Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Burch Back In The Mix For Playoff
12/31/24 | Football
After injury caused him to miss time during the regular season, including an October matchup with Ohio State, Jordan Burch will finally face the Buckeyes on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES — Jordan Burch had missed more than a month of starting assignments when he took the first defensive snap of a game against Maryland on Nov. 9.
In his absence the Oregon defense had kept the Ducks on an undefeated path to the College Football Playoff, in which the UO football team plays Wednesday, in a quarterfinal game hosted by the Rose Bowl. But back on that November day against Maryland, Burch made clear right away what kind of impact player he can be.
Early in the second quarter, the defensive end from Columbia, S.C., exploded through the Terrapins' left tackle, sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble. Defensive back Brandon Johnson scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown. The UO defense's collective reaction: Welcome back, Jordan Burch.
"That was crazy, coming back from the injury he had," said Jamaree Caldwell, like Burch a defensive lineman originally from South Carolina. "Every time he plays, there's gonna be a spark from him, some time, somewhere."
Five games into this season, Burch was averaging one sack per game and had the second-most tackles on Oregon's defense. An injury sidelined him for the Ducks' regular-season showdown with Ohio State in mid-October, and another forced him to sit out Oregon's win at Wisconsin. Those were two of the Ducks' more impressive defensive performances this season, to be sure.
But be sure of this as well — Oregon is thrilled to have Burch back for the playoff, and he's eager to contribute to an extended run.
"I think this might be perfect timing," Burch said Monday during Oregon's media day prior to the Rose Bowl. "To get to where I've never been before, playing for a team that's winning and to be able to play in the playoff, I feel like this was meant to happen. I'm in the right spot."
Burch began his career in his home state, at South Carolina from 2020-22. He developed into a full-time starter that last season, then joined the Ducks a year ago and started all 14 games while contributing three sacks.
This year, his production has gone to another level. In nine games, Burch has 8.5 sacks, among 11 tackles for loss. He's been credited with six pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries. He's been a big reason Oregon's defense is finally drawing the kind of attention the UO offense has garnered across the nation in recent years.
"Growing up, offense was always the thing that people know from the other side of the country," Burch said. "But I feel like this year we've got the coaches, the right players, for people to talk about both when they talk about Oregon. So it's a great feeling to be part of this team, and be able to make an impact."
Significant depth has been another contributing factor in the rise of the UO defense. And that depth was on display during the time Burch missed to injury. Former five-star recruit Matayo Uiagalelei entered the lineup against Ohio State and averaged a sack per game over the remainder of the regular season, giving him 10.5 overall as a sophomore this season.
"He proved that you can't leave him on an island, one-on-one," Caldwell said.
"I know Penn State looked to the Ohio State game where, OK, that's somebody that could affect the quarterback every play. (In the Big Ten Championship) they were chipping him to get him off his game. That's how electric he is, and how polished he is as a rusher."
Now, the Ducks enter their biggest test of the season with both Burch and Uiagalelei available.
For Burch, it's a chance to face the Buckeyes, finally. But while Ohio State players have eagerly anticipated another shot at Oregon, Burch said missing the regular-season match-up didn't have him looking forward to a potential rematch any more than he would any other playoff opponent.
"It hurt a little bit, to see my guys go out there and I wasn't able to be on the field with them," he said. "But the whole time I was cheering them on. Our defense and our offense, there's no fall-off if a player goes down. We've got the next people up to do the same job, same role. So it was sad to know I couldn't be out there, but I was happy for my guys to get the win."
He hopes to be celebrating again come Wednesday evening, this time after having a major impact on the field in the rematch with the Buckeyes.
In his absence the Oregon defense had kept the Ducks on an undefeated path to the College Football Playoff, in which the UO football team plays Wednesday, in a quarterfinal game hosted by the Rose Bowl. But back on that November day against Maryland, Burch made clear right away what kind of impact player he can be.
Early in the second quarter, the defensive end from Columbia, S.C., exploded through the Terrapins' left tackle, sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble. Defensive back Brandon Johnson scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown. The UO defense's collective reaction: Welcome back, Jordan Burch.
"That was crazy, coming back from the injury he had," said Jamaree Caldwell, like Burch a defensive lineman originally from South Carolina. "Every time he plays, there's gonna be a spark from him, some time, somewhere."
Five games into this season, Burch was averaging one sack per game and had the second-most tackles on Oregon's defense. An injury sidelined him for the Ducks' regular-season showdown with Ohio State in mid-October, and another forced him to sit out Oregon's win at Wisconsin. Those were two of the Ducks' more impressive defensive performances this season, to be sure.
But be sure of this as well — Oregon is thrilled to have Burch back for the playoff, and he's eager to contribute to an extended run.
"I think this might be perfect timing," Burch said Monday during Oregon's media day prior to the Rose Bowl. "To get to where I've never been before, playing for a team that's winning and to be able to play in the playoff, I feel like this was meant to happen. I'm in the right spot."
Burch began his career in his home state, at South Carolina from 2020-22. He developed into a full-time starter that last season, then joined the Ducks a year ago and started all 14 games while contributing three sacks.
This year, his production has gone to another level. In nine games, Burch has 8.5 sacks, among 11 tackles for loss. He's been credited with six pass breakups, and four quarterback hurries. He's been a big reason Oregon's defense is finally drawing the kind of attention the UO offense has garnered across the nation in recent years.
"Growing up, offense was always the thing that people know from the other side of the country," Burch said. "But I feel like this year we've got the coaches, the right players, for people to talk about both when they talk about Oregon. So it's a great feeling to be part of this team, and be able to make an impact."
Significant depth has been another contributing factor in the rise of the UO defense. And that depth was on display during the time Burch missed to injury. Former five-star recruit Matayo Uiagalelei entered the lineup against Ohio State and averaged a sack per game over the remainder of the regular season, giving him 10.5 overall as a sophomore this season.
"He proved that you can't leave him on an island, one-on-one," Caldwell said.
"I know Penn State looked to the Ohio State game where, OK, that's somebody that could affect the quarterback every play. (In the Big Ten Championship) they were chipping him to get him off his game. That's how electric he is, and how polished he is as a rusher."
Now, the Ducks enter their biggest test of the season with both Burch and Uiagalelei available.
For Burch, it's a chance to face the Buckeyes, finally. But while Ohio State players have eagerly anticipated another shot at Oregon, Burch said missing the regular-season match-up didn't have him looking forward to a potential rematch any more than he would any other playoff opponent.
"It hurt a little bit, to see my guys go out there and I wasn't able to be on the field with them," he said. "But the whole time I was cheering them on. Our defense and our offense, there's no fall-off if a player goes down. We've got the next people up to do the same job, same role. So it was sad to know I couldn't be out there, but I was happy for my guys to get the win."
He hopes to be celebrating again come Wednesday evening, this time after having a major impact on the field in the rematch with the Buckeyes.
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