The brutal weather in Iowa City on game day was not ideal for Oregon’s high-flying offense. With the field soggy and footing tricky, quick throws and sharp routes weren’t just clicking like they do in dry weather. So Dan Lanning’s squad had to pivot hard and lean into its run game to keep drives alive. Although the process was really effective in snagging Oregon’s borderline 18-16 win, future injury scares could make Oregon’s depth chart even thinner, on top of the already existing ones.

Three-time All-American turned analyst, David Pollack, complimented the Ducks’ ground attack without actually stating the obvious. “Nasty weather. I mean, it was just it was gross. Like, sloppy. So, how is Oregon going to handle this?” Pollack said on the 9th November edition of See Ball Get Ball. “Oregon [has] down all their weapons. I mean, all their weapons, dude. They’re beat to crap out at wide receiver.”

Pollack further adds, “And this turned into an absolute old school Big 10 slugfest. And I loved what Oregon did. The weather’s not conducive really to throwing the football. We’re going to pound it and pound it and pound it and pound it. And man, they had a lot of success.”

The problems started with the already existing injuries. With wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. banged up early and six scholarship receivers out, Oregon’s aerial assault was more hope than reality. Adding insult to injury, the Ducks already entered the showdown against Iowa without star wide receiver Dakorien Moore and tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

Dakorien tweaked his knee in practice, and Sadiq was held out by medical staff despite begging to play. On top of that, right tackle Alex Harkey was also absent after rolling his ankle. Losing these key offensive weapons put immediate pressure on Oregon’s offense. So at that point, Oregon’s offensive line carved holes like a chef at a barbecue, letting the running backs take over.

Noah Whittington was the star of this muddy show, pounding the turf for 118 yards on 17 carries, averaging nearly 7.2 yards per carry as the Ducks poured on a total of 261 rushing yards on 36 attempts. All of it was fine, but what about the future injuries that may result from this constant running in this weather?

The Oregon Ducks were already low on their usual starters, and let’s not forget the veteran receiver Evan Stewart’s absence this whole season. All in all, the Ducks took a major risk by putting everything on their run game. Other than those three, there was Florida State transfer Malik Benson. Coming into the game, Benson hadn’t been a huge factor in the stat sheet with 18 catches this year.

Behind him, redshirt freshman Jeremiah McClellan had hauled in 14 passes for 216 yards and a score. At tight end, the Ducks had Jamari Johnson, who’d already had his moment of the season. Remember that clutch shovel-pass touchdown from Moore in overtime at Penn State? Yeah, that one. Heading into this one, Johnson had nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown to his name.

Dan Lanning has already made his point clear about the existing injuries. “I know everybody will want some updates on injuries and where guys are at. But I’m really just proud of the way the guys played,” Lanning said. “Ultimately, it was kind of a weird week. We actually didn’t have a lot of contact.”

Oregon’s injury woes don’t really end with their offensive side.

Health issues on the other side of the ball for Dan Lanning

As the Ducks were racking up yards with their legs in rain-soaked Kinnick Stadium, disaster struck. And this time it took on the Ducks’ secondary. Outside linebacker Teitum Tuioti, who had been a force all season for the Ducks, suffered a serious injury that could potentially weaken Oregon’s defensive grit for the crucial stretch of the Big Ten race.

Tuioti went down clutching his right arm midgame, leaving the field with a grimace and a big question mark hanging over the Ducks’ defense. Before limping off, he had already put his stamp on the game with four tackles. Over the season, Tuioti recorded 35 tackles, 3.5 sacks, a pass deflection, and two forced fumbles. His impact on the field is massive.

Tuioti’s presence had been critical in disrupting opposing offenses and creating turnovers that swung momentum. Losing him meant Oregon’s defensive coaches had to shuffle pieces. A moment of relief comes because Tuioti wasn’t the only star linebacker. Captain Bryce Boettcher also made his mark in the game. Boettcher was all over the place when the Ducks forced that fumble. He finished with seven tackles, and five of them were solo. He even had a sack and a tackle for loss, the second-most tackles on the team.