“Bombshell” may be an over-dramatic word to describe Tuesday’s news that senior wide receiver Brenden Schooler would be transferring from the Oregon program, but it’s certainly news that caught many Duck fans by surprise.

First reported by James Crepea of The Oregonian/OregonLive, Schooler leaves the Ducks after appearing in just three games this season due to a foot injury that kept him out for most of fall camp and the entire first month of the 2019 season. With that, he maintains his ability to use his available redshirt year as he enters the NCAA transfer portal.

Originally expected to compete for reps as a starter this season prior to his injury, Schooler’s career at Oregon comes to an end after hauling in 43 receptions for 521 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons at wide receiver. Schooler also starred as a defensive back his freshman year in Eugene, finishing first on the team in interceptions (4), while ranking third in tackles (74).

While his production as a receiver can likely be accounted for by other players, Schooler’s experience and general know-how for a position group that was relatively green in that department will be missed. Additionally, he provided toughness as a perimeter blocker for the Ducks in the running game, arguably serving as Oregon’s best player in that aspect of the game. Now, however, the Ducks are forced to finish out the remainder of their season without the well-regarded veteran who spanned three different head coaches (Mark Helfrich, Willie Taggart, and Mario Cristobal) during his stint at the university.

While the Ducks will no doubt miss Schooler’s experience and status as an elder statesman both in the locker room and on the field, the good news is that they’ve already had to deal with an unavailable Schooler for much of the season already. In fact, one could argue that the wide receiver group as a whole had already taken a notable step forward without Schooler in the lineup, as Johnny Johnson, Jaylon Redd, and Bryan Addison have fared well as Oregon’s starters since the season opener vs. Auburn. Moreover, the Ducks have gotten healthier at the spot ever since Mycah Pittman (shoulder) and Juwan Johnson (calf) returned to action alongside Schooler for the Cal game just over three weeks ago. With Schooler no longer in the mix in the wide receiver rotation, one can reasonably expect both Pittman and Johnson, specifically, to see increased reps in the weeks to come.

Many will speculate as to the reason why Schooler left. The timing, after all, seems somewhat curious given the current run the Ducks are on and the fact that Schooler was earning consistent playing time coming off of his injury. But perhaps the injury, over time, altered Schooler’s ultimate plan.

With Oregon having a number of talented young receivers on the roster, and with a number of young receivers set to join the team from the 2020 recruiting class, it’s possible that Schooler wasn’t anticipated to be a part of the team’s plans beyond this season. Thus, the option to redshirt this season and return to the team next season may not have been a viable one purely from a numbers perspective. Of course, this assumes that Schooler’s decision is based on maximizing his opportunity to play beyond college. Seeking a mulligan on a senior season that has been interrupted by injury makes sense in that case, though Schooler isn’t necessarily a player who is expected to have a certain NFL future after his collegiate playing days are over.

Whatever the reason, Schooler leaves a legacy as a player who performed selflessly throughout his time in Eugene. And while his production on the field was modest in comparison to many of his teammates, the Ducks have nonetheless lost a player who offered quality depth and played a notable role for this team out wide.