Kirk Herbstreit, speaking on NBC Sports, described Oregon’s loss as disappointing and frustrating. He asserted that, on paper, Oregon could rival any program in the country in terms of talent, praising head coach Dan Lanning. Herbstreit also pointed out that Will Stein, formerly the offensive coordinator, had moved on to become head coach at Kentucky.
Oregon entered the season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll, but Week 1’s close win over Boise State raised questions about the team’s readiness. The setback against Oklahoma State only amplified those concerns, with the Cowboys prevailing 39-31. After the defeat, Oregon stood at 1-1 and did not resemble the 11-1 team from the previous year, which had gone 8-1 in conference play.
The team dropped from No. 2 to No. 6 in the AP poll after Week 1, and the subsequent loss caused Oregon to fall further, down to No. 21 in recent rankings—a placement that has been rare for a program of Oregon’s stature.
Coaching changes followed the 2025 season, with Oregon promoting internally rather than pursuing a broad national search. Chris Hampton was named co-DC, sharing duties with Tosh Lupoi, and Drew Mehringer moved from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator. Herbstreit suggested the program was starting to resemble teams that did not live up to preseason expectations in the prior year.
Herbstreit commented on the offense, noting that the unit did not appear aligned with the talent on the roster. He drew a comparison to Penn State and Clemson from the previous year, hoping Oregon could rebound and bolster the Big Ten’s standing with improved play.
Reflecting on the prior season, Penn State began strong but faced a midseason stumble, including a notable double-overtime win by Oregon in Happy Valley that momentarily interrupted the Lions’ momentum. Penn State later slipped in conference play and controversy surrounding the head coach arose.
Clemson also entered the 2025 campaign with returning production, but struggled to start, losing at home to LSU and finishing 7-6. The implication is that Oregon had the potential to avoid a similar downturn with adjustments.
After the Week 2 loss, Lanning acknowledged that Oklahoma State repeatedly presented defensive looks and running schemes that Oregon’s staff hadn’t adequately prepped for. While the defense managed to hold its own, the offense struggled significantly.
Lanning admitted, “We did not perform at any level that was winning football. This is by far the worst performance since I’ve been here.”
On the offensive side, Dante Moore’s performance drew scrutiny. Oklahoma State’s defense identified a tell: Moore’s pre-snap foot alignment indicated run or pass tendencies. A balanced stance suggested a run, while a split stance suggested a pass, enabling the defense to anticipate plays. Moore completed 14 of 29 passes for 191 yards, posting a suboptimal showing. In a Monday media session, he took responsibility, acknowledging that he second-guessed several throws and needed to trust his reads and execute with confidence.
Looking ahead, Oregon was set to host Portland State for the non-conference finale on Friday, September 18. This game offered a chance to regroup and refine the offense before resuming conference play.
Key context: The discussion centers on Oregon’s talent level, the coaching staff’s adjustments after personnel changes, and the need to align offense with the roster’s capabilities. The outcome of the Portland State matchup would help determine how the Ducks address early-season struggles and regain momentum for the Big Ten schedule.
