Bryan McClendon discusses new role as Oregon's interim head coach

It’s been a roller coaster couple of weeks for Bryan McClendon.

Oregon’s receivers coach and pass game coordinator has been an integral part of the Ducks’ program the past two seasons. Since Mario Cristobal’s departure, though, McClendon was elevated to Oregon’s interim head coach and saw his world flipped upside down as the Ducks prepare to face Oklahoma in the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl.

“It’s a lot,” McClendon said with a laugh.

McClendon is one of the top recruiters in the Pac-12 and is a respected position coach who was heavily involved in bringing the likes of Troy Franklin, Dont’e Thornton, and countless other talented young players to Eugene.

But suddenly being thrust to the helm of the program is a whole different ballgame, McClendon admits.

“When you get the interim head coach tag, you’re not dealing with just the players anymore,” McClendon said. “You have assistant coaches. You have support staff and everything, whose life is kind of helter-skelter a little bit.

“Just understanding that they have life decisions to make also. … But I’ll tell you what: I work with a bunch of really, really, really, really good people. Their constant focus is to, no matter what, make the best bowl experience for the players.”

Since Cristobal’s departure, McClendon has tried to be as mindful as possible of the life decisions many of Oregon’s coaches and players are facing at the moment.

Since Cristobal’s departure, Oregon’s players have since their own respective futures suddenly thrust into limbo, and they have rallied around McClendon.

“I love B-Mac,” Oregon offensive lineman T.J. Bass said. “I think he would also be a great head coach as well… We’ve had a lot of energy and just kept it upbeat and kept it moving.”

But McClendon said he hasn’t put much thought yet into what his own future will hold after the Dec. 29 Alamo Bowl.

“My focus has really been on these guys,” McClendon said when asked if he has contacted Cristobal or Dan Lanning about a full-time position on either of their respective staff. “Definitely know that there are things in the balance when it comes to that; I definitely will have time at some point to be able to focus on that.

“But right now my focus is on making sure this experience is really, really good for those guys. Because they earned the opportunity.”

McClendon and Lanning have crossed paths before. They found themselves on opposite sidelines at times during their respective tenures coaching in the SEC, and McClendon spoke glowingly of Lanning on Thursday.

“Everybody in regards to the Oregon program should be really excited,” McClendon said. “Because they’re getting a really good ball coach and an even better person.”

Throughout the next 13 days, McClendon will continue spending some time working with Oregon’s receivers, and he admitted it’s difficult to give up that part of the job while serving as interim head coach.

He said Oregon offensive analyst David Gilbertson has stepped in to assist with the receivers as well.

“To be honest with you, it’s kind of my place of peace right now in the midst of going in there,” McClendon said. “I can kind of put my phone down and go in there and be able to coach the receivers.”

This isn’t the first time McClendon has stepped in as an interim head coach after a late-season departure. He led the Georgia Bulldogs during their bowl preparation in 2015 after Mark Richt departed.

What did he learn from that experience that has helped him in Eugene?

“The biggest thing is that the players are easy — the adults are the ones that are crazy,” McClendon joked. “But like I said, it really helps to know that you’re coaching as much between the ears as you are anything else.

“This is a crazy time, and everything in the world is telling (the players) not to focus on this game. … That’s what I’ve been really, really proud of our guys. They’ve been able to block that stuff out and still do a great job.”