Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning officially announced the first member of his 2022 coaching staff on Friday, naming Kenny Dillingham the Ducks’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“I’m excited to announce the addition of Kenny Dillingham as our offensive coordinator,” Lanning said.
“Kenny is one of the most innovative minds in football and will bring a dynamic and explosive offense to Eugene. He has been a part of some of the most explosive offenses in college football during his coaching career, and we are eager to see that track record continue to grow at Oregon.
“He is a tireless worker with a proven track record for developing quarterbacks. He also has strong ties to the West Coast, which will be important as we continue to build our roster through recruiting. He is passionate about the development of student-athletes, both on and off the field, and is one of the best leaders that I have worked with. We are honored to have him and his wife Bri as a part of the Oregon family!”
Dillingham comes to Oregon from Florida State, where he spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Seminoles.
Prior to Florida State, Dillingham served in the same role at both Memphis (2018) and Auburn (2019). Lanning and Dillingham were on staff together at Memphis in 2016 and 2017.
“I am so excited to be coming to Oregon,” Dillingham said.
“Oregon is a national brand. Being born and raised on the West Coast, the opportunity to be at Oregon – a place known for explosive, high-powered offense – is an honor and a privilege! I cannot wait to get around our student-athletes and start getting to know them as players, but most importantly as young men. “
Dillingham directed one of the most explosive offenses in the nation in 2021 despite multiple injuries at quarterback and along the offensive line.
Florida State ranked 18th in the FBS with six plays of 60-plus yards, and eighth with three touchdowns of more than 75 yards. The Seminoles were also among the top teams in the red zone, scoring on their final 32 red-zone opportunities to close the season, the second-longest streak in the nation in 2021.
In his first season in Tallahassee in 2020, Dillingham’s offense averaged 5.11 yards per rush and 199.9 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th nationally among teams that played at least nine games. FSU topped 400 yards of total offense five times in its last seven games, including two games with more than 500 total yards and the program’s first game since 2016 with at least 250 yards rushing and 250 yards passing.
Dillingham was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Auburn in 2019, when he coached freshman quarterback Bo Nix to SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Nix broke the program’s freshman records for completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns while becoming the first true freshman QB to start a season opener for Auburn since 1946. The Tigers’ offense ranked third in the SEC and 28th nationally with 33.2 points per game.
In Dillingham’s final game as Auburn’s offensive coordinator, the Tigers scored 48 points in a win over No. 5 Alabama, the most allowed by the Crimson Tide under head coach Nick Saban.
Dillingham started his collegiate coaching career as an offensive assistant at Arizona State in 2014 and 2015 under offensive coordinator Mike Norvell, who he followed to Memphis in 2016. Dillingham spent 2016 as a graduate assistant and 2017 as the quarterbacks and tight ends coach before being elevated to offensive coordinator in 2018.
With Dillingham coordinating the offense, Memphis broke program records for both total yards of offense (7,324) and rushing yards (3,919) in 2018. The Tigers ranked fourth nationally in both total offense (523.1 YPG) and rushing offense (279.9 YPG), seventh in scoring offense (42.9 PPG), and second with 48 total rushing touchdowns.
Memphis had two 1,000-yard rushers in a season for the first time in program history, with unanimous all-American and Doak Walker Award finalist Darrell Henderson ranking second nationally with 1,909 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.
Dillingham got his start in coaching at Chaparral High School in Arizona after tearing his ACL as a senior.
He began working with the junior varsity team before being elevated to the offensive coordinator role of the varsity squad at the age of 21.
Dillingham coordinated the No. 1 offense in Arizona in 2013 as the Firebirds won 12 games and advanced to the Division II state championship game.