Dan Lanning isn’t hiding from the pressure that comes with handing the keys to two new coordinators, but he does sound convinced Oregon has the right people in place.
As the No. 2 Ducks prepare to open the 2026 season against Boise State, Chris Hampton and Drew Mehringer are stepping into bigger jobs after offseason promotions following the departures of Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi.
For a team chasing a first national championship in program history, that’s a lot of trust to place in first-year play-callers. Still, Lanning likes what he’s seen through fall camp.
“I think part of being a good coach is also being a lifelong learner, and I think we got two coaches in those positions with a great support group. They would tell you that, one, they hear the voice of everybody in the room, so they do a great job of taking feedback, accepting that, and saying, okay, how can I make sure I incorporate it,” Lanning said.
“And then they do a great job of learning through practice, right? We’ve had a ton of situations where they’re calling it like it's a game throughout practice, and they’re learning from it.
They’re making notes. They’re saying, ‘Hey, I could have done this better,’ or ‘I could have improved here.’
We talk through it as a staff, and we watch film together and evaluate it. And I think they really attack it.”
Mehringer, who joined Oregon in 2022 as tight ends coach, has built a strong relationship with Lanning over time. He’s worked under some big names before - including Tom Herman and Urban Meyer - but says the Ducks head coach stands out for the way he balances demand and accessibility.
“You don’t feel like you’re walking on eggshells, but you do feel like there’s a high standard for the way that he sees the organization and the expectations around here to win,” Mehringer said. “So, it’s unique, in my opinion, very unique, and I’m thankful for it.”
“I’ve been very fortunate enough to work with a lot of great, great coaches in my life, some that have made some very lasting impacts,” Mehringer continued. “I think as the head coach, it’s very hard.
You walk a very fine line of demanding, right, not only from the players and your staff, but also being approachable, and that’s very hard. I think it is a very hard line for people to walk, and I think Dan does it almost effortlessly.”
That relationship matters now more than ever, with Oregon expected to lean on Dante Moore and a loaded offense.
On the other side of the ball, Hampton is already putting a spotlight on the area he wants fixed first: red-zone defense. He didn’t sugarcoat the issue, pointing to a rough number from last season and making it clear the emphasis is immediate.
"We were No. 127 in the country in red-zone defense. We're trying to attack dedication every day.
It's probably the No. 1 emphasis that, as a defense, we need to improve on is in the red zone and getting red zone stops. It's how we call the game, and its our awareness of it is how we practice.
It's going to be a big emphasis for us to improve," said Hampton.
Oregon has the personnel to help Hampton make that jump in his first season coordinating the defense. The Ducks bring back A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, Teitum Tuioti, and Matayo Uiagalelei after those four defensive linemen chose to forgo the 2026 NFL Draft and return to Eugene.
There’s help at linebacker too, where Devon Jackson and Jerry Mixon are back, along with sophomore Nasir Wyatt, who has taken a step forward. In the secondary, Brandon Finney Jr. is aiming to strengthen his case as one of the nation’s top cornerbacks, and Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perich gives the Ducks another important piece on a defense that should be among the strongest in the country.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Earned A Powerful Endorsement Oregon Fans Will Love
As Matayo Uiagalelei gets ready for his senior season in Eugene, the attention around Oregons defensive front keeps building. The Ducks are counting on one of their most talented edge players to chase big goals this fall, including a run at the programs career sack record and a stronger case for the NFL draft, while his family continues to have a close view of the program from the inside.
Dave Uiagalelei, who is also the father of Chargers backup quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, recently spoke highly of Dan Lannings leadership and character in an interview. For Oregon fans, praise like that carries weight, especially when it comes from a family that has seen both the college and pro sides of the game up close, and it adds another layer to the belief that Lannings program has become a place players and parents can trust. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State May Have One Edge Oregon Wont Enjoy Facing
Boise States visit to Autzen Stadium on Sept. 5 will bring plenty of early-season attention, and not just because Oregon is sitting second in the preseason polls. The Broncos return a backfield that looks capable of making things uncomfortable for a Ducks defense trying to find its footing in the opener, with Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines both back after turning down NIL opportunities elsewhere.
Head coach Spencer Danielson has already singled out the way that duo has looked in fall camp and scrimmages, and Boise State did not stop there. The Broncos also bolstered the position with transfers Juelz Goff and Harry Stewart III, giving them more depth and more ways to lean on the run game if they want to make the first big test of the season a physical one. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Made Its USC Recruiting Battle Even More Interesting
The recruiting board for Oregons 2025 defensive back class just got a little more intriguing with Caron Williams trimming his list to 12 schools, and the Ducks remain firmly in the mix. The highly ranked California cornerback has long been viewed as one of the more important secondary targets on the West Coast, and Oregons appeal is obvious here: a chance to land a versatile defender who could fit into multiple spots in the back end.
USC has emerged as the Ducks closest competition in this race, setting up another familiar battleground between two programs that often chase the same top regional talent. For Oregon, the appeal goes beyond simply adding a cornerback. Williams ability to line up in different roles would give the Ducks more flexibility in how they build their defense, which is exactly why this recruitment feels like one worth watching as it moves forward. [Read more 🡒]