Despite taking down visiting Portland State 84-0 a week after suffering an upset loss at the hands of Oklahoma State, No. 21 Oregon did so without some key players on offense Friday night.
Top wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan and starting tight end Jamari Johnson sat out with injuries during what was a historic night for the Ducks’ offense — the 84 points a single-game scoring record at home for the program.
Prior to kickoff, cameras showed McClellan warming up in pads, but once he emerged on the sideline after kickoff, he was not dressed in uniform, wore a boot on his left foot and was on crutches.
“Got tweaked in pregame, have to get an evaluation to see what exactly that looks like,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said after the game. “I don’t know right at this moment.”
McClellan was the standout of the Ducks’ season-opening win over Boise State, catching six passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. But in the loss to Oklahoma State, McClellan caught only one pass for 20 yards.
McClellan’s injury comes at a time when the Ducks’ talented group of pass catchers is also dealing with an injury to star tight end Johnson. The senior from Inglewood, California, began the year by finding the end zone once against the Broncos.
Johnson sat out last week’s loss in Stillwater with an undisclosed injury, and though he was on the field for warmups (though not in pads), he also did not see action against Portland State.
Through three games, injuries have plagued the Ducks. Earlier this week, Lanning announced that offensive lineman Trent Ferguson would be out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
Oregon had no problem dispatching Portland State (0-4), but tougher competition awaits. The Ducks head to Los Angeles next week to face USC in a matchup that could have sizable ramifications, not just in Big Ten play but also in the race for the College Football Playoff.
“We have a better team,” Lanning said Friday of how his team rebounded. “And no disrespect for Portland State, but that’s the way it should look when we execute the way we should execute.”
