When Byron Marshall was injured while returning a kickoff against Utah, it was just another instance of an important offensive player hurting himself on special teams.
Oregon running back Thomas Tyner injured his shoulder while returning a kickoff against Washington last season. He opted to have surgery in August, ending his 2015 season before it ever began.
On the opening kickoff of last season’s Rose Bowl, Devon Allen tore his ACL while trying to make a cut on the return. His injury sidelined him for much of the offseason, and although he has recovered, Allen is still reentering the fold of the Oregon offense.
Injuries to talented offensive players returning punts and kicks have become widespread at Oregon over the last year, which is why, when Marshall was carted off the field, many expected the worst. As it turned out, Marshall’s undisclosed injury required surgery, likely ending his senior season prematurely.
“If players get hurt on special teams, I feel just sick to my stomach,” special teams coach Tom Osborne said. “But guys get hurt playing football all over the place.”
Still, the number of Oregon players injured while playing special teams as of late is noteworthy– if not alarming.
“We have had a number of guys hurt in the last couple years – that is unusual,” Osborne said. “I’ve done this a long time and we’ve had more returners hurt than I can remember in years.”
To a certain degree, injuries on special teams are inevitable. Players such as Allen recognize the risk of speed and strength running full speed at each other.
“In special teams in general, it’s pretty dangerous,” Allen said. “It’s a hard thing because athletic trainers argue all the time to take special teams out of the game. The majority of injuries we see in football are on kickoff and punt return.”
Oregon’s coaching staff has long maintained an approach to put the best athletes on punt and kick return, regardless of their role on offense or defense. But is the risk of a focal player getting injured on special teams greater than the reward?
“That’s a great question, and we debate it all the time around here,” University of Washington head coach Chris Petersen said. “When there’s a guy that’s really special with the ball in his hands, you’d like to put him back there… But you probably have to minimize them on other special teams because they’re probably a starter already.”
Marshall’s injury has opened the door for several players to return punts and kicks. Charles Nelson took Marshall’s vacated spot last week against Colorado. Osborne also hinted at Tony Brooks-James and Kirk Merritt getting into the rotation.
And then there’s Allen, who expects to be returning kicks again as early as Saturday’s game against Washington State. Some players in Allen’s position would be hesitant to return to special teams, doing the exact same thing that got them injured in the first place. That’s not the case with Allen.
“[Kickoff] is a big part of the game,” Allen said. “That’s a huge play. And I feel like, if I catch the ball on kickoff return, I’m gonna score every time I get it.”