Oregon offensive lineman Matthew Bedford suffers knee injury in fall camp
Oregon offensive lineman Matthew Bedford suffered a knee injury in fall camp, Ducks coach Dan Lanning confirmed on Saturday. He is a transfer from Indiana who was projected to start at right guard this season.
Lanning added that the team expects him back at some point this year, but did not say when. The Oregonian reported that Bedford was seen at the practice facility wearing a brace on his left knee and using crutches to walk.
Oregon kicks off the season in a little less than two weeks with a game against Idaho on Aug. 31.
The offensive lineman started 39 of 41 career games with the Hoosiers from 2020-23. That included 11 of 12 games this past season when the former Honorable Mention All-Big Ten guard was coming off of a knee injury the year prior.
This current injury is a major blow for the Ducks right before the season is set to begin, and they’ll need to find someone to step in and take his place. One option to do so is Nishad Strother, who saw 39 snaps at right guard across five games last season.
Strother has three years of starting experience at ECU from 2020-22. He will likely be the favorite to step in during Bedford’s absence, but others such as Dave Iuli and Iapani Laloulu could also be candidates.
Hopefully the injury won’t keep Matthew Bedford out for long, as he was set to be a key addition to a Ducks offensive line that returns three starters from a year ago. Oregon led the country this past season with just five sacks allowed and will surely hope to provide the same level of protection for Dillon Gabriel this year.
Oregon to honor Spencer Webb, Khyree Jackson on helmets during 2024 season
Oregon will honor the late Spencer Webb and Khyree Jackson on their helmets this season.
Webb, who passed away in 2022, has been honored numerous times by the Ducks since his tragic death. Jackson, a 2024 NFL Draft pick, died in a car accient earlier this month.
Oregon will wear a pair of Ducks on the back of the helmets and will feature them all season long. You can view the special decals below:
For Jackson, the accident also claimed the lives of his high school teammates AJ Lytton, who played at Penn State and Florida State in college, and Isaiah Hazel, who played for Maryland and Charlotte. The trio won state championships at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School (MD) in 2016. It’s unclear how the other schools will honor Lytton and Hazel during the season.
For Webb, he was getting ready for his redshirt junior season with the Ducks when he was killed in a tragic cliff-diving accident. He had 13 receptions for 87 yards and a lone touchdown which came against Arizona.