Although the first article mentions the class of 2008, getting a job at graduation was probably worse for the class of 2009. Of course, specific industries could be hit harder than others. The 2008 downturn was particularly bad for 2009 civil engineering and architecture graduates, for example.
Yes, graduate or professional school can be a way to delay entry into the job market if bachelor’s degree graduation happens during an economic downturn, but if it is not funded (like a PhD program), that would mean additional cost and debt, which can be risky if the economy has not turned back up by the time of graduate or professional degree graduation.