Oregon tight end Pharaoh Brown will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered in Saturday's victory at Utah, and star center Hroniss Grasu's status after a leg injury is uncertain.
Oregon doesn't discuss injuries, but coach Mark Helfrich told reporters Sunday that Brown won't play again this season. He also said Brown remained hospitalized in Salt Lake City while the team returned home.
Star cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu also was injured during the game, but he told reporters it was a toe injury and that he would be back for the Ducks' next game, against Colorado on Nov. 22.
Brown is the best receiving threat among Oregon tight ends, and going forward, as many as three tight ends -- Evan Baylis, Johnnie Mundt and Lake Koa-Ka'ai -- likely will see time. Mundt is considered the best receiver, Koa-Ka'ai the best blocker and Baylis probably the best mix of the two.
Grasu's potential loss could be big, as he is one of the top three centers nationally. Doug Brenner would start if Grasu can't go against Colorado. One potential positive: After a week off, the Ducks finish with Colorado and Oregon State -- teams they should be able to beat even without Grasu. But they would need him in the Pac-12 title game on Dec. 6 and for any other postseason action.
In other injury news:
» Oklahoma QB Trevor Knight received favorable results from an MRI, the Daily Oklahoman reported. He suffered an apparent head injury in the fourth quarter of the Sooners' loss to Baylor on Saturday. OU plays at Texas Tech this weekend, and Knight's status for that contest still is to be determined.
» Auburn WR D'haquille Williams suffered a sprained ligament in his right knee in Saturday's upset loss to Texas A&M and will miss this week's Georgia game, AL.com reported. Williams is Auburn's leading receiver, but Sammie Coates and Quan Bray also are solid receiving threats. Auburn's sketchy defense is the issue going forward.
» Clemson true freshman QB Deshaun Watson, who has missed the past three games with a broken bone in his hand, will start this weekend when the Tigers play Georgia Tech in a key ACC game. Watson returned to practice last week.
» Utah lost two players to season-ending injuries during its loss to Oregon, part-time starting QB Kendal Thompson (knee) and starting WR Tim Patrick (leg). Patrick is the second Utes receiver to be lost for the season; Dres Anderson was lost in late October.
» Colorado State sophomore WR Rashard Higgins, who leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving TDs, is expected to be back for the Rams' next game, Nov. 22 against New Mexico. Higgins, who has 67 receptions for 1,280 yards and 13 touchdowns, missed Saturday's win over Hawaii with a shoulder injury.
» Marshall TB Devon Johnson, the nation's No. 3 rusher at 150.4 yards per game, is expected to be back in the lineup next weekend against Rice. Johnson dressed out but did not play in Saturday's rout of Southern Miss. Even without him, the Herd rushed for 335 yards and seven touchdowns.
» Virginia Tech starting RT Jonathan McLaughlin will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury. He started at left tackle last season. Junior Wade Hansen likely will start at right tackle this weekend against Duke.
» South Carolina starting TE Rory Anderson should start this weekend against Florida after missing the past two games with a strained left triceps muscle.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
