Trey McNutt injury update: Dan Lanning provides major news on Oregon DB's recovery, surgery

Oregon safety Trey McNutt could return this season, Dan Lanning said Tuesday. The freshman DB suffered a broken leg this week, On3’s Pete Nakos reported, and Lanning confirmed he underwent surgery.

McNutt suffered the injury during training camp, Nakos reported. A specific timeline for his return is unclear, but Lanning said there’s optimism he could return this year.

Lanning told reporters McNutt is still doing his preparation with the playbook as he prepares for his freshman season. While he didn’t want to put a timeline on McNutt’s return from the “freak” injury, Lanning said the goal is for him to come back “sooner than later.”

“You never want to see a player get injured,” Lanning said during a post-practice press conference Tuesday. “Trey broke his leg, had surgery. He’s going to be able to recover from that. It’s something we think he’ll be able to come back from this season, sooner than later, but I don’t want to put a timeline on that. But Trey’s handling that unbelievably. Kind of a freak deal.

“That being said, he’s working his ass off to get back. He’s staying engaged in the playbook, he’s preparing himself. He was having a really good fall camp. You always hate to see that happen, but it is part of football. I think Trey’s handling it really well.”

McNutt was a key part of Oregon’s 2025 recruiting class. A five-star prospect, he was the No. 26 overall player and No. 2-ranked safety from the cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He chose Oregon over Ohio State and others.

McNutt was preparing to take on a key role in the Oregon secondary this year. His addition came alongside Purdue transfer Dillon Thieneman, who Nakos reported is expect to take on a bigger role in the scheme following McNutt’s leg injury.

Rivals’ Charles Power listed McNutt as one of his Instant Impact Signees this year. He said the star safety has shown a combination of range and physicality to play in multiple spots on the field while also complementing Thieneman in the secondary.

Trey McNutt was a key piece of Oregon’s recruiting class, which ranked No. 4 in the nation, according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. The Ducks also brought in a talented group of transfers that ranked fourth in the On3 Team Transfer Portal Index as Lanning and the staff went to work on the recruiting trail.