Dan Lanning may have a vacancy to fill after reports were released that Oregon football staff Matt Lombardi may head to North Carolina to join new head coach Bill Belichick as the Tar Heels quarterback coach.
Lanning hired Lombardi ahead of the 2024 season and the staffer has acted as an Oregon offensive analyst during the Ducks' 2024-25 season.
North Carolina is expected to hire Oregon staffer Matt Lombardi as an offensive assistant coach, potentially as QB coach, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 6, 2025
Before spending this year at Oregon, Lombardi worked in the NFL with the Raiders and Panthers.https://t.co/qOetA1jj8s pic.twitter.com/eCDHo2efBb
Before joining Oregon's staff, Lombardi worked in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders as the team's assistant wide receiver coach. Lombardi also worked alongside current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule on the Carolina Panthers staff.
During the five-day window since Oregon's loss to Ohio State at the Rose Bowl, rumblings of Lanning leaving for the NFL and fans calling for the ousting of offensive coordinator Will Stein have gathered momentum but nothing has been officially announced as of Monday, Jan. 6.
Lombardi worked alongside Stein throughout the 2024 season and closely with quarterback Dillon Gabriel throughout his Heisman-finalist campaign. Stein joined Lanning's staff in 2023 after former offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham became Arizona State's head coach.
Were Lombardi to join North Carolina's new head coach in Chapel Hill, Lanning and Stein would most likely look to promote internally or hire someone from external sources to fill the vacancy.
Oregon has months until they kick off its 2025 season on Aug. 30 against the Montana State Bobcats who are set to play the North Dakota State Bison in the FCS National Championship on Monday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. PT.