Dan Lanning provides injury updates on Byron Cardwell, Bryan Addison
The No. 10-ranked Oregon Ducks had an opportunity to heal up during their bye week and now will hope to be at full strength for what could be one of their more pivotal games of the season.
The Ducks (5-1, 3-0) have made it to this point in the season in relatively good health. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a few injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s showdown with the No. 9 UCLA Bruins in Eugene.
Oregon was without safety Bryan Addison during its Week 6 win at Arizona. The Ducks’ sophomore running back, Byron Cardwell, was also sidelined for the fourth consecutive game.
Addison has become a key figure in Oregon’s secondary. While he has not started a game this season, the 6-foot-5 junior has played 134 snaps according to Pro Football Focus, and has recorded 14 tackles, including one tackle for loss.
“Bryan will be available and ready to roll,” Lanning said.
Cardwell’s status, meanwhile, sounds a bit more uncertain at this point.
The former 4-star recruit emerged as a key contributor as a true freshman in 2021 and was expected to compete for Oregon’s starting running back job this season. But he has not played since the Ducks’ Week 2 win over Eastern Washington and has tallied just 76 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries this season.
Cardwell has been seen going through drills during the open portions of practice in recent weeks — albeit, with a sleeve on his right leg. Lanning has said numerous times this season that Cardwell’s absence is injury-related.
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“Byron is a guy that has worked extremely hard,” Lanning said on Monday. “It’s about him feeling comfortable with himself to step back out there on the field. We support him in every way from a medical standpoint, our coaching staff. He’s a great kid. He does everything the right way.
“Once he feels like he can go out there and compete for us, we welcome him out there to be able to see him on the field for us.”
In Cardwell’s absence, Bucky Irving and Noah Whittington have both established themselves as effective ballcarriers after transferring into the program during the offseason.
As far as long-term injuries go, starting offensive guard Steven Jones has been sidelined with an injury since Week 2 and has been seen with a walking boot during practice. Lanning was asked about Jones on Monday, too, and provided an answer that would seem to indicate the junior is progressing toward a healthy return.
“Steven is still working through some things but was doing more today than he has,” Lanning said.
