Bryan McClendon provides injury updates on Oregon players
Oregon was already dealing with a plethora of injuries heading into Wednesday’s Alamo Bowl, and the Ducks suffered a few more midway through the loss.
Star freshman linebacker Noah Sewell, freshman safety Daymon David, and freshman cornerback Dontae Manning all left with injuries against the Sooners, and none of the three returned.
The good news for Oregon is, it sounds as though none of those injuries should have long-term ramifications.
“Nothing that I feel will keep those guys out of a good offseason or anything else,” Oregon interim head coach Bryan McClendon said when asked about the severity of the injuries.
McClendon did say that Sewell was checked for concussion symptoms. The freshman linebacker left the game in the first half and was seen without his helmet soon after.
Oregon’s injury issues had a major impact on the game, especially for its defense. After Sewell left the game, true freshman Jeffrey Bassa was Oregon’s only healthy scholarship linebacker remaining.
Manning was starting at cornerback after Oregon’s two starters at the position, DJ James and Mykael Wright, both left the program earlier this month. Once Manning went down injured, the Ducks had just four healthy scholarship cornerbacks left on the roster.
One was redshirt freshman Trikweze Bridges, and the others were true freshman Avante Dickerson, Darren Barkins, and Jaylin Davies.
David was serving as the Ducks’ backup boundary safety because starter Steve Stephens IV was out with a long-term injury. Once David left the game, the Ducks had just four healthy safeties available.
“We feel like there’s nothing we can’t overcome as a group, regardless of who’s here, regardless of who’s there, regardless of next man up,” McClendon said when asked about Oregon’s injury accumulation. “It doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t feel there’s anything that’s going to stop us from going out there and giving it our all.”
