Oregon Ducks Offensive Coordinator Hot Board

The Ducks are looking for another new offensive coordinator after Kenny Dillingham left for Arizona State.

With the departure of Kenny Dillingham to Arizona State, the Ducks are looking to find a new offensive coordinator sooner rather than later. Dillingham helped change Oregon's bland offense from ground and pound to a fast-paced spread offense with a mix of run to pass that led to a No. 4 ranking nationally in total offense at 507.8 yards per game.

To find the next coach that will take over the Oregon offense next season, Dan Lanning wants to look in the direction of someone who can potentially run a similar style offense and be an excellent recruiter for the future of the program. Being the offensive coordinator for Oregon is a position that we could expect to see filled quickly, especially with the early signing period next month.

Here's a list of potential coaching candidates the Ducks could look into for the opening.

Junior Adams (Oregon)

Oregon Ducks wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Junior Adams with Bo Nix and Ty Thompson during a game against the Arizona Wildcats / © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Adams served this season as the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator for the Ducks while Dillingham was still with the team. The wideout coach has had years of experience on the offensive side of the ball as both a coach and a player.

He's spent a majority of his career as a wide receivers coach from 2004-2020, but he had the opportunity to step up as the primary offensive coordinator for the Washington Huskies after John Donovan was fired in 2021. Oregon's safest bet would be Adams after working with Dillingham and his offenses this season and being one of the strongest recruiters for Oregon since arriving in Eugene.

With Oregon potentially looking for some offensive continuity from this season, he  could help the Ducks significantly with his coaching mindset that has developed NFL-level talent throughout his whole career.

Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills)

Buffalo Bills quarterback coach Joe Brady with Josh Allen during a game against the Carolina Panthers / © Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Brady was in the conversation among others in previous seasons when Oregon was looking for another offensive coordinator after the departure of Marcus Arroyo and Joe Moorhead. Brady was most recognized for his work in 2019 as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the LSU Tigers, who won a national title with arguably one of the best college football teams we've ever seen.

After LSU, he found his way into the NFL with the Carolina Panthers in 2020 as the offensive coordinator before serving as the quarterback's coach for the Buffalo Bills this year. It may be a long shot, but having Brady back in college football would be a tremendous pickup for Oregon with the talent they've added to their roster in recent years.

Brain Hartline (Ohio State)

Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline talks to his players during a practice in Columbus :: © Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Hartline is considered one of the best wide receiver's coaches in today's college football era. Since joining the Ohio State coaching staff since 2017, he produced elite NFL talent including the likes of Michael Thomas, Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Garret Wilson, Chris Olave and many more.

Besides being a part of one of the better teams nationally in college football, Hartline has developed into one of the best recruiters for the Buckeyes--a box the Ducks should place a premium on for their next offensive coordinator. Seeing that he's an Ohio State Alum, this would be tricky pull for Oregon, but with how things have been going with Ohio State and Ryan Day recently, especially with two losses to Michigan, anything is possible.

Torres' Take: How Does Kenny Dillingham's Departure Affect Oregon Football Recruiting?

Brennan Marion (Texas)

Texas wide receivers coach Brennan Marion with Xavier Worthy / Brennan Marion on Twitter (@BrennanMarion4)

Being a part of a growing Texas football program would be hard for anyone to leave, but the potential to reach out to the Longhorns' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach wouldn't be a bad idea for the Ducks. Before joining the Longhorns this season, Marion served as the wide receiver coach for Pittsburgh in 2021, where he helped direct a very explosive offense with Kenny Pickett and Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison.

Pitt finished the season with 41.4 points per game, 486.6 yards per game, and 337.4 passing yards a game, ranking eighth nationally. At age 35 Oregon could benefit from the talented coach by bringing that knowledge and speed into Oregon's offense while also being a great recruiter.

Garrett Riley (TCU)

Garrett Riley (right) poses for a photo with Lincoln Riley (left) during his time as an offensive analyst at Kansas / © Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

TCU is a team that has impressed everyone in the country after finishing the regular season undefeated and being on the verge of a playoff spot after their conference championship game. This is Riley's first year serving as the Horned Frogs' offensive coordinator, which could be a challenge to get for Oregon to overcome, but his play style is something the Ducks would want in a coach.

TCU's offense is currently ranked as the fourth best-scoring offense on the season averaging 41.3 points per game while also being 16th overall in total offense at 473.3 yards per game. Riley would be a great candidate for the Ducks to get their talent showcased in the way it did this year along, with the resume he brings from TCU that could benefit him as a recruiter in the Lone Star state.

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