Never miss a Ducks4Life update!
EUGENE — Let’s get one thing straight. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning didn’t promote Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator to fix a broken machine. He promoted him to sharpen a lethal weapon.
When Lanning elevated Hampton to DC and named Drew Mehringer offensive coordinator with in-house promotions on Jan. 15, 2026, it was a calculated strike for continuity.
After three seasons as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach, Hampton takes the reins of a defense that helped propel 2025 Oregon to a 13-2 record, an Orange Bowl quarterfinal victory and a CFP semifinal appearance. You don’t overhaul a defense that smothered every opposing QB but the eventual Heisman winner. You lock down the architect of that secondary and dare the Big Ten to throw the ball.
Here’s how that happens in 2026:
