He’s incredibly unsuspecting. He definitely doesn’t look like the average player.

He’s the kind of guy to walk through the media room and suggest that the reporters should all recreate one of the famous scenes from “Anchorman” — obviously, the one where the news reporters from different stations all engage in a brawl. 

It would be slightly surprising, given that information, that Will Stein is a large part of the Ducks’ incredible offenses over the past two seasons. The coordinator, working under a more defensively-minded head coach in Dan Lanning, blossomed into one of the premier candidates for every head coaching vacancy in the nation. 

The Ducks are 32-4 overall since Stein took over as offensive coordinator in 2023. During that time, each of the quarterbacks that have left the program have become starters in the NFL: Bo Nix for the Denver Broncos and Dillon Gabriel for the Cleveland Browns. After two full seasons under Stein, a total of 10 offensive players have been selected in the NFL Draft. 

Prior to the start of his coaching career, Stein served as quarterback at the University of Louisville from 2008 to 2012. He began coaching immediately upon the conclusion of his college career. Stein remained at Louisville as a quarterbacks coach through 2014 before taking on the same role at University of Texas at Austin until 2017. His final stop before Eugene was University of Texas at San Antonio as a co-offensive coordinator through 2022.

In Stein’s first two seasons on Oregon’s staff, the Ducks have won 12 and 13 games, respectively. They appeared in a conference championship game and a New Year’s Six bowl game in both seasons.

Stein has worked with very different looking rosters each season, with Oregon players going to the NFL in bunches every year. That, though, has not stopped him from developing an elite offense that is in the position to win games every week. The Daily Emerald breaks down some of his best play calls from the first eight games this season.

Week 1 – Montana State University

On the second drive of the game, the Ducks looked at a second-and-7 just inside the red zone. They set up as if they were going to do a handoff with seven players lined up on the line of scrimmage, and just one wide out on each side. 

Quarterback Dante Moore quickly threw out wide to tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who made the catch as his defender reached him and he escaped a tackle with a stiff arm, running 18 yards for the score. Stein understood the chance to catch the defense off guard by making a quick throw away from most of the action and trusted his tight end to use his size and strength to his advantage.

Week 2 – Oklahoma State University

Late in the first quarter, Oregon had a second-and-six at Oklahoma State’s 19-yard line. It had wide receiver Dakorien Moore in the back field and running back Dierre Hill Jr. lined up as a wide receiver. Dante Moore faked the handoff to Dakorien Moore before pitching the ball to Hill, who looped around the back field and found a big opening on the other side for a touchdown.

Week 3 – Northwestern

With just under two minutes remaining in the first half, the Ducks were facing a third-and-8 from their own 45 yard line. Stein had three wide outs lined up on one side. After the snap, three of the receivers ran straight routes, but Malik Benson ran diagonally to the right where no one could catch him before he made the catch for 20 yards and the first down.

Week 4 – Oregon State

On the first drive of the game, the Ducks had a second-and-third from Oregon State’s 22 yard line. They lined up two wide outs on the right and just one on the left. After the snap, blockers up front positioned themselves to create a hole on the right, only to have Dante Moore throw to Dakorien Moore on the left, who only had one defender in his area. Moore was able to win the one-on-one matchup and power his way to the goal line.

Week 5 – Penn State

In Oregon’s biggest win of the season thus far, the offense wasn’t clicking early on. Many of its drives were kept alive by fourth down conversions. With six minutes remaining in the first half, the Ducks were facing a fourth-and-one at midfield, still without any points. Dante Moore was lined up under center and Dakorien Moore was the only receiver lined up out wide. It would have been easy for a defense to anticipate a run play, especially since the Ducks only needed a yard to extend the drive. Instead, they ran a play action pass to Dakorien Moore for a 20 yard gain. Oregon would tie the game with a field goal at the end of that drive.

Week 7 – Indiana

Not a lot went right for Oregon’s offense in its lone loss of the season to Indiana. The Ducks got to the end zone twice in that game. One was a pick-six by the defense, and the other was a pass play where Benson outran Indiana’s entire defense. The best thing Stein had going in that game was his ability to create holes with the offensive line to create big gains on the ground. Early in the second quarter, the Ducks had first-and-10 at their own 42 yard line. The offensive line double teamed the two middle defensive linemen to create an opening for running back Jordon Davison to gain 26 yards.

Week 8 – Rutgers

Oregon’s offense had a lot more to feel good about in its 56-point outing against Rutgers. Stein’s best play call came early in the second quarter with the Ducks looking at a first-and-10 at the Rutgers 21 yard line. Dante Moore handed the ball off to Davison upon catching the snap. Davison pitched the ball to Gary Bryant Jr., who pitched it back to Moore. Moore loaded up and fired the ball to a wide open Kenyon Sadiq in the end zone.

Week 9 – Wisconsin

Oregon’s offense took awhile to get going in this game and did not get on the scoreboard until the final two minutes of the first half. That said, there were still plenty of opportunities for the coaching staff to get creative, especially in the second half. Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, the Ducks were facing a second-and-goal from the one yard line. Quarterback Brock Thomas was under center with two guys in the back field and no one lined up out wide. Thomas dropped back and faked the handoff while offensive lineman Gernorris Wilson cut to the right for a wide open touchdown reception- the second of his college career.

The sky is the limit for this Oregon offense. Despite sitting on a loss, it has an open road of opportunities in the remainder of the season. This bye week will give Stein and the other coaches the chance to adjust and expand their playbook to be ready for the final four weeks of the regular season. In Oregon’s next challenge on the road at Iowa, Stein will need to have the offense ready a lot quicker than last week’s game to shift the momentum of the crowd.