Oregon’s 2026 outlook has Ducks fans feeling good, maybe even very good. Dante Moore is back, most of a College Football Playoff semifinal team is back with him, and the buzz in Eugene is easy to understand. But David Pollack thinks that confidence needs a hard reset.
The former Georgia Bulldogs star, now the host of the CFB podcast "See Ball, Get Ball," said Oregon fans "should be terrified" as the Ducks move into a season that will ask them to replace both of last year’s coordinators, Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi.
"I'm replacing elite coordinators," Pollack said on the show." Will Stein: offensive genius.
He's gonna show you at Kentucky that it's gonna be hard, and it's gonna be difficult, but he's gonna be a pain in people's butts, and he's so good at crafting offenses. Tosh Lupoi, that's a motherfreaking dog.
Him and Dan (Lanning) together, you cannot not be dialed in. Because here's the thing, man, you adapt the identity of your coach.
That dude will chew through his kneecaps if he needs to go somewhere. Two of the top five of what they do in the country that are now gone, and Dan Lanning is experiencing what great coaches are experiencing, having to replace them."
There’s no debate that losing Stein and Lupoi is a major hit. The real question is how Oregon handles the turnover behind them.
On offense, Drew Mehringer is stepping up from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator. He’s already drawn rave reviews this offseason, with players calling him an offensive scientist and the "Albert Einstein of football."
Defensively, Chris Hampton is moving up from co-defensive coordinator, a role he has held for the last couple of years. Hampton previously coordinated Tulane’s defense and had turned down multiple defensive coordinator jobs before staying in Eugene as a position coach and eventually earning the promotion.
From the outside, the changes may look dangerous. Inside the program, there’s plenty of trust in Dan Lanning’s hand-picked replacements. His track record as a hirer at Oregon has given the Ducks reason to believe the staff can absorb the losses and keep moving.
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Ohio State Fans Wont Love Who Helped Oregon Grab The Top Spot
Preseason polls are already giving the 2026 college football conversation an early jolt, and Oregon has landed right in the middle of it. On3 put Ohio State at No. 1 even without a first-place vote, but the Ducks still managed to draw some top billing of their own, a sign that the national view of Dan Lannings program remains strong even as the roster and staff continue to evolve.
Oregons case starts with the kind of continuity that poll voters tend to notice this time of year. Dante Moore is back at quarterback, the Ducks bring back key receivers and most of their defensive starters, and the foundation from last season is still intact. The wrinkle is on the sidelines, where Oregon will have new coordinators after coaching departures, leaving the Ducks with plenty of proven talent and just enough uncertainty to keep the top of the rankings interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Crowded QB Room Says A Lot About This Teams Ceiling
Oregons quarterback room has become one of the more interesting pressure points on the roster, and Brock Thomas is right in the middle of it. The redshirt junior has stayed put even with returning starter Dante Moore in place and transfer Dylan Raiola now added to the mix, a sign of how much talent the Ducks are trying to keep under one roof. Thomas has flashed in limited game action and in practice, and he remains part of a group that also includes redshirt freshman Akili Smith Jr., giving Oregon more depth and more options than most programs can claim.
For Thomas, the situation also carries a longer view. He has the kind of profile that could eventually make a starting job elsewhere tempting if the path stays crowded in Eugene, but for now he is focused on helping the Ducks in whatever role they need. That kind of internal competition says plenty about Oregons ceiling, because it suggests the staff is trying to balance immediate production with future upside at the most important position on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Markus Dixon Returns To Oregon With One Big Role To Prove
Markus Dixons arrival gives Oregon another interesting piece to sort through at tight end as fall camp gets underway. The Clemson transfer brings position flexibility and a frame that the Ducks can use in a room that needed reinforcements after a starter left for the NFL Draft, which made his addition more than just a depth move on paper.
What makes Dixon worth watching is how much remains unsettled about his fit. Oregon brought him in to help the tight end group, but his exact assignment is still being determined as camp unfolds, leaving him with a clear chance to carve out something bigger than a reserve role if he can quickly show the staff where he belongs. [Read more 🡒]