Oregon may be getting a little relief at wide receiver just as the injury list keeps growing.
Jeremiah McClellan signaled on Friday through his Instagram story that a return to the field could be getting close, though there’s still no clear timeline for when he’ll be cleared for live action. Even so, any comeback would land at a welcome moment for the Ducks, especially with Evan Stewart also sidelined.
McClellan’s absence has been felt since a promising start was cut short. Against Boise State, he hauled in six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, looking like he was ready to carve out a bigger role alongside Stewart and Dakorien Moore. But he broke his foot during warmups before Oregon’s game against Portland State and has been out since.
For now, Oregon still lists McClellan as “Out” for Saturday’s matchup with Nebraska, and he’s not the only notable name in that category. Quarterback Dante Moore is also listed “Out.”
Still, McClellan’s potential return would give the Ducks another dependable option at a position group that has taken a hit. Freshman Messiah Hampton has helped patch things together in his absence, but McClellan brings a different level of experience and reliability that could help stretch the field for players like Dakorien Moore, Stewart and tight end Jamari Johnson.
If Stewart and McClellan both sit against Nebraska, Oregon will have to keep finding answers elsewhere. Andrew Olesh and Kendre Harrison have already stepped in for Johnson after his missed time, while Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. are also likely to be part of the passing game.
The Ducks’ offensive line remains a central issue, and it’s still unclear whether McClellan’s return, whenever it comes, will be enough to smooth out those problems. Oregon has also struggled to get the ball to its top playmakers. In the loss to Oklahoma State, McClellan finished with one catch for 20 yards.
Even with those issues hanging around, the Ducks sound confident about the changes they’ve made heading into Nebraska. Dakorien Moore talked about that this week, saying:
“I would definitely say that there’s a lot of things that we’ve seen on film that we feel like we should change, a lot of things that we knew before the game that we feel like we should change. But the fact that we’re changing now just shows the growth that we’re finna attack moving forward," said Moore.
Oregon and Nebraska are set to kick off from Autzen Stadium at 8 p.m. PT on Saturday, Oct. 17.
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