Injury Woes Mount for Oregon After Upset Loss to Oklahoma State

Ducks Sidelined by Key Injuries

Oregon felt the absence of preseason All-American tight end Jamari Johnson during their recent road trip. The star playmaker was sidelined with an undisclosed injury as the Ducks fell 39-31 in an upset loss against Oklahoma State.

Johnson got hurt during Oregon's opening victory against Boise State. He had a strong start to the year in that game, catching four passes for 57 yards and scoring a touchdown. However, the injury kept him off the practice field all week.

Coach Dan Lanning Provides Update

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning explained that Johnson got "banged up" during the opening game of the season. The coaching staff decided to hold him out of the matchup against Oklahoma State because of his limited preparation.

Lanning offered some hope for a quick return but remained uncertain about the exact timeline. "Jamari, we should get back, I don't know if it will be this week or the next," Lanning said after the game.

With Johnson out, Penn State transfer Andrew Olesh stepped into the starting lineup. Olesh caught just one pass for nine yards in the defeat. Johnson entered the season as a top tight end prospect for the 2027 draft after catching 32 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns last season while playing alongside first-round draft pick Kenyon Sadiq.

Running Back Jordon Davison Also Hurt

The injury issues did not stop with Johnson. Oregon suffered another major blow during the third quarter of the game when running back Jordon Davison went down.

Davison had rushed for 23 yards and scored a touchdown on eight carries before leaving the game. At the time of his postgame press conference, Lanning said he had not yet received an official medical evaluation on Davison's status.

The loss of two key offensive players proved too much for the Ducks to overcome on the road. Oregon will now have to wait for medical updates as they prepare for their upcoming schedule.