Mario Cristobal provides update on Ducks defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux

Oregon coach Mario Cristobal met with the media Monday to discuss the Ducks’ top-15 matchup with Ohio State. He also provided an update on defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, who exited Saturday’s season opener with an ankle injury.

The coach confirmed after the win over Fresno State that Thibodeaux sprained his ankle. Expected to be one of the top picks in next year’s NFL Draft, the pass rusher is crucial to Oregon’s success Saturday in Columbus.

“I know a lot of people want to ask about Kayvon, and how he’s doing. He’s improving, that’ll be a day-to-day thing,” Cristobal said on his Zoom call. “By Tuesday, Wednesday I’ll give you an update on him.

“He got rolled up on him, I know you guys saw that on film. One of there lineman had driven one of our guys into the ground. He had rolled back his legs and caught his ankle. He has a sprain, that’s what we’re working through.”

Thibodeaux was seen on the sidelines with a walking boot late in the third quarter of Saturday’s game. Cristobal confirmed in his postgame press conference that Thibodeaux’s X-rays came back negative.

But former NFL head doctor David J. Chao tweeted his take on the injury. And getting the defensive end back for Oregon’s huge matchup at Ohio State could be a stretch. 

“By video, apparent mild right eversion/high ankle sprain,” Chao wrote. “Boot likely precautionary and injury not season ending or long term and no effect on draft status but Ohio State looms next week and that is a tight turnaround.”

What the possible loss of Kayvon Thibodeaux means

The defensive end has emerged as one of the most marketable athletes in the dawn of the Name, Image and Likeness era. A consensus preseason All-American, he has signed NIL deals with Nike, United Airlines and eBay. 

With the NIL fame, he lives up to they hype on the field. Earlier in Saturday’s game, Thibodeaux had a strip-sack that set up an Oregon touchdown. A 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end, he has developed into one of the top pass rushers in the nation. A Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the year selection, expectations have been high for him since he arrived in Eugene. 

He finished with 38 tackles and three sacks last season along with three pass breakups and two quarterback hits in seven games. If the defensive end can not go next week at Ohio State, the loss would be huge for Oregon. The Buckeyes have one of the top rushing attacks in the nation with Master Teague, Miyan Williams and true freshman TreVeyon Henderson.

Slowing down the Ohio State running game is huge. But putting pressure on sophomore quarterback C.J. Stroud is uber important for Oregon. The Buckeyes have plenty of weapons, such as Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. But putting constant pressure on Stroud could be the diffrencemaker.

Having Kayvon Thibodeaux available could be the difference between Oregon establishing a pass rush or not.