Oregon Ducks Basketball Hires New Strength Coach From SEC

The Oregon men's basketball program has added former Texas A&M strength coach Brandon Kuhn to its staff, and the hire may carry more weight than many initially realize.

Kuhn arrives at Oregon with nearly two decades of collegiate experience. He joins the Ducks after spending the 2025–26 season at Texas A&M, where he helped the Aggies reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Kuhn's résumé includes stops at Miami, St. John's, South Alabama, Manhattan College, Coppin State, Western Kentucky, and Texas Tech. Along the way, Kuhn has built a reputation as one of the more respected strength coaches in all of college basketball. In 2025, he was named a "Roots 66" honoree, an award recognizing some of the most impactful coaches, administrators, and leaders in the industry.

Oregon Ducks Oregon Basketball Brandon Kuhn Dana Altman Texas A&M Big Ten Strength Coach Strength Conditioning — Mar 21, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Rylan Griffen (3) drives to the hoop past Houston Cougars forward Chase McCarty (24) during the first half of a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Ducks are coming off a disappointing 2025–26 season that saw injuries and inconsistency contribute to a 16th-place finish in the Big Ten. Kuhn could be an important addition to the program as Dana Altman looks to help Oregon return to competing near the top of the conference.

Who Brandon Kuhn Is Replacing

Kuhn replaces Cliff Spiller as the strength and conditioning coach for Oregon men's basketball.

Spiller spent nearly four seasons leading Oregon's strength and conditioning department before recently accepting a position as the head strength and conditioning coach at Saint Joseph's University. Prior to arriving in Eugene, Spiller spent nearly two seasons with the Utah Jazz as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

While with the Jazz, Spiller was part of a performance staff responsible for helping keep All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert available throughout the grind of the NBA season and multiple playoff runs.

Now, the Ducks are turning to Kuhn, whose background brings a somewhat different philosophy.

During his time at Texas A&M under Buzz Williams, Kuhn helped support one of the most physically demanding systems in college basketball. The Aggies built their identity around relentless rebounding, constant ball pressure, and a high-energy playing style.

To help withstand those demands, Kuhn's approach emphasized injury prevention and long-term durability.

A Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), and Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), Kuhn is known for incorporating corrective exercise principles into his training programs. Rather than focusing solely on strength gains, much of his work centers on identifying biomechanical imbalances before they develop into injuries.

That philosophy could prove particularly valuable for an Oregon program that has dealt with recurring injury concerns over the last several seasons.

Addressing a Persistent Problem

The Ducks are no stranger to injuries playing a dramatic role throughout the season. Coach Dana Altman and his staff have frequently seen key contributors miss significant stretches of time due to foot, ankle, and knee injuries, which historically have created challenges.

Last season was a prime example of those struggles. Guard Jackson Shelstad suffered a broken right hand during practice before later reinjuring the same hand in December, limiting him to just 12 games. Center Nate Bittle also missed seven games due to separate ankle injuries, while Ege Demir and Takai Simpkins were sidelined later in the season with shoulder and ankle injuries, respectively.

By late January, Oregon was down to just eight healthy scholarship players, but the injury issues were hardly isolated to 2025–26. Bittle's career was repeatedly interrupted by injuries, including a 2023–24 campaign in which he appeared in only five games.

While no strength coach can completely eliminate injuries, Kuhn's emphasis on movement quality could help reduce some of the wear and tear that accumulates throughout a season.

Another key piece of Kuhn's approach is building what many strength coaches refer to as baseline resilience. By improving conditioning and structural strength throughout the body, players are better equipped to maintain proper movement patterns even when fatigue sets in late in games and deep into conference play.

Whether Kuhn's experience and approach translate into improved injury luck remains to be seen, but his arrival introduces a proactive approach focused on durability, prevention, and keeping Oregon's roster available.

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