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Will Tony Stubblefield be Oregon's next coach? What to know of interim, longtime assistant

Oregon men’s basketball coach Dana Altman, the program’s all-time wins leader with 382 victories over 16 seasons, announced his retirement just weeks before the Ducks’ season opener against Montana on November 2. The school has named longtime assistant Tony Stubblefield as interim head coach for the 2026–27 campaign, marking his second stint under Altman after previously serving as a lead assistant for 13 seasons.

Stubblefield, 58, has deep ties to Oregon, having recruited future NBA players like Payton Pritchard and Bol Bol during his tenure. His coaching record as a head coach is mixed: he led DePaul to a combined 28–54 record over three seasons (2021–24) before being dismissed, and earlier served as interim head coach at New Mexico State in 2004–05, where he went 2–12 in 14 games.

Oregon will launch a national search for a permanent replacement after the season, though Stubblefield’s familiarity with the program and roster could give him a strong chance to earn the full-time role if the Ducks perform well under his leadership.

Altman’s departure leaves behind a legacy that includes two NCAA Tournament deep runs—a 2016 Elite Eight appearance and a 2017 Final Four—and a career total of 792 wins, ranking him 15th all-time in NCAA history. Stubblefield’s path to Oregon includes stops as an assistant at Nebraska-Omaha, UTSA, UT-Arlington, Cincinnati, and New Mexico State, where he also briefly filled the head coaching role during a health-related absence.

While his head-coaching experience is limited, his extensive background as an assistant—including a pivotal role in Oregon’s recruiting success—positions him as a viable candidate for the long term, provided the team can build on Altman’s foundation.

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