Oregon’s defense is headed into 2026 with a familiar face calling the shots, but the picture around him is still very much in motion.
Chris Hampton, now the Ducks’ defensive coordinator, is stepping into the job with the kind of flexibility Oregon has leaned on since he arrived in Eugene in 2023. The idea behind his promotion after Tosh Lupoi left was to preserve continuity, and that part has already taken shape: Oregon has brought back what can reasonably be viewed as arguably the best defensive line in the country, while the young secondary is expected to build on an already strong 2025.
Still, Hampton isn’t treating 2026 like a carbon copy of last season. He’s seen Oregon adapt its scheme and game plan based on personnel and opponent, and he expects that approach to continue.
“My first year here, we were probably primarily a four-down, outside leveraged nickel team," Hampton said. "My second year, we had Derrick Harmon, Jamaree Caldwell, Jordan Burch.
We were more of a three-down, inside leverage nickel team. Last season, we had Dillon Thieneman; we were more of a four-down umbrella safety team.
And I think this year we just see, you know, how it pans out.”
That uncertainty is especially relevant for USC, which will face Oregon in a matchup where the Ducks’ defense figures to look different than it did in 2025. Oregon has typically been able to generate a dependable pass rush, and that should still be part of the equation next season. The bigger question sits in the secondary, where Hampton has a chance to shape the group in his own way.
Lincoln Riley’s offense has not put up huge numbers against Oregon’s defense since Dan Lanning arrived. USC hasn’t been shut down, but it hasn’t taken over either. That’s the bar the Trojans are chasing, and Riley will have to be ready to adjust to whatever version of Oregon’s 2026 defense shows up.
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