Thurmond Done for Year

EUGENE – University of Oregon senior cornerback Walter Thurmond III will miss the remainder of the year after suffering a season-ending knee injury on the opening kickoff of last Saturday’s 42-3 win over California in Autzen Stadium.

A MRI on Thurmond’s right knee revealed that surgery (timing yet to be determined) would be required to repair the injury, forcing the West Covina, Calif., co-captain to miss the Ducks’ final eight games of the regular season and any potential post-season opportunities.

The pre-season All-American had gotten off to a great start in 2009 and played instrumental roles in wins over Purdue and Utah, returning an interception and punt return for touchdowns in those two games, respectively. The fourth-year starter posted 17 tackles in three appearances this year in addition to being ranked second in the Pacific-10 Conference (21st nationally) in punt returns (15.0 avg.) and fifth in the league in kickoff returns (27.7 avg.).

Thurmond, who had been included on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back, finishes his Oregon career scoring more touchdowns (5) than any other non-offensive player in school history, in addition to equaling a school record with three interception returns for scores, and tied for ninth on the school’s all-time interceptions list (12).