Oregon came into the season with the kind of roster that should have kept the Ducks in the National Championship picture from the jump. After a deep run in the College Football Playoff, Dante Moore, A'Mauri Washington and Matayo Uiagalelei all passed on the NFL Draft to chase a title.
The staff had no shortage of help, either. Between roster retention, recruiting and the Transfer Portal, the Ducks loaded up everywhere.
And yet here they are at 3-2 after an ugly home loss to UCLA, with the margin for error gone. The National Championship and Playoff path isn’t technically closed, but Oregon would have to run the table from here, and nothing on this team has suggested that’s realistic.
Talent hasn’t been the problem. That part is obvious. If Dan Lanning ends up looking back on a season that burned through the best roster he’s had, the first place the blame lands is on him.
The biggest swing this offseason came when both coordinators left for head coaching jobs. That kind of turnover is always tricky, and with this much invested in the roster, Oregon had the pull to go outside the building and land an established offensive coordinator for Dante Moore. Instead, Lanning chose to promote Drew Mehringer.
Promotions from within have worked for Lanning before, but this one hasn’t landed the same way the hires of Kenny Dillingham and Will Stein did. So far, it’s the clearest reason this group has underachieved.
The offense has looked slow out of the gate all season, and after the bye week that problem only got louder. Facing a UCLA team that can run the ball at will, Oregon needed a quick start from Mehringer.
Instead, the only early spark came when the defense recovered a fumble at the 1-yard line. Outside of that, Oregon went more than 49 minutes before it finally scored on offense.
The issue isn’t just pace. It’s usage.
Mehringer has not found a way to get the Ducks’ best weapons rolling early, or hasn’t shown the urgency to do it. Dakorien Moore is clearly Oregon’s best after-the-catch threat, but the Ducks made no real push to put the ball in his hands early and often.
Jamari Johnson has been a matchup problem defenses still haven’t sorted out, and Oregon didn’t target him until the 58th minute.
Even with all of that, the Ducks still had a shot to force overtime after a late touchdown with their third-string quarterback. But another self-inflicted problem had already boxed them in: Oregon had gone for a 2-point conversion earlier in the game, so it needed one again just to tie. Two bland play calls later, UCLA still had the lead.
Maybe Mehringer eventually finds a rhythm. At this point, though, that feels like a late-arriving fix for a team running out of season. Oregon is set to lose Dante Moore, A'Mauri Washington, Matayo Uiagalelei, Evan Stewart, Jamari Johnson and plenty of other stars after this year, and replacing that kind of talent won’t be simple.
In Other News...
Michigans QB Debate Hits A Boiling Point Before Penn State
Michigans offense has spent much of the season looking like a unit still searching for its footing, and the latest stumble against Minnesota only sharpened the questions around Bryce Underwood. Under pressure, the quarterback had trouble finding rhythm on the road, reinforcing the pattern that he has been more comfortable at home than away from Ann Arbor. With Penn State next on the schedule, the Wolverines are carrying more than just ordinary game-week adjustments into the matchup.
The coaching staffs role in all of this is hard to ignore, because the offensive plan has not done enough to make life easier for Underwood when the temperature rises. A bounce-back showing is still very much in play against Penn State, especially if Michigan can clean up the design and execution around its young quarterback, but the larger concern is whether the offense can show real progress rather than another brief uptick before the next hard landing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Heads Into Penn State With A Growing Offensive Line Concern
Michigans offensive line has spent much of the season absorbing hits, and the timing has hardly been ideal as the Wolverines keep pushing through the heart of their schedule. Andrew Babalola is expected back at practice soon after missing about a month, which would give the group at least one much-needed body as the staff continues to manage a unit that has been stretched by injuries.
Andrew Sprague remains out with an undisclosed injury and does not appear close to a return, leaving Michigan thin at right tackle and short on reliable depth up front. Kyle Whittingham updated the situation this week, and the larger concern is clear: even with one lineman trending back, the Wolverines are still trying to protect a position group that cant afford many more losses. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Suddenly Faces A Defining Home Test Fans Cant Ignore
A bye week gave Michigan a chance to reset, but the next stretch hardly looks forgiving. The Wolverines return to action against Penn State after back-to-back losses, with Bryce Underwood still set to remain the starting quarterback as the offense tries to steady itself and get the season back on track.
The schedule only gets more demanding after that, with the Big Ten announcing Michigan will host unbeaten Indiana on Oct. 24 at noon ET on FOX. The Hoosiers are ranked No. 5 after beating Nebraska and now have Ohio State ahead of them, which means the meeting in Ann Arbor could carry a lot of weight by the time it arrives. [Read more 🡒]