Oregon’s receiver group could look a lot closer to full strength when Northwestern comes to Autzen Stadium on Saturday.
In Wednesday’s first availability report, senior Evan Stewart and freshmen Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton were all absent from the list of designations, a strong sign they’re on track to play after missing last week’s loss to Illinois. Those three were unavailable against the Illini, though the school never formally explained why. They were believed to be out for disciplinary reasons tied to an off-field incident earlier this month.
Stewart had been Oregon’s leading receiver before sitting out the last two games, while Hampton and Lott both started against Nebraska.
One receiver still won’t be back: Jeremiah McClellan remains out. The junior led the Ducks in receiving through two games before a foot injury suffered during warmups against Portland State knocked him out of action. He has not played since.
There was also more clarity this week on several other key Ducks. Quarterback Dante Moore is not expected to play again this season after sustaining a concussion against USC last month. Offensive lineman Dave Iuli and defensive lineman Matthew Johnson are both out indefinitely after surgery.
"Matt is having surgery. He's going to be down for us," Lanning explained.
"Same for Dave. He's been fighting through it and battling through it.
We thought he might have some availability last week, and he was dressed for the game. He's been really tough, but the reality is he just wasn't able to perform.
So he had surgery as well."
Freshman offensive lineman Immanuel Iheanacho is listed as questionable. Earlier Wednesday, Lanning indicated he expected the former 5-star to be available.
More availability updates will come Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m., with the final report due two hours before kickoff. Oregon and Northwestern are set for a 12:00 p.m. start at Autzen Stadium.
In Other News...
Oregon's Season Just Became A Much Bigger Dan Lanning Problem
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Chip Kelly Still Looms Over Oregon In A Game Ohio State Fans Know Matters
Chip Kellys name still carries real weight around Eugene, and it gets another run at Autzen Stadium on Halloween when his Northwestern offense comes in to face Oregon. Now the Wildcats offensive coordinator, Kelly has helped turn Northwestern into one of the Big Tens more productive attacks, while drawing on traces of the fast-paced ideas that once defined his Ducks teams and layering in new wrinkles of his own.
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Oregons New-Look Offense Faces A Huge Test Against Northwestern
The Ducks are getting a different kind of measuring stick this week, with a reshuffled offense heading into a matchup against Northwestern and its sturdy, well-schooled defense. Oregon made a change at offensive coordinator ahead of the game, and now the focus shifts to how quickly the new setup can settle in against a unit that likes to make life difficult from the first snap. Northwesterns defense usually lines up in a 4-2-5, and it brings an aggressive front seven with a secondary that can hold up behind it.
For Dylan Raiola and the Oregon offense, the challenge is finding room against a group built to squeeze plays at the line and limit clean throws downfield. Safety Robert Fitzgerald, linebacker Braydon Brus and cornerback Ore Adeyi give the Wildcats a spine on every level, which means Oregon will have to be sharp with protection, timing and any chances to create mismatches. It is the sort of test that can tell you a lot about a new-look attack, even before the final result tells the rest. [Read more 🡒]