Ron McCullough has driven from Portland to Eugene for 29 seasons, sitting in Section 33 at Autzen Stadium and staying until every game ended. That streak ended during last week's game against Nebraska. With Oregon trailing 7-0 at halftime and playing its third-string quarterback, McCullough headed for the exit. "One of the most boring games I've ever watched. It's embarrassing," he said.
He was not alone. Many fans left, and some booed the team on its way to the locker room. Oregon rallied to beat Nebraska in the second half, but a week later it lost 21-10 at Illinois, its third defeat of the year. The Ducks have not lost three games before November since 2018. "I think all things are on the table for us to make sure that we're the best version of ourselves," coach Dan Lanning said after the loss. "And we're currently not that."
The fall is steep for a team that opened the season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll, with Heisman frontrunner Dante Moore back and a roster considered among the most talented and expensive in the sport. On Sunday, Lanning announced the firing of offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, whom he had promoted before the season. On Monday, he said Moore, who has been out since a concussion against USC on Sept. 26, is not expected to play again this year.
Trouble appeared early. After a narrow home win over Boise State, Oregon lost 39-31 at Oklahoma State, which had dropped 12 straight games. Linebacker Teitum Tuioti said players were perhaps "too lackadaisical" and "reading our press clippings too much." Oklahoma State players said Oregon's offensive line formations gave away plays before the snap.
Moore was hurt at USC after an 84-0 win over Portland State. Backup Dylan Raiola, who transferred from Nebraska, helped Oregon win that game. But the offensive line problems persisted, and UCLA coaches predicted Oregon would reveal its plays before the snap and give up the ball. They were right: seven turnovers led to a 17-15 UCLA win, only the third regular-season loss for Lanning at Autzen.
The offseason had also brought heavy staff losses. Offensive coordinator Will Stein left to become Kentucky's head coach, taking several assistants with him, and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi left for the head job at Cal with six former Oregon staffers. Stein has Kentucky at 7-1. Oregon's offense, which finished last season 10th in offensive SP+, is now 28th, ranking 85th in rushing and 42nd in total offense.
Mehringer's résumé offered little assurance. In his one season as a full-time coordinator at Rutgers, the team had the worst offense in football by yards per game and was shut out four times. Lanning, who had a 48-8 record entering the year, chose continuity over track record. Former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said coordinator changes can affect a team in ways that take time to see.
Oregon will likely need a new offensive coordinator and a new starting quarterback. Since the USC game, Raiola has thrown for 348 yards in three games, completed 52% of his passes, and has two interceptions and one touchdown, with an average QBR of 34.9. Bellotti said maintaining a culture is hard given the amount of roster turnover.
Off-field issues have added to the strain. Wide receiver Evan Stewart was arrested for DUII and tight end Jamari Johnson received a speeding ticket. Lanning said discipline would be handled internally. Before the Illinois game, freshmen Messiah Hampton, Jalen Lott and Immanuel Iheanacho were listed as out, and Lanning did not say afterward whether the reason was injury or punishment. "I'm really just gonna focus on the guys who were here on the trip today," he said.
