Oregon football injury report ahead of season-opener vs. Georgia

Oregon is a little over 24 hours away from one of the most highly-anticipated regular season games in program history.

The No. 11 Ducks will face the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs at 12:30 p.m. PT Saturday in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Oregon will try for the second season in a row to upset a top-five opponent in a hostile road atmosphere after the Ducks topped No. 3 Ohio State at The Horse Shoe.

In the leadup to that game, Oregon’s defense was filled with question marks as a host of star players dealt with injuries. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Justin Flowe, and Dru Mathis were all questionable when the Ducks touched down in Columbus, and all three ultimately did not play. Flowe and Mathis were sidelined for the remainder of the season.

This time around, the injury report is much less bleak for the Ducks in the leadup to Saturday’s marquee matchup.

Here’s the latest injury report on Oregon based on observations from the Ducks’ open practices this week. At this point, because Oregon coach Dan Lanning has typically chosen not to comment when asked about injuries, we aren’t ruling any Ducks player out entirely.

Doubtful

DL Sua’ava Poti

DL Maceal Afaese

Sua’ava Poti and Maceal Afaese, both of whom are reserve defensive linemen, were sidelined for, essentially, Oregon’s entire fall camp. Neither player was seen at practice during the month of August until Wednesday when both players were spotted walking onto the outdoor practice fields.

Poti was wearing a walking boot on his right foot, and Afaese was wearing a boot on his left foot.

OLB Jaden Navarette

Reserve linebacker Jaden Navarette was not seen at practice during the final two weeks of Oregon’s fall camp. The reason for his absence is unknown at this point.

Questionable

OL Jackson Powers-Johnson

One of Oregon’s key reserve offensive linemen, Jackson Powers-Johnson was dinged up after the Ducks’ first scrimmage of camp and was sidelined in the days that follow. He made a healthy return and practiced last week. But this week, he was not seen at practice.

At this point, Powers-Johnson is the most impactful Oregon player whose status for Saturday is in question. In a video Tweeted out by the program’s official account on Friday, Powers-Johnson was seen with the rest of the team, which would seem to be a positive sign.

OL Bram Walden

Like Powers-Johnson, Bram Walden was absent during a portion of fall camp for undisclosed reasons. The former 4-star signee practiced durFaaope Laloulu and Michael Wootening the third week of camp but was not seen at practice this week.

Probable

DB Darren Barkins

Reserve cornerback Darren Barkins wore a cast on his hand for several weeks of fall camp but was still suited up during every practice that was open to reporters. It’s unknown at this point how much he was limited by the cast; he was frequently seen standing in during kickoff return drills but did not field kicks while wearing the cast.

OL Faaope Laloulu

OL Michael Wooten

Reserve offensive linemen Faaope Laloulu and Michael Wooten both were limited during portions of fall camp for unknown reasons. But both participated in early position drills on Wednesday, and it seems that both stand a chance to be suited up on Saturday.