Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning provides injury update in week two

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks football program is preparing for its second game of the 2024 season. The Ducks will face the Boise State Broncos at home at Autzen Stadium at 7 p.m. PT. The Ducks are 1-0 so far this season and beat the Idaho Vandals last Saturday in a season opener that was closer than expected. The Ducks, who entered the game as 44.5-point favorites, beat the Vandals by just 10 points, 24-14.

Two players who were expected to make a difference for the Ducks this season were out due to injury. Both wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. and offensive lineman Matthew Bedford were out of the game on Saturday. However, Oregon coach Dan Lanning is optimistic that they will be able to play in Week 2.

Bryant and Bedford were listed as questionable on the official injury report before the Oregon-Idaho game last week, but they were in uniform on the bench.

Q: “Are you optimistic that Bryant and Bedford could be there this week?”

Dan Lanning: “Yes, that’s me.”

Both Bryant and Bedford practiced in full gear on August 28, although Bedford did not participate in any on-field drills during the early periods of the game.

Bryant, who participated in preseason drills before the game against Idaho, practiced in full gear this week. His return could complement Oregon's already highly talented receiver group, which includes several talented players such as Tez Johnson, Evan Stewart and Traeshon Holden.

The junior receiver played in all 14 games for the Ducks last season, starting 12 times. He finished the season with 30 catches for 442 yards and four touchdowns.

Bedford, a transfer from Indiana, was expected to be a key player on the offensive line but suffered an injury during fall practice. Although his status for Saturday's game is still uncertain, Lanning indicated he is making progress.

Bedford's absence has led to some reshuffling on the offensive line, with Iapani Laloulu starting at right guard and walk-on Charlie Pickard filling in at center. Lanning acknowledged the offensive line struggled in the win over Idaho and hinted at possible changes for the future.

“Once we get more guys available, I think there's always opportunities to see what the lineup looks like,” Lanning said during Monday's press conference. “I think regardless of whether Matt is available or not, that's something you always have to try to create at every position, that competition that makes you better and have more guys that can play winning football. We'll see what that looks like as we move forward.”

Bedford played in Indiana's starting lineup for many years and was brought in to fill the vacant right guard position in Oregon after Jackson Powers-Johnson left the team, joining the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Although the Ducks were coming off a win in their opener, the return of Bryant and Bedford would provide a significant boost to their offense. The presence of these players would add depth and experience to key positions and potentially make the team more competitive in the Big Ten Conference.