The Oregon Ducks appear to have emerged out of their offensive funk in 2026, which culminated in three straight games of scoring less than 20 points. Offensive coordinator and play-caller Drew Mehringer was fired and replaced by assistant quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson, the only coach on the offensive side of the ball with previous play-calling experience.
Since then, the Ducks have excelled, averaging 37.5 points in Johnson's two games at the helm.
Curiously enough, Oregon will face an opponent going through similar changes offensively in the Michigan Wolverines in Week 11, who will be in Eugene to take on the Ducks.
Michigan fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck, handing over play-calling duties to offensive line coach Jim Harding. There were
unknowns about Johnson's play-calling nature, and there are those same questions about Harding, making it extremely difficult for Oregon to prepare for Michigan's offense this week.
Harding will be looking to turn around an offense that averages less than 20 points per game, ranking 126th out of 138 FBS teams. Dan Lanning noted this week that teams often experience a resurgence after hearing a new voice on offense, with the Ducks potentially seeing something that the Wolverines hadn't shown at all this season.
In this piece, we broke down what Michigan does well offensively, who their players to watch are, if Oregon's built to stop their offense and what we expect to see come Saturday in Eugene. Let's get into it.
What do the Michigan Wolverines do well on offense?
Under Beck, the Wolverines had an old-school approach and mentality meshed with new-school formations and play designs. It's described as a power-spread offense, not too unlike the offenses that Big Ten teams such as Iowa and Minnesota run as well.
Michigan isn't afraid to put two, or even three, tight ends on the field and force the defense to adjust. There are multiple moments in every Wolverines game where it's obvious that they're going to run the ball — they just believe that they can run the ball better than you can stop the run. The Ducks will have their work cut out for them in that they may need to play as physical of football as they've played this fall.
The new-school schemes that will come into play are RPO's, though we've seen less of them since Bryce Underwood was benched and Tommy Carr took over. Even though Carr isn't nearly as physical of a runner, he's still got some wheels and Beck used them to his advantage. Thus far, Carr has 95 rush yards and three rush touchdowns.
The Michigan passing game isn't overcomplicated. They have a couple of big, physical receivers on the outside and a couple jitterbugs in the slot. The Wolverines offense doesn't ask the quarterback to scan through many progressions, instead focusing on quick game passes or longer-developing passes deeper down the field.
With offensive line coach Harding taking over the play-calling duties, one could infer that he'll lean even more into getting the run game going, whether it be with the running backs or with Carr. But then again, we won't really know what kind of spice Harding will bring to the table until the game is underway on Saturday.
Who are the top players to know?
QB Tommy Carr
The grandson of legendary Michigan head coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lloyd Carr and the brother of Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, football is in Tommy Carr's blood. A four-star from Saline, MI, Carr supplanted Underwood three weeks ago and had mild success but not enough to lock up the job, as it was still in question heading into this week. Standing 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Carr has a strong arm and generally makes good decisions with the football, far from a gunslinger like Underwood. In three starts, the true freshman has completed 67.0% of his passes for 641 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He's also a threat with his legs, racking up 95 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
RB Savion Hiter
The No. 2 running back in the 2026 class, Savion Hiter gives the Wolverines a pair of true freshman in the backfield starting against the Ducks. Hiter leads Michigan in rushing this season, carrying the ball 93 times for 331 yards and three touchdowns while also catching 10 passes for 72 yards. As a consensus five-star, Hiter hasn't had as strong of a season that he may have liked, but his combination of speed and strength (he stands 5-foot-11, 212 pounds) hints at better production in a better scheme.
WR JJ Buchanan
Having followed Kyle Whittingham from Utah to Michigan, JJ Buchanan might be regretting his decision as the Utes sit at 9-0 and Michigan at 5-4. Regardless, Buchanan has been the No. 1 receiver for the Wolverines, catching 40 passes for 646 yards and five touchdowns. Fellow wide receiver Andrew Marsh is the only other reliable pass catcher for Michigan, with no other receiver totaling more than 13 catches. Buchanan is an especially reliable receiver, as his 6-foot-4 frame allows him to sky above defenders and reach passes that most guys couldn't get to. Just a sophomore, Buchanan is a shining light in an otherwise dark Michigan offense.
Are the Oregon Ducks built to stop Michigan?
The loss of edge rusher Teitum Tuioti certainly hurts, but I think the Ducks are still built to stop the Wolverines up front. The duo of A'Mauri Washington and Bear Alexander at defensive tackle is one of the best in the country and they're just now beginning to play their best football of the season. D'Antre Robinson, the transfer from North Carolina, has shown up in big moments this season as well and has been a tremendous rotational piece on the interior.
Where I'd be most concerned, coincidentally enough, is in the pass game against Buchanan. Yes, the Ducks just shut down Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith last week, but Buchanan presents a different challenge in that he won't be the main focus of the game plan for Oregon. Just a sophomore, the 6-foot-4 receiver has the ability to win jump balls over smaller defenders while also running by them with requisite speed.
As long as Oregon can keep the Michigan run game from breaking loose at any certain time and keep Buchanan from taking the top off, they should be just fine.
What should we expect on Saturday?
A disciplined effort is needed. And if the Ducks' defense is going to be the same one that came out for the second half against Northwestern and the final three quarters against Ohio State, Oregon should dominate.
We just saw Michigan State hold Michigan to zero points for the first 58 minutes of the game, so something similar to that is very realistic. There will be some new twists with Harding calling the plays, but Oregon simply has better personnel defensively versus the Wolverines offense.
I'd be surprised if Michigan scores more than 14 points on Saturday in Eugene.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What Oregon should expect from Michigan's offense
