Dillon Gabriel’s time at Eugene was nothing short of spectacular. Gabriel took over as Oregon’s starter last year after Bo Nix, and he had one of the best coaches guiding him. Will Stein helped develop numerous talents at Oregon, including Gabriel. Now, as Stein accepts a new head coaching position, Gabriel’s long-time fiancée, Zo Caswell, has made her feelings on the move public.

When Kentucky dropped the official post on Instagram, showing Will Stein stepping off the plane in Lexington with his wife and kids, Zo didn’t waste a second. She hit repost with a proud caption saying, “So happy for you two,” tagging Will and his wife, Darby.

The moment was pretty surreal. Stein shaped Dillon Gabriel’s final college chapter, and seeing him now lead an SEC program felt like family winning again. Zo perfectly remembers Will Stein’s impact on Dillon’s career. When Dillon Gabriel first linked up with Will Stein in Eugene, it felt like lightning in a bottle from day one. “Great communication and great trust, and I think that is really the biggest thing with the quarterback and (offensive coordinators) relationship,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel’s 2024 spring debut? Pure magic. He went 14-of-21 for 163 yards, two scores, zero picks. And Zo? She was there with the quarterback since his days at Punahou. That rock-solid support hit new heights when Oregon stunned No. 2 Ohio State 32-31 on October 12, 2024. The former Ducks quarterback, under Stein’s guidance, completed 23 of 34 for 341 yards and two touchdowns.

Zo, who got engaged to him on her birthday, January 1, 2024, was on the sidelines as usual. She hugged him after the win in a shot that instantly went viral. She captioned it, “The First Couple of Eugene,” and social media ran with it, crowning them Eugene’s royal duo.

Sure, Will Stein may have moved on to the Kentucky Wildcats just as the Ducks sit on the edge of a playoff bid. But that doesn’t erase what he’s done for Oregon’s offense over the last three years. Dillon Gabriel thrived in Stein’s system, and that success even helped him earn the Browns’ starting QB job back in October.

Is Will Stein leaving Eugene before the Ducks’ playoffs? 

The coaching carousel is spinning wildly while the Ducks are charging toward their first College Football Playoff run. Will Stein getting appointed as the Wildcats’ HC raises one major question: Does this derail the Ducks’ dream of a natty? Not so fast. Stein’s not bolting mid-playoffs. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports he’s locked in to call Oregon’s offense through the postseason.

Stein is sincerely following Dan Lanning’s playbook. Lanning became the Ducks’ head coach in mid-December 2021, but he stayed on as Georgia’s defensive coordinator and helped them win the 2022 national title before officially heading to Eugene. Stein is going in that same direction, keeping Oregon’s high-octane attack humming. Plus, it’s not just Stein who packed his bags, as DC Tosh Lupoi is a hot name for Cal.

Lupoi played and coached D-line till 2011, and RB coach Ra’Shaad Samples eyes North Texas. Lanning is okay about it, praising Lupoi as an “unbelievable coach” who recruits like a beast and schemes every defensive spot. Lanning has faced such a situation before when ex-OC Kenny Dillingham bolted to Arizona State after one Eugene season. “You work hard, the next opportunity comes,” Lanning says, framing it as motivation for players eyeing pro days.

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