What's next for Oregon? A Dante Moore decision, new coordinators and same high expectations
SOURCE:The Athletic|BY:Antonio Morales
Oregon's loss to Indiana in the CFP semifinals was deflating, but there are plenty of reasons for optimism about what's next in Eugene.
Oregon’s season came to an end in humbling fashion during Friday night’s 56-22 loss to Indiana in the Peach Bowl. The Ducks have won 13 games in back-to-back seasons, and their last three losses have come to the team that won last season’s national championship (Ohio State) and a team that will play for this season’s national title (Indiana, twice).
Oregon fell short again of its ultimate and elusive goal: Delivering the school its first national title. There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Ducks and coach Dan Lanning, but they enter the offseason with plenty of questions, too. So let’s look at what’s next for Oregon as it moves on to the 2026 season.
Figure out Moore’s future at QB
Oregon is waiting for quarterback Dante Moore, a redshirt sophomore who transferred from UCLA after his freshman season, to make a decision regarding his NFL future. Moore passed for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while leading the Ducks to their first two Playoff wins since the 2014 season. He performed well enough that many viewed him as a top-five pick entering the Peach Bowl.
This was Moore’s first full season as a starter at the college level, though, and there are still some areas where he could develop, as was evident during his three-turnover performance against Indiana.
He could use another season in college development wise, but it’s also hard to pass up on being a potential top-five pick. So Moore has a tough decision on his hands. What he elects to do determines Oregon’s path at quarterback.
“At the end of the day, I don’t know my decision yet,” Moore said after the Peach Bowl. He’ll talk to his family and Lanning before making a decision.
If Moore stays in school, the Ducks are set and will be expected to make the Playoff again next season. If he leaves, they have to find an answer at quarterback through the transfer portal.
Oregon has been relatively quiet on that front, but there are still some enticing options available like Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, who is an Oregon native, and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. We should learn more in the next few days.
The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft is Jan. 14 (those who are playing in the CFP title game have until Jan. 23).
Brace for other NFL Draft decisions
There are several other significant players who have decisions to make regarding their football futures, too.
All-Big Ten performers like edge rushers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington, safety Dillon Thieneman and tight end Kenyon Sadiq all have to decide whether they’ll return to school or opt for the NFL. Same goes for receiver Evan Stewart, who missed the season because of injury, and tight end Jamari Johnson.
Oregon recruits at an elite level, so it should have players ready to step in at the spots where it’ll have departures. And if it doesn’t, it can always fill needs through the portal, where it’s been one of the best programs for several years running.
Break in new coordinators
The Ducks lost both coordinators to head coaching opportunities. Offensive coordinator Will Stein will head to Kentucky and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is going to Cal. Stein has been Oregon’s OC for the past three seasons, and Lupoi has been the DC since Lanning arrived in Eugene in 2022.
Lanning opted for continuity and hired internally to replace Stein and Lupoi. Tight ends coach Drew Mehringer was promoted to offensive coordinator. Mehringer has been on the Ducks’ staff for all four of Lanning’s seasons in charge.
Mehringer, 38, hasn’t called plays since 2016 when he was the youngest offensive coordinator in the FBS at Rutgers. That offense finished next to last nationally in scoring at 15.7 points per game. But that was 10 years ago, Mehringer has had the chance to learn at several programs since, and he’ll have an abundance of talent to work with at Oregon.
Co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton was elevated to defensive coordinator. He’s been on Oregon’s staff for the past three seasons. He came from Tulane, where he was the defensive coordinator in 2022 when the Green Wave finished 23rd in yards per play allowed and 32nd in scoring defense on their way to a 12-2 season and a Cotton Bowl victory against USC.
It’ll be interesting to see how Mehringer and Hampton put their spin on their respective units and if Oregon looks any different next year.
Reset the offensive line
Oregon started three seniors along the offensive line: left tackle Isaiah World, left guard Emmanuel Pregnon and right tackle Alex Harkey.
The Ducks have recruited the offensive line really well, though, and have several former blue-chip prospects who should be ready to step into starting roles soon. They also have some on the way in the 2026 recruiting class, like five-star offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho.
So if Oregon experiences some growing pains early next season, it shouldn’t come as a shock. The Ducks will be breaking in a new OC, potentially a new quarterback and three new starting offensive linemen. It should be a team that gets better as the season progresses.
Continue to integrate newcomers
Oregon did a great job this season in terms of having impact freshmen like receiver Dakorien Moore, cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. and running backs Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison. Edge rusher Nasir Wyatt also made some impressive plays in the Fiesta Bowl.
And their transfers made a pretty significant impact too. Pregnon was great on the offensive line. Thieneman boosted the secondary. Receiver Malik Benson made several crucial plays down the stretch of the season. Defensive lineman Bear Alexander bolstered the interior of the defensive line. The Ducks brought in 11 transfers, and 10 contributed pretty heavily. The lone exception was running back Makhi Hughes.
Oregon has added just one transfer so far this offseason but is bound to make more noise in the coming weeks. And the players the Ducks add will likely be impactful.
Oregon also signed the No. 3 recruiting class in the country in December. With the 2025 recruiting class already making an impact, people should be bullish on the Ducks’ future under Lanning, who has a 48-8 record with four top-15 finishes in four years.
It was undoubtedly an ugly end to the season for the second consecutive year, but this is still a sport defined by talent acquisition and Lanning brings in plenty. The Ducks haven’t broken through that national title ceiling yet, but they’ll continue to put themselves in position to do so.