Oregon Defensive Backs DJ James and Jamal Hill Available Against Ohio State

The Ducks will gain two valuable players in the secondary for the biggest test of their young careers.

Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal announced Monday that defensive backs DJ James and Jamal Hill will be available against Ohio State this week. He added that they will be listed in the organizational chart for this week's game that is expected to be released shortly. 

The two players did not play against Fresno State in week one following a suspension that spanned all of fall camp. The suspension stemmed from an off-field incident that occurred in early August.

Hill and James returned to practice with the team last week, but in their absence against Fresno State,  we saw Trikweze Bridges and Dontae Manning rotate at boundary corner, while Steve Stephens started alongside Verone McKinley. This news comes at an ideal time for the Ducks, as the team prepares to head into Big Ten country for their highly-anticipated matchup against Ohio State, the national runner ups from a year ago. 

It's hard to overstate the importance of James and Hill's return, as the Buckeyes boast the deepest receiving core in the entire country. James appeared in all seven games last season, and totaled 14 tackles and one pass breakup. 

Hill played in six games for the Ducks last year and had 20 tackles to go along with two interceptions that helped propel Oregon over USC in the Pac-12 title game. The secondary gains two valuable pieces back for the week, but the availability of star defender Kayvon Thibodeaux remains up in the air. 

More from Ducks Digest

Dorlus named to PFF Team of the Week

Recapping week one of Pac-12 football

Why fans shouldn't panic after Oregon's close in over Fresno State

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