Oregon Fires Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer After Illinois Loss

A packed college football stadium during a daytime game, used to illustrate Oregon's midseason coaching change. — Source: Unsplash

Summary

Oregon announced Oct. 25 that Drew Mehringer had been relieved of his offensive coordinator duties.
The decision followed a 21-10 loss at Illinois in which the Ducks gained 426 yards but were scoreless after halftime.
Oregon did not immediately name an interim coordinator, leaving the next play-caller unresolved.

Oregon changes direction after Illinois defeat

Oregon relieved offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer of his duties Sunday, Oct. 25, one day after a 21-10 loss at Illinois dropped the Ducks to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. Head coach Dan Lanning said the program needed a new direction on offense, while the university's announcement did not identify an interim coordinator or disclose the terms of Mehringer's departure.^{[1] [2]}

The Illinois game intensified pressure on the offense. Oregon recorded 426 total yards, including 180 on the ground, but converted that production into one touchdown and one field goal. The Ducks took a 10-0 lead before Illinois scored 21 unanswered points, and Oregon failed to score after halftime.^{[2] [3]}

A rapid promotion followed by a short tenure

Mehringer joined Lanning's original Oregon staff in 2022 as tight ends coach. He added co-offensive coordinator duties before the 2025 season and was promoted to sole offensive coordinator in January 2026 after Will Stein left to become Kentucky's head coach. Oregon thanked Mehringer for his work while announcing the change.^{[1] [4]}

Oregon's season scoring average concealed a more severe conference slowdown. Reuters reported that the Ducks averaged 33.1 points overall, a figure boosted by an 84-point game against Portland State, but averaged 14 points across their three most recent Big Ten games. Starting quarterback Dante Moore had missed those games while recovering from a concussion.^{[2] [3]}

Immediate questions for the Ducks

The timing leaves Oregon confronting two connected questions: who will call plays next, and how quickly the offense can stabilize if Moore remains unavailable. Lanning had signaled after the Illinois loss that staff changes were possible, but the school did not announce a replacement alongside Mehringer's dismissal.^{[1] [3]}

Oregon is scheduled to host Northwestern before visiting Ohio State on Nov. 7. Those games will provide an immediate test of whether the coaching change can translate yardage into points and keep a four-loss season from slipping further away from the Ducks' preseason expectations.^{[2] [3]}

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