Will star wide receiver Tez Johnson return to action on Saturday when No. 1 Oregon takes on Washington at 4:30 p.m. in Autzen Stadium?
A recent social media post by Johnson suggests he may have been cleared to play after missing nearly three full games due to an injury sustained in the first quarter against Michigan on Nov. 2.
“He’sssssssssssss!! Backkkkkkkkkkk!!” Johnson wrote on his Instagram story on Nov. 19, accompanying a photo of him celebrating during an earlier game this season.
However, Oregon coach Dan Lanning has remained tight-lipped about Johnson’s status. During last Wednesday’s bye-week press conference, Lanning declined to comment on the post, saying, “I’m not gonna talk about injuries. You guys will see them on the field when they’re ready to go.” He reiterated a similar stance on Monday when asked about defensive end Jordan Burch and offensive guard Marcus Harper II.
Burch sat out the Nov. 16 game against Wisconsin with an ankle injury, while Harper has missed two games after suffering an injury in the fourth quarter against Michigan. Lanning’s response remained consistent: “Yeah, I think time will tell. Like I’ve always told you guys, when guys are ready to be out on the field, you’ll see them.”
As of now, Oregon’s unofficial injury list includes players who were mentioned on the Big Ten Conference availability report before their win over the Badgers.
Oregon football injury report ahead of game vs. Washington
Matthew Bedford — a projected starter at guard, has been sidelined with a knee injury. His contributions this season have been minimal, limited to just a few snaps during the Week 3 matchup against Oregon State. Since then, he has been listed as out on the Big Ten availability report for the past eight games.
Jordan Burch — The starting defensive end sustained an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the game against Maryland on Nov. 9 and was unavailable for the following week’s matchup against Wisconsin.
Dakoda Fields — The freshman defensive back has been sidelined with a knee injury since before the season began. On Aug. 28, Coach Dan Lanning stated that there is no set timetable for Fields’ return.
Jahlil Florence — The cornerback, who started nine games last season, is recovering from a knee injury sustained last November against Arizona State. Although listed as out for every game this season, he has been participating in practice recently. Earlier this month, Florence shared an update on Twitter: “I’m trying to get back for y’all! Soon soon soon.”
My’Keil Gardner — The redshirt freshman defensive lineman, expected to contribute depth this season, has been out all year with an undisclosed injury. When asked about Gardner’s status, Coach Lanning stated: “Possibly. We’ll continue to assess where he’s at and feel it out.”
Zach Grisham — The redshirt sophomore defensive back has been unavailable since the Boise State game on Sept. 7 and has been listed as out for the last seven games. No timeline has been provided for his return.
Marcus Harper II — The senior right guard sustained a leg injury in the fourth quarter against Michigan on Nov. 2, ending his streak of 23 consecutive starts. He has missed the past two games.
Tez Johnson — The senior wide receiver injured his shoulder during the first quarter against Michigan on Nov. 2 and subsequently missed the games against Maryland and Wisconsin. Despite the setback, Johnson remains a key offensive player, leading the team with 64 receptions for 649 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Kyler Kasper — The sophomore receiver has been sidelined for the past seven games with an undisclosed injury, and his return this season is uncertain. Earlier this month, Coach Dan Lanning commented: “I don’t know that he will. We’ll always prioritize the player. He’s working hard to rehab and has made tremendous growth this year. If he’s able to return, fantastic, but I’m not necessarily expecting it.”
Khamari Terrell — The junior reserve defensive back was listed as out for the game against Wisconsin.
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