Why Oregon Ducks Freshmen Dierre Hill Jr. And Jordon Davison Are Potential Stars

The Oregon Ducks' didn't see much from their prized running back transfer Makhi Hughes in their season-opening win. Hughes only registered one carry for two yards in the win, paving the way for a pair of true freshman running backs to make their mark.

Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) runs with the ball during the second half against Montana State Bobcats defensive back Carson Williams (8) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks' running back room opened up the season with a lot more questions than answers following their recent 59-13 win over the Montana State Bobcats in the season-opener.

Oregon's prized running back transfer, Makhi Hughes, was expected to have a big role in the offense this year after coming over from Tulane during the offseason, However, Hughes had a massively underwhelming game vs. the Bobcats, which allowed a pair of true freshmen to stamp their mark in their first game as a Duck.

Crowded Oregon Running Back Room?

Nov 16, 2024; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) scores in front of Navy Midshipmen safety Kenneth McShan (0) during the second half at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Oregon coach Dan Lanning said during a media availability session this week that Hughes didn't see many touches because of a combination of factors, which included depth in the position room.

“We have a lot of really good players. There were players there. He was in, and we had heavy boxes, and then the ball was thrown. He's in, also in a two-minute scenario, right, where the ball is probably gonna be thrown a little bit more, but we had a lot of really, really talented players, and it's going to be continued challenge for us to figure out, how do we use, guys in proper roles," Lanning said.

Hughes registered only one carry for two yards in his his Oregon debut. He was out-gained by five different running backs including two freshman in Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison.

Freshman Standouts

Aug 30, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) scores a touchdown during the second half against Montana State Bobcats defensive back Bryant Meredith (6) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

In their collegiate debuts, Hill and Davison made quite the introduction for themselves. The two running backs out-touched Jayden Limar, Da'Juan Riggs, Jay Harris, and Hughes. After just one game, it's clear to see that Davison and Hill are the program's future at the position and could even make an impact in year one.

Hill out-gained everybody except for the starting running back, Noah Whittington. The freshman ran for 48 yards on five carries and ended his night as the second-leading rusher for the Ducks.

Davison had six carries for 26 yards, but added three touchdowns as he operated as the Ducks' short yardage back.

"I didn't realize it was that many [touchdowns]. He's proven to be a really good short yardage back for us. He falls forward. He's a good back in the field as well. Again, that speaks to some of the depth that we have in that room," Lanning said.

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Deepest Position Room On The Ducks?

Oregon coach Dan Lanning oversees his team as the Fighting Ducks face off against Mighty Oregon in the Oregon Ducks spring game on April 26, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon's running back unit proved why they are arguably the deepest position on the Ducks' roster. saw seven running backs register a carry in their week one win.

Whittington, who served as the primary backup last season, got the start vs. the Bobcats and made the most of it. He recorded 10 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Moving forward, all signs point to Whittington as the team's starting running back, but one thing is certain... The Ducks can't go wrong with a number of options in their running back room.