If you look at the size and skill-set possessed by Oregon running back CJ Verdell, then he has to be mentioned with some of the greatest rushers to ever come through the Ducks program.
Based on ability alone, there are things that Verdell can do, both with speed and physicality, that we’ve rarely seen before in an Oregon uniform. However, an inability to stay on the field over the years has been his biggest downfall.
In 2021, Verdell is heading into his junior season, getting set for what will be his fourth, and likely final year with the team. Throughout his first two seasons with the Ducks, nothing major popped up, though the back sometimes missed quarters or halves with a knick or a bruise here and there. However, in 2020, an injury-riddled season shattered his perfect attendance record.
A broken thumb caused Oregon’s bell-cow RB to miss both the Pac-12 Championship game and the Fiesta Bowl against Iowa State. Verdell has also battled nagging leg injuries during his time at Oregon, which is cause enough for some hesitation going forward.
We know that Verdell is insanely talented, but how much trust can we place in him staying on the field?
A version of that question was asked to head coach Mario Cristobal on Tuesday, inquiring if the team was doing anything different this year around in fall camp to keep No. 7 in supreme health.
“One thing we know, and I think CJ will tell you, is that he plays his best football when he’s practicing,” Cristobal said. “If you try to almost treat him like a sacred cow, it just doesn’t work. He doesn’t get in football shape, he can’t hit his top speeds, and it doesn’t fit his mentality or his culture.”
So in short — no they won’t be treating anything different when it comes to getting Verdell prepared for the season. While player health matters above all else, as a coach, Cristobal mentioned that he has to weigh the benefits of keeping a layer of bubble wrap on his top RB, against the risks of now having him in the ultimate football shape for the start of the season.
“I think you have to do certain things to prepare a guy for a game,” Cristobal said. “It would be a crying shame if the first time he sees a cross blitz, it’s Game 1 and he’s never ever figured out how to protect against a linebacker coming at full speed. Or that he gets cut tackled by a guy in live-action Game 1 and he wasn’t prepared for it because he’s never had that exposure in a month worth of camp. You make sure that you always do what’s best for your team and for your players.”
Talent at the RB position won’t be an issue for the Ducks this season, but a battle against the injury bug could be. Already throughout camp, we’ve seen players like Sean Dollars and Trey Benson miss time with injuries, and Verdell has also been absent before for unexplained reasons.
Could he have been banged up? It’s possible, and something that is not out of the question. But going forward, it will be on No. 7 to do everything he can to stay healthy and make sure that in 2021, which is likely to be his last season with the Ducks, he can stay on the field and make the most of it.
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