Oregon’s offense has looked different with Jay Johnson calling the shots, and Dan Lanning isn’t pretending that won’t matter when the Ducks sort out the offensive coordinator job.
After the Ducks moved on from Drew Mehringer, the expectation was that Oregon would look far beyond Eugene for its next play-caller. Instead, Lanning handed the duties to assistant quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson, passing over younger in-house options like Ra'Shaad Samples, Koa Ka' ai and A'lique Terry.
That choice already looks a lot more significant than a temporary fix.
Johnson, whose coaching résumé stretches across more than two decades, has spent recent seasons at Michigan State from 2020-2023 and Wyoming in 2024-2025. The idea was that his experience would steady the position while the Ducks kept moving. Two games in, he’s done more than steady it.
There was a sluggish opening against Northwestern, when Oregon managed only six points in the first 28 minutes. But the Ducks settled in fast, finishing the first half with a sharp two-minute drive and then rolling from there in a 28-6 run to close out the game.
Then came Week 10 against Ohio State, and the offense looked even more dangerous. Against one of the most talent-rich defenses in the country, Johnson mixed runs and passes with confidence and kept the Buckeyes guessing with smart play-calling. Oregon won convincingly, and with the new-look offense humming, the Ducks still have a path to running the table and reaching the Big Ten championship.
After the win over Ohio State, Lanning was asked about Johnson’s work and whether what he has done in the role will factor into Oregon’s offensive coordinator search.
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Dakorien Moore Just Earned The Kind Of Praise Oregon Fans Notice
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Dez Bryant, the Dallas Cowboys legend who had also been at Moores last high school game, praised the receiver publicly on social media after the performance. Moore acknowledged Bryants support and reflected on having him there in high school, a small but meaningful connection for a young player whose biggest moments are already starting to get noticed far beyond Eugene. [Read more 🡒]