How Oregon Coaches Handle Transfer Chaos And Indiana Prep

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks are set to face off against the Indiana Hoosiers for the second time this season with a trip to the National Championship on the line. As the Ducks prepare to head to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl, their staff is also juggling transition into new roles and the transfer portal opening.

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi will exit the program after the College Football Playoffs (CFP) end as he fully transitions into his new position as the head coach of the California Golden Bears. He was seen back in Berkeley, California, over the weekend visiting with transfers.

Oregon’s Coaching Staff Balances Multiple Jobs

oregon ducks tosh lupoi dan lanning will stein transfer portal college football playoff california golden bears indiana — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi walks the field during an open practice ahead of the Orange Bowl at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon on Dec. 27, 2025. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kansas transfer Jon Kamara posted a picture alongside Lupoi while on a visit. Lupoi also landed his first commit as a head coach on Sunday, with edge Solomon Williams transferring to the Golden Bears.

Lupoi isn’t the only coordinator on the Ducks working two jobs at once during the playoffs. Offensive coordinator Will Stein is also transitioning into a head coaching role with the Kentucky Wildcats.

“There's a lot of things going on. We're dealing with two coaches on our staff that are going on to be head coaches, and the timing isn't necessarily perfect, but it's been done before, and it's a great challenge,” coach Dan Lanning said on Saturday.

“So, I think if you look at the chaos in football and look at it as a challenge for your players and for your coaching staff, you build people that are resilient,” Lanning continued. “You build people that are adaptable, and you build an organize that withstand a lot of the changes that exist.”

In addition to Lupoi’s and Stein’s multiple jobs, Lanning and the rest of the staff is also dealing with hosting transfer visits while preparing for Indiana.

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What Dan Lanning Said About His Coaching Staff Earning New Opportunities

Lanning’s not unfamiliar with juggling two roles at once. When he was the defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon hired him during the postseason. He went on to win the National Championship with Georgia that season.

“I set goals personally for myself, and my number one goal is to help people reach their dreams and goals,” Lanning said. “And when you see a guy like Tosh Lupoi that I've got to work with for a long time and Will Stein, who I've gotten to work with the last three years, work their tails off to earn opportunities, you're really excited.”

Both Lupoi and Stein have vocalized the importance of sticking with the Ducks through the postseason. Lanning’s praised their commitment to the program and their ability to do multiple jobs at once.

“I'll say both those guys have had unbelievable focus on our team,” he said. “I think they both recognize they'd never had the opportunities they have if it wasn't for the players at Oregon and the place of Oregon, and I think they feel a term of endearment. They feel like they owe it to our players to give their absolute best on the way out.”

“But I'm very appreciative to the detail that they've put in, the work they've put in, and it's led to some long nights and not a lot of sleep, but I always tell our coaching staff, you can sleep when you die.”