EUGENE -- Pharaoh Brown was en route to one of the best statistical seasons by a tight end in Oregon Ducks history before a traumatic right leg injury ended his season against Utah.



But during the Ducks stretch run toward a Pac-12 and national title, Brown will be missed for more than just his receptions.



The junior from suburban Cleveland had become a consistent blocker, a key development given the injuries along Oregon's offensive line, and was magnetic for defenders forced to honor his routes, which in turn relieved pressure on a receiving corps that was young and unproven entering the season.



Brown remains hospitalized in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah Hospital, with family and Oregon staff members by his side. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham -- whose own team lost two players in Oregon's 51-27 win Saturday night to similarly devastating injuries from no or little contact -- has said he will visit Brown, too.



At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, receiving came easiest for Brown. Blocking took much more improvement, a leap the Ducks felt he'd made this season.



"Nothing is perfect, of course," tight ends coach Tom Osborne said Nov. 3, five days before Brown's injury. "You want consistency but Pharaoh's done a really good job this year at the line of scrimmage, whether it be next to the tackle or if he's in movement off the ball a little bit or whether he's detached in space. Those are huge plays."



Against Utah, Brown's blocking and the attention he drew led to critical plays for the No. 3 Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12, College Football Playoff No. 2).



On Dwayne Stanford's three-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, Brown lined up outside of the left tackle and blocked defensive end Nate Orchard by himself, giving quarterback Marcus Mariota enough time to find Stanford for a 14-7 lead that UO would never relinquish.



Two quarters during Oregon's 75-yard drive to take a 37-27 lead in the fourth quarter, Brown again did the dirty work. He threw blocks to spring running back Royce Freeman while lined up outside of the formation's right edge and moved defensive end Jared Dimick backward two plays later. (Orchard and Dimick's combined sacks this season: 22.)

When center Hroniss Grasu left the game with his own leg injury on the drive, Oregon lined Brown up in one of its pet positions for him, one step behind the line in the space between the guard and tackle.



And on the play that capped the drive, a 34-yard touchdown catch to Stanford over the middle, it was Brown who drew the attention of a safety with his straight-ahead route downfield, allowing Stanford to cut toward the center of the field behind him, wide open.



"We've had big plays way back to Michigan State, on three of our running plays for touchdowns, Pharaoh had a block at the point of attack that helped the play," Osborne said. "On Thomas Tyner's touchdown run (against Stanford) both Pharaoh and Tyrell Crosby recognized something different front-wise and made a great call, did the right thing, did a great job blocking it and sprung him all the way to the safety."



The injury is the latest blow to what has been a most unstable position in recent seasons.



In 2013, while Brown and Evan Baylis recovered from injuries, true freshman Johnny Mundt was thrust into the starting job after Colt Lyerla was suspended in September and left the team in early October.



Brown finished with 10 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns in nine games. Injuries delayed his debut, but Brown's role in a campus snowball fight in early December also prematurely cut it short. He was suspended for Oregon's victory in the Alamo Bowl against Texas.



Brown missed 2014's spring practices with another leg injury, walking in a protective boot for much of April. Three months later, Brown, Mundt and Baylis all left fall camp less than 100 percent healthy.



Yet within weeks this fall, Brown emerged from preseason questions about tight end as Oregon's no-doubt answer.



His 28 receptions for 431 yards and six touchdowns put Brown in select company with other standout seasons by Oregon tight ends in the past 20 years, including Lyerla in 2012 (392 yards and six touchdowns); David Paulson in 2011 (438 yards and six TDs); Ed Dickson in 2009 (551 yards and six TDs); George Wrighster in 2002 (568 yards and six TDs); Jed Weaver in 1998 (623 yards and five TDs); and Josh Wilcox in 1994 (428 yards and six TDs).



In his stead step Mundt and Baylis, who had been regular members of the rotation, and Koa Ka'ai. They'll be asked to shoulder some of the load in the pass game, but more importantly, maintain Brown's blocking, too.



"If we're running the ball well it's typically because (tight ends) have been a part of helping it; they all have a piece of the pie," Osborne said last week. "If they can do their piece of the pie efficiently enough to allow us to run the ball efficiently, that helps us win."



-- Andrew Greif | @andrewgreif