Although Oregon continues to win, and win big, the Ducks have been missing some key players.
In fact, Terrance Ferguson has been out for a couple of weeks after getting his appendix removed, a surgery that could take three-plus weeks to recover from. He missed the last two games, but according to Dan Lanning, he could be back soon.
Another key player who has been missing is Jordan Burch, the star edge rusher and one of the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. He's been dealing with a knee injury but Lanning said that they're going to bring him back when he's ready and they won't rush him. This is smart as to not avoid serious injury to that knee.
Those two guys are important for a national title run as well as a push for a Big Ten title and now that Oregon is entering the final month of play, it's fair to wonder when they might return.
Well, Lanning had an intriguing update about both guys on Monday.
Lanning says Terrance Ferguson and Jordan Burch were both available for practice today.
— Linden Hile (@LindenHile1) October 29, 2024
That's right, both Burch and Ferguson were available for practice on Monday which means that they're close to returning to action.
Burch has been one of the most productive defenders in the nation this season and his recent absence since the Ohio State game has been well-documented. Ferguson's two-game absence has been felt, but luckily other guys have stepped up.
Will both return this week for a huge game against Michigan in Ann Arbor? It feels like we might see at least one of them suit up, but this update is encouraging.