Cal Football: Bears Won't Face Oregon Running Back CJ Verdell - Out For the Season

Ducks also will be without starting safety Bennett Williams when Bears visit next Friday.

Oregon will have one fewer offensive weapon available for its game against Cal a week from Friday in Eugene.

Running back CJ Verdell, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards in both 2018 and ’19, is out for the season with a leg injury he suffered Saturday against Stanford, coach Mario Cristobal told reporters on Thursday.

"CJ will be done for the year," Cristobal said, according to SI's Duck Digest. "He was really having his most physical game I think. The way he was running and really getting downhill, running behind his pads.”

Oregon also announced that safety Bennett Williams is out for the season after breaking his leg during a walk-through last Friday. Williams, who underwent surgery on Monday according to a report by The Oregonian, has three interceptions this season, including one he returned for a touchdown.

Verdell, a fifth-year junior, ran for 406 yards on 78 carries with six touchdowns this season. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He is fifth on Oregon’s career rushing list with 2,929 yards, including 1,018 as a freshman in 2018 and 1,210 yards in 2019.

He ran for 106 yards on just nine carries against Cal in 2018 but totaled just 54 yards on 16 carries in two subsequent appearances vs. the Bears.

Oregon coach Mario Cristobal talked about offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and player injuries in Thursday's press conference below:

Oregon still has plenty of talent at running back.

Travis Dye is basically a co-starter and has rushed for 2,222 career yards and has caught 45 passes for an additional 547 yards. He has 14 career touchdowns via the run or pass.

Dye, a 5-foot-10, 200-pounder, has 382 rushing yards on 6.4 yards per attempt through five games this season. In three career games against Cal, Dye has rushed for 267 yards on 5.7 yards per attempts.

The Ducks’ backups at running back now are second-year freshman Trey Benson and true freshman Byron Cardwell. They have a combined nine carries in their careers.

Oregon offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is back with the Ducks after undergoing surgery for a non-COVID-19-related illness in the Bay Area last weekend. Cristobal said Moorhead is "improving."

Cover photo of CJ Verdell against Ohio State by Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo