Tez Johnson has been instrumental to Oregon’s undefeated start this season. Unfortunately, the status of the leading receiver for the Ducks is uncertain for the rest of Week 10.

On the very first punt return, Johnson was tackled and landed hard out of bounds. He was tended to in the injury tent and was later taken back to the locker room.

According to the CBS broadcast, Johnson was favoring his right shoulder area but the specific ailment was not identified. For now, his status is uncertain as Johnson has not yet returned to the field as the second quarter began.

Johnson’s absence on the punt return unit has already been felt. Ryan Pellum replaced Johnson as the returner on the next punt, and he promptly fumbled the ball away to Michigan. The Wolverines used that short field to go down and score a touchdown to make it 7-all early in the game.

While the Ducks have plenty of weapons offensively, there’s no denying the presence of Johnson is vital for special teams and for the deep threat of throwing the ball. Without Johnson currently in the lineup, look for heavier targets in the direction of Evan Stewart who reeled in Oregon’s first touchdown of the game.

Johnson Week 10 as Oregon’s leader with 63 catches for 638 yards and 8 touchdowns. No other player on the Ducks had more than 28 catches or 3 receiving touchdowns through the first 8 games of the season.