Drew Mehringer

Oregon's offense averaged 36.9 PPG in 2025 and 34.9 PPG in 2024. Stein called the plays, but Mehringer coached the tight ends and helped install the passing concepts as co-OC in 2025. The promotion was not a surprise. Lanning values continuity and internal promotion over splashy hires. Mehringer knows the players, the system, and the culture. The question is not whether he can run the offense. It is whether he can call plays at the same level Stein did when the game is on the line.

Moore describes Mehringer as having 'an incredible balance in being firm but not making the guys tense.' In an offensive meeting, Mehringer called out Evan Stewart directly: 'Hey, we all know what your goals are, we need to see those goals reflected in the way you work today.' Stewart responded. That is the tone: demanding, specific, but never personal. He cares about 'giving these guys the best service possible' without wasting their time. At Texas, he was the Big 12's top recruiter (2019) and Rivals' national Recruiter of the Year. He did not get that by being quiet. He got it by being real.

Spring practice 2026 confirmed what the promotion promised: continuity with upside. Mehringer asked the quarterbacks what plays they preferred in the playbook. Moore called Mehringer 'very smart' and credited him for adjusting when the QBs felt uncomfortable with a concept. That collaborative approach showed results. Moore made an unrehearsed pre-snap check during practice #6, a sign of real offensive autonomy emerging. QB coach Koa Ka'ai called the room 'mature beyond its years.' Lookout Eugene-Springfield profiled Mehringer as 'the existentialist in the coordinator's room,' a coach whose philosophy is shaped by survival, perspective, and relationships. His tight end coaching produced 287 receptions, 3,454 yards, and 38 touchdowns across 56 games. The fall question is whether that attention to detail scales to the full playbook.

This is the most important dynamic on the 2026 team. Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 TDs under Stein's play-calling. Moore calls Mehringer 'super smart' and said in spring 2026 that Mehringer 'already looks more comfortable in a leadership role.' The evidence from spring practice: Mehringer asked Moore what he liked in the playbook, adjusted plays when the QB felt uncomfortable, and gave Moore the freedom to audible at the line. Moore made unrehearsed checks. That is trust in action, not just words. Mehringer needs to maintain that dynamic while potentially evolving the scheme to better leverage Moore's dual-threat ability in year three.