Oregon Ducks Freshmen Contributing at Historic Pace

Freshmen running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. helped the No. 6 Oregon Ducks to a dominant victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but Davison and Hill aren't the only freshmen making an impact for the Ducks.

Sep 20, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) walks off the field after the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

A dominant 56-10 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights bumped the No. 6 Oregon Ducks up a couple of spots in the national rankings. While Oregon is contending for a national championship this season, the prowess of the freshmen class also sets up the Ducks for years to come.

Multiple true freshmen played major roles in the historic offensive performance in New Jersey, while Oregon cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. continues to prove himself as one of the top freshmen in the country.

Freshmen To Play In Every Game:

Sep 20, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) walks off the field after the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

• Jordon Davison (running back)
• Dierre Hill Jr. (running back)
• Dakorien Moore (wide receiver)
• Nasir Wyatt (linebacker)
• Brandon Finney Jr. (cornerback)
• Na’eem Offord (cornerback)

Three Freshmen Find The Endzone

A trio of true freshmen scored touchdowns for the Ducks against Rutgers. Running back Dierre Hill Jr. rushed for 62 yards on five carries, including a 35-yard rush that resulted in a touchdown.

His freshman partner in the backfield, Jordon Davison, recorded 100 yards on three carries and a touchdown. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore rounded out the list of freshmen who scored for Oregon in week 8, also tallying 63 yards on two receptions.

Hill, Davison and Moore have been lethal on offense for the Ducks this season, and the program’s set to have them on the roster for the next couple of years.

Oct 18, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) carries the ball during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Davison leads the team in rushing touchdowns as a true freshman with eight, scoring in all but one game this season. Moore leads the team in receiving yards with 398, averaging 15.9 yards per catch and catching three touchdowns. Hill has the highest rushing average among running backs.

The matchup against the Scarlet Knights ended up being the fourth-highest total offense in program history. The team also scored eight total touchdowns, with the freshmen playing a formidable role in the bounce-back offensive performance.

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The Ducks Freshmen Wired Different

Coach Dan Lanning and his staff have repeated the attitude, "If you’re good enough, you’re old enough," and the Oregon freshmen have proven that they’re already good enough. Still, a lot of the trust they’ve built with the coaching staff has to do with their approach to the game.

For example, freshmen like Hill, Davison and Moore have shown their willingness to block on offense. The freshmen running back duo had plays against Rutgers where one would block to set up the rushing attack for the other.

Oct 18, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) carries the ball during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

“I feel like that says a lot about who the freshmen are and the skill level that they hold,” running back Noah Whittington said. “I don’t think a lot of teams in the country can do that because they don’t have the freshmen that we have.”

One of the other true freshmen who’s played every game is cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. Lanning and several players talked about how Finney is one of the first and last players out of practice every day and he’s constantly watching film.

Oregon defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. trips up Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The cornerback didn’t give up a reception versus the Scarlet Knights, despite being targeted three times. He’s been in coverage on 129 snaps in 2025, giving up three receptions for 28 yards on 18 targets.

“Just calm and poised within the play,” Lanning said about Finney when asked about how Finney’s avoided penalties. “It's hard to go battle for a 50-50 ball and put yourself in that situation where you're going to create a penalty. He's done a good job of that."

Na’eem Offord and Nasir Wyatt conclude the list of Ducks to play in all seven games. Wide receiver Cooper Perry played in his fifth game of the season versus Rutgers, becoming the eighth true freshman to burn a redshirt.