Oregon HC Dan Lanning Has Opportunity to Break Rival's Back
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The biggest narrative surrounding the Oregon Ducks this season is the coaching staff.
After two blowout losses in the College Football Playoff to Big Ten rivals Indiana and Ohio State, head coach Dan Lanning needs to show he can win the big game when it matters the most.
Lanning had some major turnover with his staff this offseason, losing defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to Cal and offensive coordinator Will Stein to Kentucky.
New offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer and defensive coordinator Chris Hampton enter their new job on a team that has sky-high expectations of winning the national championship.
Brad Crawford of CBS Sports believes the coaching battle between Mehringer and USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson is one of the best matchups in college football this season. The Ducks will travel to play USC on Sept. 26.
"There may not be a first-year OC with more pressure than Mehringer, given the lofty accomplishment Will Stein left in his wake following his departure to Kentucky as head coach," Crawford wrote.
"Everything Stein touched at Oregon turned to gold offensively, which makes Mehringer's first Big Ten test quite captivating for those of us who have tabbed the Ducks as a preseason CFP frontrunner."
Mehringer's competition is Patterson, the architect that helped TCU enter the Big 12 spotlight. Riley hired Patterson to help bring legitimacy to the defense. That defense will be tested against quarterback Dante Moore and a talented receiver corps and backfield.
If Mehringer can win the battle, a victory early in the season could break the backs of the Trojans.
"The honeymoon will not last long,“ Crawford wrote of Patterson and USC. "An early-season matchup with Oregon presents a defining examination against elite speed, physicality, and an offense capable of exposing every communication error.
"If Patterson's fingerprints are already visible, the Trojans could announce themselves as legitimate playoff contenders. If old problems resurface, pressure on Riley will intensify before USC reaches the heart of its schedule."
For Oregon, the contest against USC is an early test for Lanning and his staff to show they're ready for the CFP. A loss wouldn't kill the Ducks’ season, but they'd need to change their approach before playing Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington later in the season.
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