Why Isn't Oregon Ducks' Jeffrey Bassa Starting Vs. UCLA Bruins? Injury Update

The No. 8 Oregon Ducks hope to stay undefeated against the UCLA Bruins in a late-night Big Ten showdown on Saturday in the Rose Bowl.

Projected starter senior linebacker Jeffrey Bassa is not on the injury report and is dressed down. However, Bassa is not starting vs. UCLA - a trend this season for one of Oregon. Linebackers Devon Jackson and Bryce Boettcher opened the game as Oregon's starters instead.

Is Bassa injured?

"More help in that linebacker room this week... Off of the bye week, they've got Bassa healthy," said Fox play-by-play Connor Onion.

"They said it's the closest to 100 percent he's been all year," said FOX analyst, and former Oregon Ducks coach, Mark Helfrich.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning addresed Bassa's limited minutes in Oregon's first game against the Idaho Vandals. Lanning said the reasoning was moreso that they didn't need him, rather than a health situation.

"Jeff can play in the future," said Bassa.

Bassa was officially questionable with an undisclosed injury in Oregon's Week 2 game vs. Boise State. Bassa only made appearances on third downs and pass situations in Oregon's Week 3 game vs. Oregon State.

Oregon’s Bryce Boettcher speaks during Oregon football’s media day Monday, July 29, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sounds like healthier Bassa will be a bigger part of Oregon's defense, going forward. So far in 2024, Bassa has totaled 10 tackles.

Bassa is an undisputed leader on the defense, helping his teammates channel any outside noise and doubters as a first-year Big Ten Team.

"Obviously we see all the tweets," Bassa told Oregon Ducks SI's Bri Amaranthus. "We see what people are saying. We don't let external factors dictate how we think in our internal factors. So we try to block that noise out. But then we also keep that in the back of our mind, like, okay, people don't think we physical, so let's show them we physical."

Last season as a junior, the 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker started all 14 games for the Ducks while finishing second on the team with a career-high 72 total tackles, 42 of those being solo tackles. Bassa also added 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception. A major highlight from 2023 was Bassa’s a pick-six interception that sealed the Ducks’ win over Texas Tech football.

In Bassa's absence, Boettcher has thrived. The South Eugene High School alumnus leads Oregon with 25 total tackles, including 10 solo tackles. Boettcher is the top-graded linebacker in the country after weeks four of play, according to Pro Football Focus metrics.

Sep 28, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) celebrates scoring a first quarter touchdown against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Left are Oregon Ducks tight end Terrance Ferguson (3) and Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15). Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Oregon had a total of eight players out for the game vs. UCLA.

OUT
2 Gary Bryant Jr.
6 Jahlil Florence
11 Dakoda Fields
31 Zach Grisham
74 Dave Iuli
77 Matthew Bedford
93 My’Keil Gardner
98 Andrew Boyle

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