Oregon had a surprise absence at wide receiver Friday night against Portland State, and it came with a pretty clear sign something was off. Junior starter Jeremiah McClellan went through pregame warm-ups in pads and looked like a full participant, but when the Ducks came back out for kickoff he was in street clothes, on crutches and wearing a boot on his left leg.
McClellan’s absence hit a position group that had already leaned on him heavily through the first two games. The 6-foot receiver from St.
Louis opened the season with seven catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. He was especially productive against Boise State, where he hauled in six passes for 150 yards and a score, then added one catch for 20 yards against Oklahoma State.
His role has grown steadily since his breakout during the 2025 season, when injuries piled up at receiver and his usage kept climbing. McClellan finished that year with 38 receptions for 557 yards and three touchdowns. Through three seasons with Oregon, he now has 48 career catches for 751 yards and four touchdowns.
With McClellan sidelined, Oregon had to turn to its younger wideouts early against Portland State. Freshmen Messiah Hampton and Gatlin Bair were among the players the Ducks used in those opening stages.
McClellan had talked during fall camp about the competition in Oregon’s receiver room and the pressure that comes with it. “The most exciting part about being in a talented room like this is that you have to bring your A-game every single day,” McClellan said. “Every day is going to be a game.”
He also singled out the growth of the younger receivers, including Hampton. “They’re growing a lot,” McClellan said of the younger receivers. He said Hampton had made “an amazing transition from the spring until now,” while adding that the entire room was having a strong fall camp.
McClellan called the group “crazy talented” and said his mindset was straightforward no matter how the reps were split up. “I’m just here to help the offense as much as I possibly can,” McClellan said.
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