Oregon's Mehringer vs. USC's Patterson an intriguing coaching battle
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The Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans have faced off in numerous recruiting battles in recent seasons, once again sparking a rivalry with two well-known head coaches at the helm in Oregon's Dan Lanning and USC's Lincoln Riley.
While two of the most iconic and successful coaches in college football presents an interesting coaching battle when the Ducks visit the Trojans in a highly anticipated Week 4 matchup this fall, a different coaching battle was tabbed by CBS Sports as one of the best across the entire season in this contest.
That matchup is Oregon offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer versus USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, both of whom are entering their first seasons leading their respective units. Mehringer is the new kid on the block, being hired to succeed Will Stein, who departed to take the Kentucky Wildcats head coaching job this offseason.
"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," CBS Sports' Brad 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 job is made easier considering he's leading a loaded offensive group, but it's one that he'll have to deftly mesh together in order to both keep his own players focused and ready and keep the opposition on their toes.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the matchup, Riley turned to Patterson to resurrect the Trojans' lacking defense in recent seasons.
"Lincoln Riley's decision to hire the former TCU coach is the clearest acknowledgment yet that USC's defensive identity must change," Crawford wrote. "Patterson brings credibility, schematic flexibility and decades of experience building units that play faster than their recruiting rankings suggest. The honeymoon will not last long. 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."
Not only is Oregon's trip to LA to battle USC being considered one of the biggest, most anticipated games in college football, but it's also going to serve as a litmus test for two prominent coordinators in the sport.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon's Mehringer vs. USC's Patterson an intriguing coaching battle
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