Washington State Football: 5 Reasons Cougars will take down Oregon

4. Loss of Penei Sewell a devastating blow for Oregon’s offensive line

One of the biggest recruiting wins for Mario Cristobal in his first cycle as the Oregon head coach was landing four-star offensive tackle Penei Sewell out of Saint George, Utah. Cristobal was able to hold off Alabama and USC to secure his signature on signing day.

Sewell’s arrival paid immediate dividends for the Ducks as he started from day-one at left tackle, protecting QB Justin Herbert’s blindside. In just six starts, Sewell had established himself as one of the premier offensive lineman in the PAC-12 already.

Sewell will miss approximately six weeks after injuring his ankle in last week’s win over Washington. It’ll be a tall task for Oregon to replace him. He was a key reason the Ducks offensive line has been so successful this season, sparking a ground game that averages 209 yards-per-game and allowing just eight sacks on Herbert in six games.

Oregon has shifted right tackle Calvin Throckmorton over to the left side and inserted junior Brady Aiello into his place at right tackle. Aiello has plenty of experience after seeing a lot of action last season, including starting the season’s final three games. But it’s unlikely he can replicate the success Sewell was having.