Following a brutal overtime loss to Stanford, Head Coach Mario Cristobal provided an update on key Oregon players that got banged up or didn't play on Saturday. The three big losses for the Ducks were center Alex Forsyth, safety Bennett Williams, and running back CJ Verdell.
The biggest injury that occurred during the game was the loss of running back CJ Verdell, who went down late in the third quarter. He was carted into the locker room, and did not return for the rest of the game.
“I’m not sure how long it’s gonna be,” Cristobal told reporters following the game. “It seems like it’s a pretty significant injury, but I don’t know.”
This is a crushing blow both to the Ducks and to Verdell. Injuries had plagued the senior running back last season. It seems as though Verdell may be out for a long period of time, and as a result Travis Dye will receive more reps and have to be ready to step up for Oregon.
He's been solid all year, but it'll be interesting to see if the staff uses him as a bell-cow every down back, or if they implement a running back committee strategy.
Another huge hit for the Ducks was the shocking injury to Bennett Williams, who was ruled out just before the game after not being seen in warmups. According to Cristobal, he did not travel with the team.
"Very freak accident yesterday in practice," Cristobal said. "Hurt himself pretty good in a very non-contact drill, just hurt himself so couldn't make the trip so Jamal (Hill) replaced him as the starter."
This is a crushing loss for the Ducks. Williams has been one of the most influential players for the Oregon defense, and really looked like he was blossoming into a major contributor for Tim DeRuyter.
Against Arizona, he managed to get two interceptions, one of which was returned for a 68-yard touchdown. Starting in his place against Stanford was last year's starting nickel Jamal Hill.
While Cristobal did not give a return time for Williams, it seems as if the injury is significant enough to keep him out for a decent amount of time.
The third Duck to miss time against Stanford was Alex Forsyth. Forsyth has been absolutely dominant on the offensive line and he did a fantastic job keeping Anthony Brown upright and opening running lanes against Ohio State.
"Alex Forsyth had spasms in his back and was not able to go."
Starting in his place was Ryan Walk. The Ducks' offensive line at times still looked good, but Forsyth adds veteran leadership, which Oregon will need moving forward.
It would be reasonable to assume that Forsyth will return sooner than both Williams and Verdell, who could be out a long amount of time. He will have a bye week to recover before the Ducks return to action, and his addition to the offensive line would be a boost for a team looking to rebound against Cal.
Another interesting pregame development was the absence of Joe Moorhead, who was being evaluated for a non-COVID related illness. He was not with the team, and the Oregon offense struggled immensely at times without him.
There was no further update on his condition during or after the game.
The Ducks will feel the sting of this loss while they get a bye week to recover from some minor injuries. They will return to Eugene for their next game on October 15.
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