DJ James and Jamal Hill Reinstated, Will Miss Fresno State Game
Defensive backs DJ James and Jamal Hill are back with the Ducks. Head Coach Mario Cristobal announced the two were reinstated following practice Friday.
"After consulting with campus and our administration, both DJ James and Jamal Hill have been reinstated for practice purposes and they will not be available for the Fresno State game," he said.
The secondary duo missed the entirety of fall camp after being indefinitely suspended following charges that stemmed from an Aug. 3 off-field incident which involved shooting civilians with "realistic looking" air-soft guns. More specifically, the two were each charged in municipal court this week with two counts of reckless endangering, two counts of disorderly conduct, and one charge of unlawful discharge of a firearm.
This news is timely, especially due to the ongoing battle at cornerback between Dontae Manning and Trikweze Bridges, which was expected to be filled by James heading into the season. Bridges is a converted safety and stands much taller than your typical cornerback at 6'3". Manning on the other hand, is well-known for his speed and came to Eugene with a 5-star billing and high expectations, but had his development hampered by a hamstring injury last season.
Regardless of how the competition shakes out, both players figure to see a lot of playing time in Rod Chance's group. As for cornerback, the Ducks have returning veteran Verone McKinley III firmly entrenched, and have been running Steve Stephens IV with the first team defense.
James and Hill will continue practicing with the team and have a trial date scheduled for Sept. 8, according to City of Eugene court records.
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