Ducks without Masoli, Kaiser and Glasper as injuries take their toll
There are no two ways about it: the Oregon football team is dinged up and the hits just won?t stop coming.
And as the Ducks prepared for their first road game in over a month, there was no telling what the Oregon roster might look like come game time.
Up to this point, the Ducks have been playing without running back LeGarrette Blount, defensive backs T.J. Ward and Walter Thurmond III and this week the Oregon secondary took another hit as senior cornerback Willie Glasper ? Thurmond?s replacement ? went down with a season-ending knee injury. Yet despite the injuries, the Duck pass defense has continued to improve week-to-week.
?We worked hard in the offseason,? T.J. Ward said. ?I think we just have a lot of hungry guys out there and they?re anxious to make plays.?
While the defense has been the more injury-prone unit this season, the offense and team in general took a major hit with the injury to junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli?s right knee. During the past two games he had turned into the Masoli of old, going 35 of 43 for 369 yards and four touchdowns, while running 15 times for 73 yards and another score.
?USC?s had to play two quarterbacks, UCLA?s had to play two quarterbacks,? Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said. ?It?s a deal in this league where if you don?t have a backup quarterback, you?re probably going to be in a little bit of trouble.?
Filling in as the starter will be junior Nate Costa, who was actually ahead of Masoli on the depth chart at the beginning of last season before going down with his third knee injury.
?I?m completely confident in Nate,? center Jordan Holmes said. ?They battled all through the spring and this fall. Both are great football players, and if they weren?t they wouldn?t be here.?
Costa has seen some playing time the past two weeks and has been able to be consistent and not make mistakes during the time he?s given. Against Cal, he went four of seven for 35 yards and was sacked once, then followed that up with a strong performance in the second half last weekend against Washington State. Costa went seven of nine for 80 yards and also ran six times for 26 yards and a touchdown against the Cougars.
?I?m feeling pretty good,? Costa said in practice this week. ?I just continue to get better, and my passing game is on par.?
Costa will have the help of an offense that has improved every single week, which includes the talented redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James who has run for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries over the last two weeks.
James, along with fellow redshirt freshman Kenjon Barner, junior Remene Alston and senior Andre Crenshaw, have provided a deep and versatile running game, which should take some of the pressure off of Costa.
?All four of us right now are doing great things,? Crenshaw said. ?It?s fun when all of us get to play because we all want to score touchdowns. We all love when we get to play.?
Crenshaw, the veteran of the running back corps, has taken it upon himself to help James with some of the smaller things in practice that will make him a better player on Saturdays.
?I tell (LaMichael) everyday, just go out there and have fun,? Crenshaw said. ?Play football. It?s that simple. We all know you can do it. We?re behind you and here for you.?
Crenshaw also said part of his job as the veteran is to make sure guys like James are focused, as well as helping them out with plays and passing protection.
?They get better each week,? Kelly concluded. ?They?re young. They get better each game as they start to see things ? it?s neat to see their development.?
There are no two ways about it: the Oregon football team is dinged up and the hits just won?t stop coming.
And as the Ducks prepared for their first road game in over a month, there was no telling what the Oregon roster might look like come game time.
Up to this point, the Ducks have been playing without running back LeGarrette Blount, defensive backs T.J. Ward and Walter Thurmond III and this week the Oregon secondary took another hit as senior cornerback Willie Glasper ? Thurmond?s replacement ? went down with a season-ending knee injury. Yet despite the injuries, the Duck pass defense has continued to improve week-to-week.
?We worked hard in the offseason,? T.J. Ward said. ?I think we just have a lot of hungry guys out there and they?re anxious to make plays.?
While the defense has been the more injury-prone unit this season, the offense and team in general took a major hit with the injury to junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli?s right knee. During the past two games he had turned into the Masoli of old, going 35 of 43 for 369 yards and four touchdowns, while running 15 times for 73 yards and another score.
?USC?s had to play two quarterbacks, UCLA?s had to play two quarterbacks,? Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said. ?It?s a deal in this league where if you don?t have a backup quarterback, you?re probably going to be in a little bit of trouble.?
Filling in as the starter will be junior Nate Costa, who was actually ahead of Masoli on the depth chart at the beginning of last season before going down with his third knee injury.
?I?m completely confident in Nate,? center Jordan Holmes said. ?They battled all through the spring and this fall. Both are great football players, and if they weren?t they wouldn?t be here.?
Costa has seen some playing time the past two weeks and has been able to be consistent and not make mistakes during the time he?s given. Against Cal, he went four of seven for 35 yards and was sacked once, then followed that up with a strong performance in the second half last weekend against Washington State. Costa went seven of nine for 80 yards and also ran six times for 26 yards and a touchdown against the Cougars.
?I?m feeling pretty good,? Costa said in practice this week. ?I just continue to get better, and my passing game is on par.?
Costa will have the help of an offense that has improved every single week, which includes the talented redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James who has run for 199 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries over the last two weeks.
James, along with fellow redshirt freshman Kenjon Barner, junior Remene Alston and senior Andre Crenshaw, have provided a deep and versatile running game, which should take some of the pressure off of Costa.
?All four of us right now are doing great things,? Crenshaw said. ?It?s fun when all of us get to play because we all want to score touchdowns. We all love when we get to play.?
Crenshaw, the veteran of the running back corps, has taken it upon himself to help James with some of the smaller things in practice that will make him a better player on Saturdays.
?I tell (LaMichael) everyday, just go out there and have fun,? Crenshaw said. ?Play football. It?s that simple. We all know you can do it. We?re behind you and here for you.?
Crenshaw also said part of his job as the veteran is to make sure guys like James are focused, as well as helping them out with plays and passing protection.
?They get better each week,? Kelly concluded. ?They?re young. They get better each game as they start to see things ? it?s neat to see their development.?
