The Oregon Ducks' season may have effectively ended on Saturday afternoon, as far as competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff goes, but with the 21-10 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini, something else began.
The most important hiring process of Dan Lanning's young career is now underway.
On Sunday morning, news broke that offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer was being let go after an underwhelming start to the season, his first in the position. Against FBS opponents this year, the Ducks averaged just 24.7 points per game, and while injuries and other factors played a part, Mehringer ultimately fell on the sword.
Now, Dan Lanning will have toright his wrong and hire a great offensive coordinator going forward. While he's been great at hiring
in the past, promoting Mehringer didn't age well, so he has no room for error on this next decision. In the past, he's leaned on relationships, targeting young, up-and-coming coaches with high upside but little experience.
Is that wherehe's going to go this time around?
It may be too early to say exactly what Lanning is thinking or how this process will play out, but we have a few things we would like to see prioritized in the next offensive coordinator hire.
Veteran Experience
One thing that has consistently been lacking on the sidelines in Eugene over the past few years is veteran experience. While a few coaches in the room have been around the block, Lanning has built a staff of young, enthusiastic signal-callers who are getting their first major crack at things. That's not to say that they aren't well-suited for the job; guys like RaShaad Samples, Ross Douglas, Brian Michalowski, and Chris Hampton, among others, have all proven their worth over the years, but when it comes to making tough in-game decisions, it would be nice to have an experienced voice to listen to.
I'm not saying the next OC needs to be 50-60 years old to be considered, but I would like the hire to not be coaching in the Power 4 for the first time. Whether it's a former head coach or someone with legitimate offensive coordinator experience, I think the Ducks could benefit from someone who has seen a thing or two over the years in college football.
Proven Play-Caller
While Drew Mehringer technically had play-calling experience before being named the OC at Oregon, calling him a proven play-caller would be a stretch. His one year with the play sheet at Rutgers didn't go particularly well, and during his time in Eugene, it was clear he was in over his head at times.
So going forward, I would like Lanning to prioritize someone with OC experience who has proven they can run an offense at the Power 4 level. Yes, this is very similar to my last priority of "veteran experience," but you can be a proven play-caller without technically being a veteran, and vice versa. If Lanning hired someone under 50 with extensive offensive experience, that would fit the bill. Take Mike Norvell, for example: the current Florida State head coach is 45 years old, but he has over a decade of experience as an offensive coordinator and play-caller, and he's done it at a high level.
That's the kind of quality Lanning needs to pursue, in my opinion.
Quarterback Development
The two offensive coordinators who have had major success under Dan Lanning have also been elite quarterback developers and served as the QB coach. While that may not be a prerequisite for the position, it would certainly be a bonus. The offensive coordinator works so closely with the QBs that it's much more helpful when they know the position at a granular level and don't also have to fold in a separate QB coach, as the Ducks did this past year with Drew Mehringer and Koa Ka'ai.
Of course, Oregon could end up hiring elite coordinators who also bring a QB coach, but I think the top-of-the-line candidates should be able to develop passers at a high level.
Not Needed: Recruiting Prowess
Let's end with a bonus: something that I don't think needs to be a priority in the hiring process.
In my opinion, the Ducks' next offensive coordinator does not need to be an elite recruiter. Obviously, it helps if they are, but with such an elite recruiting staff under Lanning, I don't think the Ducks need to make that a requirement.
My prime example here is Chip Kelly, obviously. I don't know whether he will be considered, but for those saying his dislike for recruiting plays a role in whether Oregon should want him, I have to disagree. Kelly is a great offensive mind with a long track record of scheming up some of the nation's most successful offenses. If he can bring that to the table, you find people around him who will recruit and let him work with them once they get to campus.
If the Ducks' next OC can bring kids to campus and get them to sign on the dotted line, great. If not? No big deal, in my opinion.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 3 things Oregon should prioritize in its next offensive coordinator
