Oregon Fires OC After Illinois Disaster

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning was brutally honest about what he needed to do for the rest of the weekend after his team put up 10 points in a loss to the Illinois Illini on the road on Saturday.

Lanning didn't shy away from the idea of making a coaching change at offense after the Ducks lost their third game of the season and second in Big Ten play, crushing their hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff for the third time in a row and winning their first-ever national championship with a roster that was built for postseason success.

Per On3, the Ducks fired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer. In a statement from Lanning, the head coach expressed his appreciation for what Mehringer accomplished during his time with Oregon since 2022. He called him a "valued member" of Oregon's staff. 

However, Lanning thought it was in the best interest of the program to move in a new direction.

Oregon ranks 42nd in total offense in the FBS this season. The Ducks have scored 83 points in their first four Big Ten games, one fewer point than they scored against Portland State in Week 3. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore has not played since he was injured taking a hit in the first half of the Ducks' win over USC on Sept. 26. 

Mehringer was in his first season as the offensive coordinator of the Ducks. He replaced Will Stein, who left to take the head coaching job at Kentucky. No. 12 Kentucky defeated Vanderbilt 34-17 on Saturday to improve to 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. 

The coaching change could fire up Oregon before it gets set to host No. 20 Northwestern on Halloween. The Ducks are 4-3 entering Week 9. 

The offense has been a disappointment for much of the season, but Oregon's performance against Illinois needed to be the last straw. The Illini parted ways with their defensive coordinator in September.

Oregon managed to gain a total of 426 yards against Illinois, but could not convert drives into touchdowns. Ducks kicker Gage Hurych made only one of his four field goal attempts.

Lanning and the Ducks will have to change their goals after suffering a third loss by the end of October. While the CFP appears out of the question, Oregon needs to finish strong and build for the 2027 season. 

In the new era of college football, a championship season is just one offseason away.