The No. 6 Oregon Ducks suffered a jarring 39-31 upset loss to Oklahoma State, and the immediate fallout makes one thing painfully clear: Will Stein’s departure meant more to this program than anyone truly grasped. This wasn’t just a tough loss; it was a loud warning sign for Dan Lanning, showing just how much impact a coordinator has on the entire team’s rhythm and performance.
The Offensive Struggle Is Real Without Stein
If you watched Oregon’s offense from Week 1 to Week 2, you saw a serious problem: no improvement. That’s a huge red flag for Lanning, and it shines a spotlight on new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer. He’s just not hitting the standard needed. We’re talking basic stuff here, like getting the team to improve. It’s not happening. The Ducks were flat-out disorganized, racking up two delay-of-game penalties on a crucial fourth-quarter drive when they were trailing. That kind of self-inflicted wound screams a lack of coaching command, and it tells you Mehringer doesn’t have a firm grip on his offense right now.
Remember Dante Moore? He was good last season, not incredible, but he pulled off some huge clutch plays even with cold spells. Stein was a wizard at teaching Moore how to learn from those mistakes and truly evolve as a quarterback. Now, Moore doesn’t have that wisdom, and it’s showing. The offense is wildly inconsistent, hitting a low point with just 65 total yards right before halftime in that Oklahoma State stunner. It’s hard to ignore how much Stein’s guidance must have meant to Moore’s development.
Lanning’s Risky Bets and the OC Conundrum
Dan Lanning loves to go for it on fourth downs, that’s just how he rolls. But that ultra-aggressive approach demands an elite offensive coordinator to work effectively. With Drew Mehringer struggling to get the offense going and showing a lack of command, Lanning’s risky gambles look less effective, and honestly, way more dangerous. He needs a top-tier OC for that style to pay off.
Think about it: Lanning nailed it with Kenny Dillingham, who was elite before Stein and maximized Bo Nix. Dillingham then went to Arizona State and proved he can coach. Lanning’s hires for Stein and Dillingham were home runs. But head coaches have to keep hitting those OC hires to maintain an elite program. Right now, it looks like Lanning might have whiffed big time with Drew Mehringer. Meanwhile, Will Stein is already showing flashes at Kentucky, leading Alabama at halftime in an early game. Early indications are that Stein could be a quality head coach, and that just magnifies the severity of Oregon’s loss. Not having Stein, with Dante Moore and this offense, looks like it hurt Lanning far more than any of us originally thought.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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