Another year, another coaching vacancy for Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning to fill.
While the Ducks were able to keep both offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi in the fold this past offseason, it appears that both are going to be leaving Eugene this offseason. One move was made official on Monday afternoon, with Stein accepting the head coaching position for the Kentucky Wildcats, moving back to his home state, where he grew up.
During his three years with the Ducks, Stein has developed a reputation as a bit of a quarterback whisperer, sending both Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel to New York as Heisman Trophy finalists. While the 2025 finalists have not yet been announced, there is a chance that Dante Moore gets an invite as well, though he may be on the outside looking in among serious contenders.
The Ducks’ offense has been electric and versatile once again this year under Stein, who has kept the ship afloat despite dealing with numerous injuries to starting players over the past couple of months.
Now it’s time for Lanning to figure out how to replace that production.
During his time in Eugene, Lanning has hit constant home runs in the hiring process, consistently maintaining or improving after hiring new coaches each and every year. So who will he turn to in order to fill Stein’s vacancy? Here are some early names to know:
Note: This list will be edited and updated as we hear of more candidates becoming available.
Oregon Ducks RB Coach Ra’Shaad Samples
Ra’Shaad Samples is one of the top young coaches in all of college football, and it feels like he has been groomed for this position, whenever it became open. While he has never called plays before, Lanning trusts him on this staff and has talked about how bright a future he has as a head coach in the coming years. If the Ducks are to keep things in-house and avoid an outside hire, Samples feels like the obvious choice.
Missouri Offensive Coordinator Kirby Moore
Responsible for helping develop Brady Cook and bringing out star players like Luther Burden III and Cody Schrader, Moore fits the model of coaches that Lanning has targeted while at Oregon — someone in his early 30s with an aggressive style and a strong recruiting background. Before his time at Missouri, Moore worked at Fresno State for several years alongside Ryan Grubb, helping to develop Jake Haener.
Georgia Tech Offensive Coordinator Buster Faulkner
Buster Faulkner is a name to watch here, as he has found some great success with Georgia Tech this year, helping the Yellow Jackets produce the No. 31 scoring offense and No. 20 total offense this year. Faulkner also worked with Lanning with the Georgia Bulldogs a few years ago, so there is a connection and familiarity there.
Texas Tech Offensive Coordinator Mack Leftwich
One of the early names that has popped up is Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich, who has helped build one of the most productive offenses in the nation this year down in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have the No. 7 total offense, No. 5 scoring offense, and No. 10 passing offense in the nation this year. Leftwich has a history with quarterback development and was one of the primary developers of Cam Ward at Incarnate Word.
North Texas Mean Green Offensive Coordinator Jordan Davis
One of the top offensive names to know in the coordinator carousel this year is North Texas Mean Green OC Jordan Davis, who is responsible for producing the No. 1 total offense and No. 1 scoring offense in the nation this year. With North Texas head coach Eric Morris taking over as the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys this offseason, it could be time for Davis to find a new spot as well.
Oregon Ducks Co-Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer
If Lanning is looking for an in-house hire that he trusts and someone who has experience as an offensive coordinator and a play-caller, it would be hard to pass up on Drew Mehringer, the TE coach and co-OC in Eugene. Mehringer has been in Eugene since Lanning took over in 2021, and has helped grow the offense every step of the way. Mehringer acted as the OC at Rutgers before moving on to Texas and taking over as the Passing-Game Coordinator in Austin. Mehringer has also had recent stops at FAU and New Mexico.
Baylor Offensive Coordinator Jake Spavital
If you’re looking for someone with quarterback development and a nice track record of play-calling, then Spavital would be a nice fit. He is a bit older than the normal Lanning hire, but he’s proven himself several times over the past decade, first at California, and now most recently at Baylor.
UCLA Offensive Coordinator Jerry Neuheisel
One of the stars of the year in college football has been UCLA offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel, who has grown into an almost household name in certain circles after helping to turn around the Bruins as the interim offensive coordinator this season following the departure of head coach DaShaun Foster. The West Coast playcaller sparked a ton of excitement in Westwood, helping to spur on an upset victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions earlier in the year.
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