A key backbone of a strong football team’s offense is its ability to run the ball. To be the most efficient at rushing takes great depth at the running back position. Oregon has thrived in that area in recent years. It has produced big name stars like Bucky Irving, as well as some younger prospects behind him who were able to step up last season. Irving was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he quickly made a name for himself as a rookie.

The Ducks saw Jordan James step into the lead running back role last year. James ran for 1,267 yards on 233 carries and 15 touchdowns. His strongest performance came in Week 6 against Michigan State, where he ran for 166 yards and a touchdown, with his longest run being 41 yards. James was selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.

This year, redshirt junior Makhi Hughes will make his debut in a Ducks uniform. Last season at Tulane University, Hughes rushed for 1,401 yards on 265 carries with 15 rushing touchdowns, and two receiving touchdowns. He transferred to Oregon after learning his half brother, Na’eem Offord had committed to the Ducks. Hughes’ best performance came in Tulane’s Week 9 matchup against North Texas, where he had 30 rushes for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Behind Hughes will be redshirt senior Noah Whittington, Oregon’s most tenured running back. Whittington had a strong first month in 2023 before tearing his ACL in Week 4 and missing the remainder of the season. He returned to the fi eld ahead of schedule and was healthy all of last year. Although James got more in-game reps, Whittington still posted promising numbers, and his reps increased throughout the season.

He finished the year with 540 rushing yards and 136 receiving yards. Whittington was also involved in some highlight moments including a 100 yard kickoff return against Boise State, and bulldozing a defender to the ground at the goal line against Illinois.

“(Whittington) was really the one who talked to me the most throughout my process before coming here,” running back Jay Harris said. “He’s really been like a big brother to me and I’ve been able to come to him whenever I need to.”

Harris is another upperclassman expected to step into a bigger role in the running back room this year. He played in just four games last year, which qualified him for a redshirt. In those games, Harris rushed for 35 yards on 10 carries and scored one touchdown. Harris spent his first two college seasons playing Division II football at Northwest Missouri State. There, he appeared in 20 games where he rushed for 1,381 yards and 23 touchdowns on 333 carries.

“It’s helped me develop well,” Harris said. “They definitely set a path for Oregon having good running backs. The way those guys worked from what I’ve seen being here is the way you should work as a running back, and going into the season and taking some of the things they did here and implement it into my game.”

Another running back who looked up was Jayden Limar, who is entering his third season as a Duck.

“They taught me a lot,” Limar said. “Just really to have fun with it. Don’t overthink, don’t be too serious, just have fun, play football just like you have your whole life.”

Last season, Limar recorded 71 rushing yards on 25 carries, 71 receiving yards and a touchdown. He too will most likely see a larger role this season.

The most important aspect of any football roster is depth, and the Oregon running back room certainly has that with a group of young athletes ready to spend a lot of time in the end zone.