The Oregon Ducks’ third loss of the season after seven games, plus the news that the program parted ways with offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, raised plenty of questions for the present and future.

Among those questions is how the tough start to the season impacts recruiting. One blue-chip has already shut down the idea of a potential recruiting flip, despite the Ducks’ recent struggles.

Four-Star Recruit CaDarius McMiller Confirms Commitment

Coach Dan Lanning and Oregon announced on Sunday morning that they relieved Mehringer of his duties after a 21-10 upset loss against the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Ducks had previous losses to the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Week 2) and the UCLA Bruins (Week 6). The offense averaged just 14 points a game in the three-game span before the change.

Even without the knowledge of who the next offensive coordinator will be, four-star running back CaDarius McMiller reiterated his commitment to the program.

“@RashaadSamples know we overly locked,” McMiller posted on X (formerly Twitter).

McMiller was one of Oregon’s first commits in the 2027 class, committing on Feb. 14, 2026. The Texas blue-chip recruit competes for Tyer, where he’s earned rankings as high as No. 180 overall (Rivals Industry), No. 9 at his position (247Sports) and No. 22 in the state (Rivals).

The running back recorded 25 rushing touchdowns, four receiving touchdowns, 1,644 rushing yards and 218 carries through his first three seasons of high school, per 247Sports.

Maintaining a commitment from McMiller is critical for the Ducks with the cycle winding down, especially given that he’s their only current commit in the backfield. His mention of running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples indicates a strong relationship with his position coach being a key factor in his recruitment even with another big coaching change.

How Coordinator Change Impacts Oregon Ducks Recruiting

Mehringer, along with many members of the Ducks staff, played an important role in recruiting, as he appeared in visit photos with recruits across the country during the offseason.

The former offensive coordinator began as a member of Lanning’s staff, serving as the tight ends coach from 2022 through 2025. He was especially notable in the Ducks’ tight end recruiting. He is credited with recruiting current five-star freshman tight end Kendre Harrison, recent first-round NFL Draft tight end Kenyon Sadiq, as well as 2027 tight ends George VanSandt (three-star) and Anthony Cartwright III (four-star).

Oregon fans might remember the recruiting impact of the first big coordinator change during the Lanning era. When former offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham took the head coaching job at Arizona State after one season with the Ducks, five-star quarterback Dante Moore flipped his commitment from Oregon to UCLA. Moore eventually ended up with the Ducks after transferring following one season with the Bruins.

Still, there’s always a risk of losing recruits who had a relationship with the previous coordinator or coach. Luckily for Oregon, it also got some reassurance from 2027 four-star offensive lineman Cameron Wagner, who reposted photos after the Illinois loss with offensive line coach A’lique Terry from a recruiting visit.

As the Ducks look to answer the questions about who the next play caller will be, they might look to dive deeper into the relationships between Lanning and the position coaches with current offensive commits.