QBs ever. It's some of the intangibles he must work on. ONE ALWAYS MUST IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS. There is no such thing as staying the same. You are improving, or digressing. Humpty Dumpty cannot sit on the wall. Get that butt on one side or the other. Obviously, that means getting better in one or more aspect every day.

Mehringer has to lift Moore to stratospheric heights. Moore needs to strike so deadly, teams fear him massively.

Edited 50 minutes ago50 min by Mike West

DL has a lot more to prove as the head coach of the Ducks than I do as a fan. Ill go with his choices.