Dan Lanning provides injury updates on Bucky Irving, Khyree Jackson, and several other Oregon key players
Oregon emerged from its Week 11 win over USC with a few significant injury concerns.
During his Monday press conference, though head coach Dan Lanning said each of the players who were dinged up during the Ducks’ win over the Trojans is expected to play against Arizona State on Saturday.
Lanning said running back Bucky Irving, center Jackson Powers-Johnson, and cornerbacks Khyree Jackson, Jahlil Florence, and Dontae Manning all practiced on Monday and should be available against the Sun Devils.
“Yeah, they all did,” said Lanning when asked if Jackson, Florence, and Manning practiced on Monday. “And I definitely think they’ll be able to help us this week.”
Jackson and Florence are Oregon’s two starting cornerbacks and have emerged as two of the best players in the Pac-12 at their position this season.
But both have been hindered throughout the year. Jackson and Florence each suffered injuries during the Ducks’ Week 5 win over Stanford. Following the bye week, each started against Washington in Week 7 but dealt with injuries throughout that game.
Jackson was sidelined with a left shoulder injury against Washington State the following week, while Florence played.
Against the Trojans on Saturday, Jackson appeared to be dealing with an injury to the same shoulder that bothered him earlier in the season. It’s unclear what the nature of Florence’s injury was against the Trojans.
After Jackson and Florence exited the game, Manning and Trikweze Bridges opened the second half as Oregon’s cornerback pairing. But Manning left the game in the third quarter with an apparent leg injury and was replaced by Nikko Reed. Manning was later seen jogging on the Oregon sideline.
Powers-Johnson left near the end of the first half with an apparent leg injury against USC but was back on the field for the start of the second half and finished the game. Irving went to the sideline medical tent midway through the third quarter but returned to the field with a heavily taped left ankle and finished the game.
Lanning was asked specifically about Powers-Johnson and Irving, and if Powers-Johnson’s injury was the reason for a few poor snaps during the second half.
“Both those guys were practicing today; expect them to be available,” Lanning said. “I know those are snaps that JPJ wants back. I think, certainly when you play football at this point in the season, you’re going to be dinged up and banged up, and I know Jackson wouldn’t use the way he felt as an excuse for having a poor snap, but he was playing through being pretty banged out at the end of that game. But I’m glad he was able to get out there today and mix it up.”
