Lanning Promotes Hampton, Mehringer To Coordinator Roles
01/15/26 | Football
EUGENE, Ore. – Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning announced the promotions of Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator and Drew Mehringer to offensive coordinator on Thursday.
Hampton just completed his third season at Oregon, serving as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Mehringer was the Ducks' co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach and has been with Lanning for all four of his seasons in Eugene.
Hampton and Mehringer helped the Ducks to a 13-2 season in 2025 that ended with a trip to the College Football Playoff Semifinal, including a win at the CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
"Chris and Drew have been tremendous coaches and leaders since joining our program and are more than deserving of taking these next steps in their careers," Lanning said. "They have each done an unbelievable job of helping our student-athletes excel both on and off the field. We are thrilled to be able to promote them to our coordinator roles and maintain the momentum we have created as a program and a coaching staff."
Hampton has played a key role in some of the most dominant defensive seasons in program history, joining the Ducks after leading a remarkable defensive turnaround in two years as Tulane's defensive coordinator.
Since Hampton arrived in 2023, Oregon is seventh nationally in scoring defense (17.9 PPG) and eighth in passing defense (185.9 YPG). UO is also No. 10 among FBS teams in that span in opponent completion percentage (56.6) and No. 7 in opponent passer rating (113.4).
"I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator at the University of Oregon," Hampton said. "I want to thank Coach Lanning, Rob Mullens, and the administration for their trust and belief in me. This program is built on great players and more importantly great people. I'm excited to go to work with our guys every day and compete for championships."
Hampton helped direct one of the nation's elite passing defenses in 2025. Oregon led all FBS teams in pass breakups (73) while ranking second in passes defended (88), fourth in passing defense (157.9 YPG), fourth in opponent completion percentage (53.3) and eighth in passer rating (107.94).
The 2025 Ducks rank 12th nationally in scoring defense at 17.9 points per game, allowing less than 20.0 points per game in all three seasons with Hampton on staff. It is the first time Oregon has done so in three straight years since 1978-80.
UO has also been in the top 10 in pass breakups in each season since Hampton arrived, ranking eighth in 2023 (74) and ninth in 2024 (75) before leading the nation in 2025.
"Coach Hampton is one of the best defensive minds in the country and a terrific leader of men," Lanning said. "He has really poured into our program over the last three years and has played a huge role in our improvement and success on the defensive side of the ball. Chris' ability to build relationships with current and future student-athletes is special and we are excited to have him in this role moving forward."
Defensive back Dillon Thieneman was a second-team all-American, a first-team all-Big Ten selection and a Paycom Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2025 under Hampton's guidance. Hampton also coached Jabbar Muhammad to all-Big Ten second-team honors in 2024.
In addition to elite coaching on the field, Hampton has proven to be one of the nation's most outstanding recruiters. He is the top-ranked coach in the nation in the 247Sports football recruiter rankings for 2025.
Mehringer joined Lanning's inaugural coaching staff in 2022 as tight ends coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. He will be an offensive coordinator for the second time in his career, after becoming the youngest play caller in the Power 5 in 2016 at Rutgers.
Since 2022, Oregon's offense leads the nation in points per game (38.7), touchdowns (283), total yards (2,165) and completion percentage (73.4). In Mehringer's first season as co-offensive coordinator in 2025, the Ducks rank tied for 10th nationally in points per game (36.9) and 17th in total yards per game (452.2).
"I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as Oregon's next offensive coordinator," Mehringer said. "I am honored that Coach Lanning and Rob Mullens believe that I am the right person for the job and I look forward to continuing to build on what we have accomplished over the last four seasons. The plan is to continue to have one of the most dynamic offenses in college football utilizing the strong connection we have built."
Mehringer coached the most productive tight end in Oregon history in his first three seasons in Eugene, helping Terrance Ferguson become a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ferguson finished as the leading tight end in program history in career receiving touchdowns (16) and receptions (134), and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards (1,537).
Kenyon Sadiq emerged as one of the top tight ends in college football under Mehringer's guidance in 2025. Sadiq led all FBS tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns while pacing the Ducks with 51 receptions, breaking the UO single-season record for catches by a tight end. His eight receiving TDs were also just one shy of tying the Oregon record in a season by a tight end.
Sadiq became the first Duck to be a finalist for the John Mackey Award, presented to the top tight end in college football, and he was named the 2025 Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. Sadiq was also named a second-team all-American by three different outlets in addition to earning all-Big Ten first-team honors.
"Coach Mehringer has been with us from the start here at Oregon and has made a consistent impact on our program," Lanning said. "He is an incredibly smart and innovative coach who will do a great job leading our offense and putting our student-athletes in position to succeed. Drew has earned this opportunity and I am looking forward to seeing him continue to grow as a coach and a leader."
In the 56 games since Mehringer's arrival, Oregon tight ends have combined to catch 287 passes for 3,454 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Hampton just completed his third season at Oregon, serving as co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Mehringer was the Ducks' co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach and has been with Lanning for all four of his seasons in Eugene.
Hampton and Mehringer helped the Ducks to a 13-2 season in 2025 that ended with a trip to the College Football Playoff Semifinal, including a win at the CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
"Chris and Drew have been tremendous coaches and leaders since joining our program and are more than deserving of taking these next steps in their careers," Lanning said. "They have each done an unbelievable job of helping our student-athletes excel both on and off the field. We are thrilled to be able to promote them to our coordinator roles and maintain the momentum we have created as a program and a coaching staff."
Hampton has played a key role in some of the most dominant defensive seasons in program history, joining the Ducks after leading a remarkable defensive turnaround in two years as Tulane's defensive coordinator.
Since Hampton arrived in 2023, Oregon is seventh nationally in scoring defense (17.9 PPG) and eighth in passing defense (185.9 YPG). UO is also No. 10 among FBS teams in that span in opponent completion percentage (56.6) and No. 7 in opponent passer rating (113.4).
"I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator at the University of Oregon," Hampton said. "I want to thank Coach Lanning, Rob Mullens, and the administration for their trust and belief in me. This program is built on great players and more importantly great people. I'm excited to go to work with our guys every day and compete for championships."
Hampton helped direct one of the nation's elite passing defenses in 2025. Oregon led all FBS teams in pass breakups (73) while ranking second in passes defended (88), fourth in passing defense (157.9 YPG), fourth in opponent completion percentage (53.3) and eighth in passer rating (107.94).
The 2025 Ducks rank 12th nationally in scoring defense at 17.9 points per game, allowing less than 20.0 points per game in all three seasons with Hampton on staff. It is the first time Oregon has done so in three straight years since 1978-80.
UO has also been in the top 10 in pass breakups in each season since Hampton arrived, ranking eighth in 2023 (74) and ninth in 2024 (75) before leading the nation in 2025.
"Coach Hampton is one of the best defensive minds in the country and a terrific leader of men," Lanning said. "He has really poured into our program over the last three years and has played a huge role in our improvement and success on the defensive side of the ball. Chris' ability to build relationships with current and future student-athletes is special and we are excited to have him in this role moving forward."
Defensive back Dillon Thieneman was a second-team all-American, a first-team all-Big Ten selection and a Paycom Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in 2025 under Hampton's guidance. Hampton also coached Jabbar Muhammad to all-Big Ten second-team honors in 2024.
In addition to elite coaching on the field, Hampton has proven to be one of the nation's most outstanding recruiters. He is the top-ranked coach in the nation in the 247Sports football recruiter rankings for 2025.
Mehringer joined Lanning's inaugural coaching staff in 2022 as tight ends coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. He will be an offensive coordinator for the second time in his career, after becoming the youngest play caller in the Power 5 in 2016 at Rutgers.
Since 2022, Oregon's offense leads the nation in points per game (38.7), touchdowns (283), total yards (2,165) and completion percentage (73.4). In Mehringer's first season as co-offensive coordinator in 2025, the Ducks rank tied for 10th nationally in points per game (36.9) and 17th in total yards per game (452.2).
"I am very excited about the opportunity to serve as Oregon's next offensive coordinator," Mehringer said. "I am honored that Coach Lanning and Rob Mullens believe that I am the right person for the job and I look forward to continuing to build on what we have accomplished over the last four seasons. The plan is to continue to have one of the most dynamic offenses in college football utilizing the strong connection we have built."
Mehringer coached the most productive tight end in Oregon history in his first three seasons in Eugene, helping Terrance Ferguson become a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ferguson finished as the leading tight end in program history in career receiving touchdowns (16) and receptions (134), and he ranks second all-time in receiving yards (1,537).
Kenyon Sadiq emerged as one of the top tight ends in college football under Mehringer's guidance in 2025. Sadiq led all FBS tight ends with eight receiving touchdowns while pacing the Ducks with 51 receptions, breaking the UO single-season record for catches by a tight end. His eight receiving TDs were also just one shy of tying the Oregon record in a season by a tight end.
Sadiq became the first Duck to be a finalist for the John Mackey Award, presented to the top tight end in college football, and he was named the 2025 Big Ten Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year. Sadiq was also named a second-team all-American by three different outlets in addition to earning all-Big Ten first-team honors.
"Coach Mehringer has been with us from the start here at Oregon and has made a consistent impact on our program," Lanning said. "He is an incredibly smart and innovative coach who will do a great job leading our offense and putting our student-athletes in position to succeed. Drew has earned this opportunity and I am looking forward to seeing him continue to grow as a coach and a leader."
In the 56 games since Mehringer's arrival, Oregon tight ends have combined to catch 287 passes for 3,454 yards and 38 touchdowns.
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