Oregon Football: Star quarterback Justin Herbert in concussion protocol

This past Saturday’s loss to Arizona may prove to be even more costly for Oregon football. Justin Herbert‘s availability against UCLA is in question.

More: Week 9 Pac-12 Power Rankings

Head coach Mario Cristobal confirmed with reporters Monday that star quarterback Justin Herbert – along with receiver Dillon Mitchell – are both currently in the concussion protocol.

Herbert, who many believe will be the top quarterback drafted next year if he elects to leave Oregon, appeared to have suffered the injury late in the game with the Ducks down by almost 30 points.

Oregon suffered a 44-15 loss to Arizona, dropping them to 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Pac-12. The junior missed games last year with an injury, but returned healthy this season and has completed almost 60 percent of his passes for 2,069 yards and 20 touchdowns.

In three years and 24 games played, Herbert has completed 456 of 721 for 5,988 yards with 54 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions.

Should Herbert not be cleared to play, the Ducks would likely turn to Braxton Burmeister, with Tyler Shough moving into the No. 2 role. Burmeister recently returned from offseason surgery on his knee.

Burmeister, a sophomore, has attempted eight passes this year, completing four for 27 yards in two games. He played in seven games last season, going 44-for-77 for 330 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions after Herbert was injured.

Shough is a freshman who enrolled early this past January with the school. He was a consensus four-star prospect coming out a high school, passing for over 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns as a senior.

Mitchell, meanwhile, has been the top target for Herbert this season, catching 48 passes for 677 yards. He exited from the contest with the Wildcats in the third quarter.

Also a junior, Mitchell has 92 career catches for 1,203 yards with eight touchdowns. He also has served as Oregon’s punt and kickoff return man, racking up almost 150 yards on 24 attempts.

Saturday’s game with UCLA marks the return of Chip Kelly to Oregon. Kelly led the Ducks to a national title game appearance before leaving for the NFL. He is in his first season as head coach of the Bruins.

Oregon has lost two in a row to Arizona and Washington State after posting back-to-back victories over Washington and California. After UCLA, the Ducks travel to Utah, host Arizona State and finish at rival Oregon State.