Oregon Fans Will Love What Malik Benson Said About Receiver Injuries

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson made multiple clutch plays during the 2025 regular season while the Ducks dealt with injuries to a number of receivers, including Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore, and Gary Bryant Jr.

Benson appeared on The Mighty Oregon Podcast, hosted by GoDucks.com editor in chief Rob Moseley, and Moseley asked Benson about his excitement level for the College Football Playoff, considering that Oregon's wide receiver room could be getting some reinforcements.

Malik Benson on Oregon's Wide Receiver Injuries

oregon ducks malik benson wide receiver injuries dakorien moore gary bryant jr dan lanning nick saban alabama crimson tide — Oregon’s Malik Benson, right, breaks the Southern California coverage on a punt return on his way to a first-half touchdown Nov. 22, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Most definitely. We're very low, we're playing with a couple of guys, but to get some key pieces back just makes our offense even more scarier," said Benson.

Oregon fans will love that comment from Benson because it echoes how the fan base feels... If the Ducks can get back Moore, Stewart or Bryant - the offense will receive a huge boost right as the playoff begins.

Stewart missed the entire 2025 regular season after suffering a knee injury in the spring, while both Moore and Bryant Jr. were injured during the second half of the season. The respective statuses of all three wide receivers is unclear, but Oregon coach Dan Lanning has not ruled out any of their returns for the College Football Playoff.

Oregon will host No. 12 James Madison on Saturday, Dec. 20. If the Ducks win, Benson and company will travel to Miami, Florida, to face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders on Jan. 1. If the Ducks' season extends all the way to the National Championship game on Jan. 19, Oregon's injured wide receivers will have an extra month to recover.

If the Ducks don't return any of their playmakers at wide receiver, Benson will be relied upon to carry the load for Oregon's offense.

Through 12 games, Benson has caught 31 passes for 526 yards and four touchdowns. Against USC, Benson took pressure off of the Ducks offense after returning a punt for a touchdown, and he broke the game open against Washington with a 64-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, putting the Huskies away.

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Malik Benson Reveals Why He Chose Oregon, Dan Lanning

Benson has not had a straight-forward college career, starting off at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas before spending the 2023 season with Alabama. Benson then transferred to Florida State before eventually making his way out West to Eugene, Oregon.

While being interviewed by Moseley, Benson revealed some of the reasoning behind his decision to play for Lanning and the Ducks:

"I was always telling my mom, like growing up, 'I'm going to go play with Nick Saban.' And I picked Oregon because it has the same similarities as Alabama. Just a great culture. And I'm going against dogs every single day in practice. Knowing the type of guy that Coach Lanning is, he just really takes care of the people. He wants to win and you can a respect a guy like that. You know, he's a young guy, so he kind of understands things like that. So just like a no brainer," Benson told Moseley.