To explain his leadership philosophy, Oregon football’s new offensive coordinator went back to books.

“I think that there’s a book called ‘Leaders Eat Last,’ and it’s the way the military actually lines up to eat in the mess hall,” Drew Mehringer said at a March 14 press conference, his first since taking the role. “And they all line up from the young guys first, all the way to the most senior officers last, and the point is that the guy behind you should be coaching you or helping you grow, right?”

For four years, Mehringer has been taking steps backwards in line in Eugene. The former Rice University quarterback joined head coach Dan Lanning’s staff as the tight ends coach when he was hired in 2022. After three years, he added co-offensive coordinator responsibilities in 2025 as the Ducks made a run to the College Football Playoff semifinal. Now, stepping into the full-time role as Oregon’s new offensive coordinator, following the departure of three-year OC Will Stein to become the head coach at the University of Kentucky, he’s as close to the end of the line as he’s ever been.

Is it surreal? Sure. Has he pinched himself, like he said Lanning tells coaches sometimes? Maybe. The best way he could describe the feeling was with an homage to “Talladega Nights” and Ricky Bobby: “It is at least a little bit weird,” he said. “At times, it’s like, ‘I don’t know what to do with my hands.’”

That doesn’t mean he’s unprepared. The list of tight ends who’ve come through Mehringer’s room since the 38-year-old coach arrived at Oregon four years ago already approaches illustrious — Terrance Ferguson and Kenyon Sadiq alone are two of the Ducks’ best ever at the position.

“Any time you’re able to promote, it’s because you get to see what guys do every single day,” Lanning said. “It’s a body of work. You might interview with somebody three or four times on Zoom or have them visit, but the best indication of what I’m going to get in the future is how those guys’ positions have performed in the past, how they work with their teammates.”

Mehringer saw the game similarly to Stein, he said, though not completely alike. He remembered Stein being asked a question about offensive makeup before fall camp in 2025 about what the Ducks’ offense was going to look like.

“I think Will would tell you the same thing,” Mehringer said. “Every offense, every year is going to be a little bit different.”

His press conference came just after the Ducks’ first official practice of the spring, months from their Week 1 game against Boise State University. Right now is about piecing together a new puzzle — one that includes a smaller transfer portal class than 2025’s group, and five new blue-chip offensive freshmen.

The door, of course, is still open to change. He doesn’t think anyone saw the Ducks’ heavy use of 12-personnel coming before spring practice last year, or that they could’ve planned for the injuries to their receiver room that encouraged the scheme adjustment.

Those options are what he’s looking for at practice, even if it’s from a different vantage point than he’s used to. He used to be the one running the ball security drill at practice, but before his press conference, he was keeping it organized. He’s almost last in line to eat, he says, but he’s focused on everyone else — he says he’s learning constantly, from the rest of his offensive staff, and from Lanning and new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton, too. He’s talking about a communal project.

“This is never going to be Drew Mehringer’s offense, or anything like that,” he said. “This is going to be our offense.”