EUGENE - The Oregon Ducks offense is undergoing big changes in 2026. Oregon starting quarterback Dante Moore is not expected to play again this season and the Ducks' offensive coordinator Drew Mehinger has been relived of his duties.

Ducks' offensive analyst Jay Johnson will call Oregon's plays in the interim while the permanent hire remains an open question. Johnson and Lanning have known each other a long time as they both were on the Georgia Bulldogs coaching staff during the 2018 season.

Dan Lanning Discusses Oregon’s Hiring Timeline

When will Oregon and Ducks coach Dan Lanning hire the new offensive coordinator? Lanning gave some insight into the hiring process.

“Yeah, I don't think that an announcement is and is going to happen right around the corner. To again think that you're not always preparing for moments like that, I think would be wrong too. So, there's an awareness, there's an evaluation process,” Lanning said.

Lanning also pointed to the football calendar and the demands on his current team.

“You want to be really thorough as you go through that. Is that that going to be occurring over the next few weeks, months? Yes. Does that mean that we make an announcement tomorrow?” Lanning said.

“It just doesn't really fit with the cycle of football to say that that's going to happen here in a week, and there's other things that our team needs to be focused on right now.”

One notable part of Lanning’s explanation was the scope of Oregon’s evaluation. He specifically mentioned awareness of what is happening across college football and the NFL.

"But to say that there's not an awareness of what's going on in college football, NFL, other teams, places that can make us better, that'd be wrong. There's certainly some of that evaluation that's going on," Lanning said.

While Lanning did not say there would be a new Oregon offensive coordinator by a certain date, he did indicate that evaluations are underway. Interestingly, legendary coach Nick Saban said that finding new coordinators is the most difficult task for a head coach.

Dan Lanning’s Coaching Tree Adds Intrigue To Oregon’s Search

Lanning’s next hire will follow a notable run of coordinators who propelled their success at Oregon to earn Power Four head coaching opportunities.

Before promoting internally at offensive and defensive coordinator this year, Lanning saw his first three coordinator hires land head coaching jobs at programs with deep personal connections. Kenny Dillingham returned to his alma mater, Arizona State. Will Stein is now thriving at Kentucky, his home-state program, while Tosh Lupoi is taking over at his alma mater, Cal.

That track record adds another layer to Oregon’s search. The opportunity to lead the Ducks’ offense comes with recent examples of coordinators turning the position into a head coaching job. For Lanning, the challenge is finding a coach who can deliver the offensive success that helped those predecessors take their next steps.

Dakorioen Moore's Impression of Jay Johnson

The Ducks let go of Mehringer seven games into the season. Johnson is taking over play calling as the No. 20 Northwestern Wildcats travel to play in Autzen Stadium for the first time. The Ducks have little time to wast in the transition.

Oregon Ducks receiver Dakorien Moore gave his impression of Johnson and the differences he's noticed in the week leading up to the game vs. Northwestern in an exclusive interview with Oregon Ducks on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus.

“The biggest difference is that we’re putting guys who we know are going to get the job done out there to get the job done,” Moore said. “The biggest focus that we have this year is making sure that everyone does the job that they’re tasked to do.”

Moore said Johnson has emphasized preparation while keeping players in a positive mood.

“Preparation is very big for him, so I feel like we’re going to be even more prepared than, you know, we started off this season,” Moore said. “So, definitely looking forward to this week.”

Who Oregon’s next offensive coordinator will be and when that hire will happen remain unanswered. Lanning has outlined his process, and his track record offers reason for optimism.

The Ducks and Wildcats will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT at Autzen Stadium, and the TV broadcast is Peacock.