There have been rumors floating that more football team attrition would be happening, and Duck Sports Authority has confirmed that two Oregon offensive linemen will be leaving the team due to ongoing medical problems, and it sounds like they will be quitting football for good.
Jamaal Burrell, who would have been a redshirt sophomore and who saw playing time in blowouts last season, will be leaving the team due to a heart condition. Nick Rowland, who would have been a redshirt freshman next season, will be leaving the team due to issues resulting from a broken femur when he was 12 years old, which has left one of his legs an inch and a half shorter than the other.
It's tough to see the the careers of both players end in this manner, but with all the recent news about the long-term effects of playing football, I'm happy to see these players making these decisions now and not sacrificing the rest of their life. Both players should be eligible for medical scholarships.
Oregon has plenty of young players on the offensive line, and these losses won't hurt the football team, but both were expected to compete for playing time with the departure Jordan Holmes, C.E. Kaiser, and Bo Thran.