The Oregon Ducks have one of the most talented wide receivers in the country on their roster in Tez Johnson. He’s experienced and played in a ton of huge games and he’s established himself as one of the most dangerous aspects of Oregon’s incredibly loaded offense.
But, it remains to be seen if Johnson is fully healthy and available to play. The remarkably talented wide receiver has reportedly made some hints on social media about his recovery as he deals with a shoulder injury. Still, it remains to be seen what will happen and when Johnson will get back on the field.
We also don’t exactly know just how crucial Johnson is to an Oregon Ducks offensive game plan for matching up with the Huskies. UW’s pass defense is pretty stout and the Ducks would likely want to have the seasoned receiver ready to catch passes from Gabriel on Saturday, but they might be willing to lean on their rushing attack given Washington’s weakness against strong running games.
So, there are a lot of unknowns.
Oregon Ducks players to watch vs. Washington Huskies: Tez Johnson is dangerous when he’s healthy and able to play
What is known is that Johnson, when he’s fully healthy and able to play, can be incredibly dangerous within Oregon’s offense. He might just be the Ducks’ most dangerous receiving threat. So far this season, Johnson has snagged 64 catches for 649 yards and eight touchdowns. That’s in a grand total of nine games.
But that doesn’t exactly compare to what Johnson provided Oregon’s offense last year. A season ago, Johnson grabbed 86 receptions for 1182 yards and 10 touchdowns. His receiving yards per game average is down to 72.1 yards per game from 84.4 yards per game. Which is still actually really solid.
So, if he’s fully available for the Ducks, Oregon will get a dynamic pass catcher who is prepared to add another dynamic to Will Stein’s offensive system.
The Huskies’ secondary will need to be aware of Johnson if he’s able to play. He’s too explosive for Washington to overlook. UW will definitely need to keep an eye on him.