Oregon safeties Verone McKinley III, Daymon David injured vs. Colorado

The Oregon Ducks defense has been decimated by injuries all season and Saturday was no exception. 

Starting safety Steve Stephens IV was carted off the field with an apparent right leg injury during the second quarter vaulting Bryan Addison into duty opposite Verone McKinley III.

Then during the end of the third quarter, both Daymon David and McKinley III suffered injuries causing them to leave the field and enter the medical tent one after another.

David was seen holding his right shoulder before slowly walking off and entering the medical tent. He left the tent with his right shoulder wrapped. 

McKinley III jogged into the tent and then jogged outside of it, heading back into the defensive huddle. 

With Jordan Happle also missing Saturday's game, the Ducks had only one scholarship safety available in Addison after the string on injuries for a period of time.

Lucas Noland, a preferred walk-on from Tualatin, OR, replaced McKinley III during the third quarter. He played in five games during 2020 and failed to record a statistic. This season, he's played in all seven games and had one tackle against Stony Brook heading into the matchup versus Colorado.