Oregon Ducks expect starting offensive tackle Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu back ‘shortly’

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EUGENE — The Oregon Ducks’ offensive line isn’t expected to be shorthanded for much longer.

Starting right tackle Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, who has missed the last two practices with an unspecified injury, is dealing with a “minor ding,” coach Dan Lanning said Tuesday following the Ducks’ practice at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex.

“I think we’ll get him back here shortly,” Lanning said.

Fellow starter T.J. Bass has been limited through the first five days of fall camp. But with a day off from on-field work scheduled for Wednesday and full pads practices to begin Thursday — followed by the first fall scrimmage on Saturday — the hope is for the Ducks to be back to full strength before long.

With Aumavae-Laulu and Bass on the mend, younger offensive linemen have been able to see more reps through the first five practices.

“I think if you asked any offensive line coach, if you ask (offensive line coach Adrian) Klemm or (offensive coordinator Kenny) Dillingham, you’d love to say hey let’s stick five guys and keep them in a spot and get continuity — and there’s truth to that,” Lanning said. “But the reality is you also want to make sure you’re working those guys at multiple spots. I think that’s what has really created for us, is an urgency as coaches to try some guys at different locations to improve our ability to be adaptable. You’re going to take some warts because of that but those guys have done a really good job of getting better. When you go against good competition you get better.”

Lanning said UO’s three freshmen offensive linemen who arrived over the summer — Josh Conerly Jr., Dave Iuli and Kawika Rogers — have fared well in their early opportunities.

“Josh Conerly had a really good day, had a really good rep in competition today,” Lanning said. “A competition drill where we do kind of a one-on-one drill he did a really good job. Seen some good things from Dave, seen some good things from Kawika, a lot of those young guys have done well up front.”

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, defensive tackle Maceal Afaese has missed the past two practices also due to injury.

“His may be a little longer term,” Lanning said. “We’ll see.”

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