Oregon’s 17-15 loss to UCLA has left Dan Lanning with more questions to answer about his team’s offense. The Ducks turned the ball over seven times and struggled to move the chains, extending a difficult start to the season. But while head coach Dan Lanning reviews what went wrong in Eugene, ESPN’s Rece Davis sees another reason for concern.

“[Will] Stein’s presence is being felt because of his absence at Oregon,” said Davis in a conversation with Pat McAfee. “I think it’s really, really accentuating just how good a coach this young guy at Kentucky is because Stein, making his presence felt at Kentucky, and they obviously miss him a whole bunch at Oregon at the same time.” 

Davis added a caveat, though, and the numbers behind his point are hard to ignore. He said he does not like to blame an offensive coordinator change for everything, but noted that the Ducks have been uneven even when quarterback Dante Moore was healthy. 

Then he pointed to the UCLA game, where backup QB Dylan Raiola, starting in place of injured Dante Moore, struggled from the start, and Oregon put the ball on the ground five times and turned it over seven. Davis believes Stein’s early success with the Wildcats is making Oregon’s offensive struggles even more noticeable.

The comparison is becoming more difficult for Oregon head coach Dan Lanning to escape. Stein has Kentucky sitting at 5-1 after a 35-34 overtime victory over No. 10 LSU, while the Ducks have fallen to 3-2.

Meanwhile, Oregon went one for 13 on third down and finished with 272 yards, only 73 on the ground. Raiola got his first start because Moore was in concussion protocol after leaving the September 26 win over USC. Raiola completed six passes for 43 yards, threw two interceptions, and lost a fumble before Brock Thomas took over in the fourth quarter. 

Thomas found Evan Stewart for a 44-yard touchdown with 2:16 left. Oregon failed to convert either of its two-point attempts, then lost its final chance when a lateral ended in a fumble recovered by UCLA.

Oregon’s turnovers and poor third-down performance have raised questions about preparation and coaching decisions. During a postgame presser, head coach Dan Lanning called five of the seven turnover plays that gave Oregon “zero chance to win,” and said the whole staff and team share the blame. 

“Bad ball security showed up in the game. I didn’t coach that well enough,” said Lanning. “I didn’t have the accountabilities necessary in practice. So that’s something I can coach better. Our coaching staff can coach better.”

Lanning also confirmed that changes to Oregon’s operations are already underway, but he has declined to reveal the details or confirm whether OC Drew Mehringer’s role will change. He said plain and simple, “Why would I tell you?”

Mehringer joined Oregon as tight ends coach in 2022 and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator ahead of the 2025 season. He became the Ducks’ offensive coordinator in January 2026 after Stein left for Kentucky. 

Chris Hampton also moved up to defensive coordinator when Tosh Lupoi became California’s head coach. Those moves followed a 13-2 season in 2025 that ended with a 56-22 loss to Indiana in the Peach Bowl playoff semifinal. 

McAfee brought up Stein’s answer to a question about why Kentucky would be different under his leadership.

“With all due respect, me. I think I am the difference maker,” McAfee quoted him as saying. McAfee said he likes that kind of call, as long as the results follow.

The criticism of Oregon’s loss to UCLA is mounting. Barstool analyst Brandon Walker called Dylan Raiola’s performance an “unprecedented disaster,” while national analyst Josh Pate ranked the outcome among the week’s worst performances in college football.

With Oregon entering as a double-digit home favorite, the result has put Dan Lanning under greater pressure to get his team back on track.

Oregon hosts Nebraska on October 17, with Moore’s availability still uncertain. Lanning said the staff would evaluate the quarterback’s condition and the week’s practice before making a decision.