Oregon Ducks Football Campus Voice: Backups May Be the Key Against UCLA

Nothing comes free in this world. The Ducks found this out Saturday night during an absolute decimation of the Washington State Cougars.

The scoreboard read 52-6 when it was all said and done at Autzen, but the Ducks and all Oregon fans knew the victory came at a great cost.

Late in the second quarter, quarterback Jeremiah Masoli left the game with a tweaked knee. At the time nobody second guessed it or saw it as more than a precautionary move to have Masoli sit the rest of the game out.

Now that a couple of days have passed since the game, we have seen that the ‘tweak’ is really a little more than that. Masoli has sat out of practice since the WSU game, and is listed as day-to-day. However, Coach Kelly lists every person who is hurt or injured as day-to-day, so that means virtually nothing.  

Masoli’s apparent injury has swept across campus and become the hot topic debated by students. Rumors have been swirling that Masoli actually hurt his ACL, while others argue that he is perfectly fine and is going to play this weekend.

Either way, students and fans alike seem to be nervous about the current situation of this team. Although the Ducks have come a long, long way this season, fans are panicking over the long list of injuries that have piled up the passed few weeks.

Also hurt during Saturdays game against WSU was starting right tackle C.E. Kaiser, and just today defensive back Willie Glasper injured his knee in practice. Glasper stepped into a starting role when Walter Thurmond went down with an injury for the season against Cal.

While some may be fretting over the losses of a few key players, I see it as an opportunity for backups to earn a name for themselves.

Here is a perfect example: LaMichael James.

James began the season as the back up for LeGarrette Blount, but has since exploded onto the scene in the wake of Blount’s suspension. Without the opportunity to play, James would have sat on the bench for much of the year while Blount carried the ball up and down the field. Instead, James saw the opportunity, took advantage, and gave this Oregon team what it needed.

Now that other key players have gone down with injury, it is time for their backups to prosper.

In the case of Masoli, backup Nate Costa finally has his chance to shine as the Ducks starting quarterback. Costa was named the starter for the quarterback job once Dennis Dixon left for the NFL. However, Costa’s chronic knee problems kept him from playing in a single game each of the last two seasons.

Costa is now fully healed from those knee injuries and has played in the past two games for the Ducks. In limited action against Cal and WSU, Costa has done quite well and seems capable of keeping Oregon on track through Masoli’s absence. 

As for the other injuries that occurred this week, C.E. Kaiser’s is not bothering coach Kelly one bit. Kelly is quoted as saying that the offensive line practices as a ten-man unit, and therefore should not be hurt by the injured starter.

Willie Glasper’s injury will certainly not help the cause of the defense, but the expected return of starting safety T.J. Ward will provide a much-needed spark in the secondary.

While the Ducks may need to depend on some unheralded back ups this weekend against UCLA, it may not be such a bad thing. Oregon might just discover a few diamonds in the rough.