Oregon receiver Chase Cota leaves with injury during Ducks' Week 9 game at Cal
Oregon starting receiver Chase Cota has been one of the Ducks’ most productive pass-catchers this season.
But he was sidelined for much of the day during their Week 9 showdown with Cal in Berkeley.
Midway through the first quarter, Cota caught a pass from Bo Nix but fell awkwardly after he was hit, and stayed down after the play. Cota eventually walked off the field under his own power but was not seen on the Ducks’ sideline later in the half.
Once the third quarter began, James Crepea of The Oregonian/OregonLive reported that Cota was on the sideline in street clothes and will not return to the game.
The fifth-year senior from Medford, Ore., is in the midst of a strong first season with the Ducks after transferring in from UCLA over the offseason. He has started every game for Oregon this year and is the team’s second-leading receiver with 313 yards and one touchdown on 23 catches.
With Cota out, sophomore Dont’e Thornton is expected to play a large role throughout the remainder of the game.
Postgame update
Following Oregon’s 42-24 win over the Golden Bears, Ducks’ head coach Dan Lanning was asked about Cota’s status.
“I haven’t heard yet. No, I don’t know. I’ll have to wait to get feedback on him,” Lanning told 247 Sports.
Shortly after the game ended, Cota took to Twitter and offered a positive message to Oregon’s fans regarding his health status.
In Cota’s absence, Thornton played the majority of Oregon’s offensive snaps alongside starting receivers Troy Franklin and Kris Hutson when the Ducks were in three-receiver sets.
Thornton finished with one catch for seven yards and was targeted twice.
Running back Noah Whittington tied for a team-high 67 yards on five catches. Hutson also had 67 yards, on six catches.
