Oregon's pursuit of the 2026 National Championship continues in earnest Thursday as the Ducks begin spring practice on Thursday. They'll have a second session on March 14 before breaking for finals and spring vacation, resuming workouts on Tuesday March 31.
The spring game follows on Saturday April 25, ordinary fans' first look at the team and new additions. Before that, there will be the usual gaggle of reporters, Dan Lanning meeting them each day alternating with the two new coordinators and returning stars, all trying like crazy to avoid saying anything that could give aid, comfort or information to the enemy.
You've got questions; Lanning will say anything to avoid really answering them
It's a subtle dance, those concourse question and answer sessions, writers seizing on generalities and evasions to create a daily story and some context for what's happening behind closed gates. Here's what the faithful want to know about:
How quickly and effectively are new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer and new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton stepping into new roles?
What's the working relationship like between Dante Moore and new transfer quarterback Dylan Raiola? Is the team treating this like a competition or a collaboration?
Is Moore making tangible progress in his growth toward becoming a complete quarterback, augmenting his remarkable arm talent with an increased understanding of checks, audibles, coverages, protections and progressions?
Who's emerging to fill the vacant roles at safety, offensive tackle and linebacker?
--Throughout last year Moore did a great job of distributing ball in a potent offense. The Ducks tied for 10th in the nation in scoring with Ole Miss at 36.9 points a game, making it all the way to the College Football Playoff Semifinals while finishing with a 13-2 record.
Six different players caught 26 or more passes, led by Kenyon Sadiq's 51. Four receivers totaled more than 500 yards each; Dante Moore collected 497 in an injury-shortened freshman season. Lead running backs Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill powered for 829, 667 and 656 yards respectively.
Commentators want to make football about strategy and analytics, because that stuff can be argued incessantly. At its heart, however, football is a game of matchups, what Mehringer described to Matt Prehm and Erik Skopil on the Autzen Audibles podcast as "Our guy is better than their guy."
This winter Dan Lanning pushed all his chips in for 2026 on two new hole cards, Hampton and Mehringer. He made the big gamble that continuity and relationships mattered more than fancy plays and tactics.
The program pays its coordinators at the top of the scale around college football. Lanning could have conducted a national search for an offensive guru or a blitz-crafting wizard. Instead, he chose a guy Dante Moore trusted, a coach familiar with the talent on the roster, one who understood that collaboration and confidence are more powerful than x's and o's.
On defense, he chose a coach the players knew, trusting Hampton to find the key to unleashing college football's best defensive line.
Lanning trusted Hampton and Mehringer's growth and commitment as coaches. The program is as stable, productive and consistent as any in the country. It's hard to think that he got it wrong.
In-house hires don't always work. In recent Duck history Mark Helfrich and Don Pellum are two glaring examples. Fans should like the results of these two, however. On a connected team committed to growth, trusting two who have shared in all the frustrations and achievements of the last four seasons seems like a sound calculation of the odds.
It rankles to hear some of the criticism of Lanning on social media. People say things like, "He always folds. He underachieves." That's absurd. The Ducks are 48-8 in four seasons, a record that marks him one magical season away from winning at the pace of Knute Rockne and Urban Meyer, in company with Curt Cignetti, Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman. Few have accomplished more over the same period.
Critics point to the resources the fifth-year head coach enjoys in Eugene. In truth, he doesn't have any more than Mike Elko, Kalen DeBoer or Lane Kiffin. He's 2-0 against Kyle Whittingham, 4-0 against Jedd (Dedd) Fisch, 1-1 against Ryan Day.
To reach his next step, he has to improve his 0-3 record against Cignetti and Kirby Smart, but that day is coming. The Ducks are right on track. As spring practice unfolds we'll hear mostly evasions, cliches and generalities, but behind them will be a story of commitment and quiet growth.