Oregon basketball got hit with a jolt on Wednesday afternoon, and the timing made it even more stunning. With the season just around the corner and preseason exhibition play set to begin in just over a week, Dana Altman announced he is retiring after 16 seasons at the helm.
After 16 seasons and 382 wins at Oregon, head coach Dana Altman has announced his retirement.
Tony Stubblefield has been named interim head coach for the 2026-27 season.
More: https://t.co/inqeJ3jy7W #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/K4Gm0fNIhG
- Oregon Men's Basketball (@OregonMBB) October 7, 2026
Altman’s departure lands as a major surprise because Oregon has been in offseason workouts and Altman had just spoken to the media. Instead, the Ducks are now left to move forward without the coach who has guided the program for the last 16 years.
Altman’s Oregon résumé is loaded. He exits with a 382-182 record overall and a 185-114 mark in conference play across the Pac 12 and Big Ten. During his run, the Ducks reached the Final Four in 2017 and captured four Pac 12 tournament titles along with four regular-season league championships.
For a coach who had become a fixture in Eugene, the consistency stood out most. Since arriving in 2010, Altman won 20 or more games every season until last year’s team. Even with the uncertainty that had occasionally surrounded his future, he kept returning to the sideline and kept the program steady.
The retirement also arrives after what was Altman’s worst season at Oregon, which had already made this offseason an interesting one. He and his staff worked the Transfer Portal hard and rebuilt the roster, only for the program to now turn the page in unexpected fashion. For the first time in 16 years, Oregon basketball will open a season without Altman in charge.
Later Wednesday night, Altman is expected to address the media and explain his decision.
The Ducks will now hand the program to Tony Stubblefield, who will serve as interim head coach. Stubblefield, the former DePaul head coach and current Oregon assistant, was DePaul’s head coach from 2021 through the end of the 2024 season, finishing with a 28-54 record and a 9-38 mark in league play.
The timing of Altman’s retirement leaves Oregon with little choice but to go the interim route. There simply isn’t enough time to launch a full search before the season starts. That also gives Stubblefield a chance to make his case for the job while the Ducks try to keep the roster intact.
One immediate wrinkle works in Oregon’s favor: by elevating Stubblefield, the transfer portal will stay closed for 31 days instead of 5 days. With the season so close, that could help the Ducks avoid having the roster picked apart.
Looking ahead, the bigger question will be what Oregon is willing to invest in the program once next offseason arrives. That will shape both the ceiling for the roster and the level of coach the Ducks can pursue. NIL and revenue sharing will matter in any search, and if Oregon spends at a level comparable to most Big Ten programs, it should be able to draw a notable head coach.
In Other News...
Maryland Fans Just Got The Full Road Map For A Must-Watch Season
Maryland mens basketball fans now have a clearer picture of what the 2026-27 season will look like on the air and at the arena. The program announced tipoff times and broadcast plans for the regular season, with 18 games set for BTN and FS1, while exhibition games will stream on B1G+. It is the kind of update that gives the schedule some shape long before opening night, and it also starts to set the tone for a season that already has a few marquee touches built in.
The calendar also includes special in-house moments, from honoring the 2002 national championship team to a Gary Williams bobblehead giveaway, both reminders of how much history still hangs over the program. Season tickets are on sale now, and single-game tickets plus mini-packs are scheduled to follow in early October, giving Terrapins fans plenty of ways to plan ahead as the full run-up to the season comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Faces A Brutal Test Against Ohio State's Passing Attack
Ohio States passing game is about to put Marylands defense under a bright spotlight, and the challenge starts with Jeremiah Smith. The No. 5 Buckeyes are heavy favorites, and Smith has become the kind of receiver who can change a game in a hurry, coming off two straight outings with more than 200 receiving yards. For Michael Locksleys group, this is less about slowing one star in isolation and more about surviving the full pace and precision of an offense built to stretch coverage every snap.
Locksley spent time discussing how Maryland intends to defend the pass, a timely subject given the Terps recent struggles. On the other side, Ryan Day pointed to the growth of cornerback Devin Sanchez, another reminder that Ohio State is not just overwhelming teams with offense but also developing young talent on defense. Maryland enters the matchup knowing the margin for error is thin, and the bigger question is whether the Terps can keep the game competitive long enough to test the Buckeyes in any meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Ohio State's Passing Attack
Ohio State comes to Maryland ranked No. 5 and carrying the kind of offense that can make even a promising defensive plan look fragile. The Buckeyes have leaned on wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, whose recent run has helped drive their attack, while Maryland enters the matchup trying to steady itself after recent losses and prove it can at least make the passing game uncomfortable.
Marylands best path is clear enough on paper: limit explosive throws, force Ohio State to earn everything, and avoid letting the game tilt early. Both coaching staffs have spent the week framing the matchup as a test of preparation and execution, and for the Terrapins, the larger question is whether that approach can hold up against a passing attack that has already punished plenty of opponents this season. [Read more 🡒]