Jordan Burch injury update: Dan Lanning shares if he expects Oregon DE back this season

Oregon was missing its most havoc-wreaking defensive player this past weekend. The Ducks still beat Ohio State in a top-three showdown that’s already gone down in program lore as the first-ever win over a top-two opponent in Autzen Stadium.

But the absence of fifth-year senior defensive end Jordan Burch loomed over the 32-31 victory. Even after missing the Week 7 matchup, Burch is still first on the team in both sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (7.0).

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning shared an update Monday on the 6-foot-6, 295-pound D-End, who reportedly suffered a non-contact, lower-body injury last Thursday at practice.

“Continuing to evaluate it for him,” Lanning said of Burch. “Want to do what’s best for him. I do anticipate us being able to use Jordan again, but I don’t know that that’ll be this week. I don’t know that it won’t. So we’ll just keep evaluating that and see what it looks like.”

Oregon has a short week. Following a primetime clash with Ohio State, the now-No. 2 Ducks have to make the trip to Purdue for a Friday night game in West Lafayette, Indiana.

In the aftermath of Oregon’s Week 7 triumph, Lanning emphasized that “you don’t replace a Jordan.” Lanning also said he and his staff thought there would be chance Burch could have played versus the Buckeyes, but the Ducks prioritized player safety. Other Oregon pass rushers stepped up in the thriller, most notably outside linebackers Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti as well as defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, all of whom registered three pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

Still, there’s no denying the impact of Burch’s hot start to the 2024 campaign.

He piled up a career-high 2.5 sacks and finished with four tackles, not to mention his first-ever fumble recovery, in Week 6 against Michigan State, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors along the way. That gave Burch a combined 3.5 sacks in his last two outings, which tied him for the Big Ten lead in sacks (5.0).

Burch — once the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 11 overall prospect and top EDGE in the 2020 class — also was named the Reese’s Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week and the Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week for his standout performance against the Spartans.

In addition to ranking at the top of the Big Ten leaderboard in sacks this season, Burch came into last week fourth in the league with his seven tackles for loss. He also entered the week third on the team in run defense tackles (nine), according to PFF. That’s where he finished in 2023, during which he posted 18 run defense tackles, per PFF.

A Columbia, South Carolina, native, Burch started his college career with the Gamecocks, who he spent three seasons with, notably recording a career-high 60 total tackles — including 8.0 TFLs and 3.5 sacks — in 2022.

Then he transferred to Oregon. Burch is taking his game to the next level in 2024. His 21 pressures are still good for second on the team, per PFF.

Oregon is hoping to get Burch back sooner than later. Fortunately for the Ducks, Lanning anticipates Burch returning to action this season.