Ripples, repercussions, recruiting and next moves for Oregon after Stein news

Dan Lanning is a superb judge of coaching talent. He's made one home run hire after another, and the current staff includes some of the brightest football minds and dynamic recruiters in the business. There's a host of reasons why the Ducks are 11-1, headed to the College Football Playoff and two days before the Early Signing Period begins, have the No. 5 recruiting class in the nation.

Will Stein is leaving to become the new head football coach at Kentucky, the school he rooted for as a child, about an hour and a half from Louisville, where he grew up and went to college. He's a graduate of the University of Louisville and Trinity High School. The Wildcats play football in Lexington, 78.5 miles away.

His promotion brings up several questions.

Will he coach the Ducks through the playoffs?

Pete Thamel of ESPN reports Stein plans to coach the Oregon offense and call plays through the playoffs, juggling both jobs. Dan Lanning did the same thing when he was hired at UO, dividing his time between scheming the Bulldogs to a national title while recruiting and hiring a staff in Eugene.

How does this affect Dante Moore?

Oregon's sensational redshirt sophomore quarterback has made big plays all through November, impressing pro scouts and his teammates with his ability to deliver the football and coolness in the clutch. If he came out for the NFL draft he'd challenge to be the No. 1 overall pick, a first-round draft choice or the first quarterback taken, but even gifted college quarterbacks do better with more college starts before they turn pro.

Most reports say Moore is planning to return for another season, but that decision could change if he engineers a deep run in the playoffs and momentum continues to build for him as a premier NFL prospect. He'd be looking at a payday of close to $50 million, but overall career success figures in the equation too.

The most likely possibility is that he returns to Oregon. The first priority of the new offensive coordinator is to establish a relationship with Moore and earn his trust, help him continue to develop as a leader and a quarterback. It's Lanning's first priority too.

Moore won't follow Stein to Kentucky, but Austin Novosad might. A player that Oregon recruited, football/baseball star Matt Ponatoski of Cincinnati, could be lured to the home of the Kentucky Derby as well. A Kentucky commit, he announced recently that he plans to delay his decision and sign in February.

Who will the Ducks hire to replace him?

There are several exciting candidates on staff. Running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples and receiver coach Ross Douglas are future head coaches with advanced understanding of fundamentals, technique and designing an offense, and they're both steeped in the values and principles of the program. A'lique Terry has worked in the NFL and knows what makes an offense go.

None of the three have been a principal play-caller, but they've had a year or more in the Oregon meeting rooms and a hand in designing the game plan.

Though the internal candidates are terrific coaches, Lanning wants someone with playcalling experience. The stage is too big for on-the-job training. Scott Reed at Ducks Sports Central has a list of possible candidates. It's looks to be a national, comprehensive search.

In past hiring decisions Lanning has shown tremendous anticipation and planning. He has a stuffed rolodex of candidates and contacts. Stein made $2 million as the Oregon OC; it's one of the premier jobs in college football with exceptional facilities and support. The last two offensive coordinators, Stein and Dillingham, have become head coaches. It's a fast track to career growth and a springboard to the top levels of the game.

If Oregon needs a new OC, DC or both, agents will burn up Dan Lanning's phone. Three dozen guys will want to interview for this job.

Another intriguing but remote possibility is that Chip Kelly just got fired by the Las Vegas Raiders. Zachary Neel of Ducks Wire floated the idea that Kelly could join the Ducks' staff as a senior analyst, but that seems extremely remote, especially given his rocky past with Dante Moore at UCLA. Kelly left abruptly, the season was disastrous, and Moore struggled as a true freshman quarterback in an undermanned offense.

How will this affect recruiting?

The Early Signing Period begins Wednesday and typically a surprise coaching change can lead to some committed players reconsidering their decisions, either out of a strong coaching relationship being a priority in the decision or out of a desire to get another bite out of the NIL apple.

The Oregon program is run by smart people. Lanning, chief of staff Marshall Malchow and the coaches use a team approach. They sell recruits on the program and a philosophy of development and preparation, not only for the NFL and life beyond football. Recruits choose Oregon as a program, and most have a trust relationship with more than one coach.

One of the priorities in the layoff will be reconnecting with those players and addressing their concerns. The Ducks aren't expected to lose anyone and they're working on some flips.

Oregon remains an attractive destination for coaches and players. The next Oregon offensive coordinator, and the next defensive coordinator if Tosh Lupoi is announced as the new coach at Cal, will be brilliant recruiters who relate well with players and teach the game at a high level.

The fact that the program has created opportunities for its coaches is an opportunity and a sign of health and strength.