Indiana Defensive Coordinator Doesn't Hold Back on Will Stein's Playoff Offense

The Indiana Hoosiers beat the Oregon Ducks once in the regular season and again in the College Football Playoff en route to winning the National Championship, and Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines recently revealed some of his thoughts on the Hoosiers' second win over the Ducks.

Bryant Haines on Oregon's Offense

indiana hoosiers bryant haines will stein oregon ducks college football playoff kentucky wildcats defensive coordinator — Indiana University Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines instructs players during fall practice at the Mellencamp Pavilion at Indiana University on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

In a since deleted post, Haines ranked the toughest offenses Indiana faced, and the first Oregon game was No. 2 behind Miami in the national championship game. As for the rematch with the Ducks in the CFP, a game in which Indiana won 56-22, Haines ranked Oregon's offense at the bottom of his list at No. 6.

The Indiana defensive coorinator explained his reasoning:

"Oregon 2 had an OC that was torn away by a new job. Coach Stein is elite, but he was not at full game-plan… and their RB room was decimated," Haines wrote.

Oregon 2 had an OC that was torn away by a new job. Coach Stein is elite, but he was not at full game-plan… and their RB room was decimated.
— Bryant Haines (@Coach_BHaines) April 26, 2026

The Ducks lost offensive coordinator Will Stein as well as defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to head coaching jobs before Oregon's season ended in the CFP. The program still advanced to the semifinals of the postseason after defeating James Madison and Texas Tech, but the Ducks' national championship dreams came crashing down in the Peach Bowl against Indiana.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw a pick-six to Indiana defensive back D'Angelo Ponds on the first play of the game, and the Ducks turned the ball over three times. The Hoosiers also totaled 10 tackles for loss in the CFP against Oregon as Indiana dominated their way through the postseason.

Moore finished the game with 285 passing yards completing 24 of 40 passes, and the Ducks' running offense ended with 93 yards and one touchdown, averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

Will Stein Hired by Kentucky Wildcats, Tosh Lupoi to Cal

Kentucky's hiring of Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein was officially announced on Dec. 1, 2025, as the coaching carousel has conflicted with the college football season for multiple years now.

While the top teams in the country are preparing for conference championship games and/or CFP matchups, other teams are hiring new coaches and coordinators away from other teams.

With the Early National Signing Day for high school recruits taking place in early December combined with the transfer portal opening in January, the timeline for hiring coaches has only moved up as the postseason for college football has gotten longer.

Not only was Stein working overtime trying to game plan for the CFP while also working to build a roster at his new job, Oregon's defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi had the same amount of work on his plate. Lupoi was hired by his alma mater, Cal, on Dec. 4, 2025, just days after Stein was announced as Kentucky's next coach.

Kentucky did not bring in any transfers from Oregon, but the same cannot be said for Cal as Lupoi brought in four former Ducks throuth the portal.

Oregon was able to retain most of its recruiting class as well as bring in key transfers like quarterback Dylan Raiola and safety Koi Perich, to name a couple.

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