To say that the season has been a nightmare for the Oregon Ducks may be selling the circumstances short. Oregon entered the season as the No. 2 ranked team in the AP Poll with hopes of winning the National Championship, and everything has gone downhill since. One of the biggest reasons Oregon is 4-3 and searching for answers rather than contending for the National Championship has been injuries.
Dante Moore has been ruled out for the season after getting injured in the 4th game of the season, and while his injury has been the biggest setback, it hasn't been the only one. Oregon's offense has dealt with various key injuries, but heading into the Northwestern game, it looks like the Ducks may finally have some light at the end of the tunnel.
Initial availability report for Oregon vs. Northwestern reveals promising news for Ducks
On Wednesday Night, the first availability report for the week was released, and it may be the best it's looked in weeks for the Ducks. After Evan Stewart, Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton, and Immanuel Iheanacho missed last week's game, the wide receiver trio is off the report, while Iheanacho has returned to practice and is questionable.
Big news for Northwestern. Star TE Luke Dehnicke is probable. He hasn't played since Indiana on Sept 25. He caught 7 passes for 140 yards in that game. pic.twitter.com/JsRZ7LpoU1
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 29, 2026
The hits have kept coming for the Ducks in a sense as two new players have suffered long-term setbacks. On Wednesday, Dan Lanning revealed that guard Dave Iuli and defensive lineman Matthew Johnson underwent surgery, and will be sidelined several weeks.
On the Northwestern side, the biggest news is the fact that tight end Luke Dehnicke is listed as probable. Dehnicke was off to a red hot start with 11 catches for 208 yards in 3 games, but has missed an extended stretch with an injury. Oregon will have to learn from Indiana that Dehnicke can wreck a game, as he went for 140 yards against the Hoosiers.
As Oregon transitions from Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer to new playcaller Jay Johnson, the job should be much easier with the help coming back. Oregon's wide receiver room was digging into the bottom of the depth chart last week with Evan Stewart, Messiah Hampton, Jalen Lott, and Jeremiah McClellan all sidelined.
While some of the designations may have been related to punishments, Oregon appears to be getting Stewart, Hampton, and Lott back as the trio comes off the injury report. The return of Jeremiah McClellan should be on the horizon, barring any setback in his recovery, as he's nearing the end of the initial 6 week timeline.
The good news for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks is that the team getting healthier won't just help for this season, but it'll help prepare the staff for the offseason. Oregon is going to have to spend big in the Transfer Portal, and knowing who you can count on will help the staff build the best roster. Freshmen like Hampton, Lott, and Iheanacho could be building blocks for next season, but the staff needs to see them show it, and these final few games should serve as a great sample size.
Add us as a preferred source on Google