Oregon Ducks' Ra'Shaad Samples On Transfer Makhi Hughes, Running Back Depth Chart

EUGENE – The Oregon Ducks lost a top running back in Jordan James to the NFL Draft this offseason, but added a top transfer portal running back in Makhi Hughes while retaining talent in the backfield.

Oregon running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples spoke to the media on Wednesday as Oregon prepares for the 2025 season.

Oregon Ducks Ra'Shaad Samples Noah Whittington Makhi Hughes Running Backs Jayden Limar Da'Juan Riggs Jay Harris Jadon Davison — Oregon running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples works with the team during the Ducks’ fall camp Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

What Samples Said During Week 2 Of Fall Camp

How Noah Whittington Has Evolved The Past Couple Seasons:

“I think Noah, he broke through the wall last year during the Illinois game. And that was big for him. He had a couple big runs, and I think that was his coming-out party. And I think ever since then, you saw some games late in the season, he started to get more comfortable. I went back and watch this film when I first got here, because he was hurt, and I saw the type of explosion he has, the type of slash running ability,” Samples said.

“As you know, ever since the end of last season, you've seen that grow, and you've seen that person get more confident in that leg and putting his foot in the ground, and his ability to run at guys and change direction. So more than anything, I think the ability has been there. And I think you guys probably seen the ability he has more than I have,” Samples continued.

“You guys were here witnesses. But I think he's finding a process, and I think he's become so much more consistent every single day. As a player like I know what I'm gonna get from Noah Whittington. Every single day, when we drop, when we jog out on the field.”

Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) runs against UTSA Roadrunners running back Kevorian Barnes (4) during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The Growth He’s Seen From Transfer Makhi Hughes:

“Just the familiarity in the playbook. I think the comfortable he's gotten so much more comfortable around his teammates, with the scheme, with what we're going to do, his personality is starting to come out. You can see him starting to come out his shell a little bit, so and Makhi is growing every single day,” Samples said.

“And I think as he continues to get comfortable with what we're trying to do, the more time he spends understanding the scheme, the more time he spends understanding the totality of the offense, you can start to see his play go to the next level.”

Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington (6) dances with Oregon Ducks wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr. (2) on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions, 45-37. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What He Looks For To Determine Depth Chart:

“I think consistency is the most important thing. I think you got to play this game at a consistent level, especially when you got a lot of guys in the room with a lot of different skill sets, a lot of different talent, and there is a lot of talent in the room, so the mental process is so important,” Samples said.

“When you go into a week, you talked about the preparation, you talk about your routine, you talk about being able to get a script and learn a script and learn a playbook in a certain amount of days. Talk about learning your opponent what they're going to do on defense, our checks and the intricacies of the offense. I think fall camp shows you all that thing, all those things,” Samples continued.

“When you come in, day in, day out, your brain is tired. You're not getting as much sleep as you probably used to or practicing seven days out of eight. It really stresses you out mentally. So, you find out in those situations, when we go good on good, when we're scrimmaging each other, the mental capacity of guys. And I think when choosing a guy to jog out there, or whoever your RB1 is, and we're going to have guys, a bunch of guys that can play, and that's going to play this season,” Samples said.

“But when you talk about what do you need to be the guy, I think it's that level of consistency and trust, not only from me, but you talk about the whole offensive staff, you talk about the o-line, you talk about the receivers, you talk about the team. I think that's the most important thing.”

What He’s Seen From Jayden Limar:

“Jaden is Mr. Consistent. He's probably the most, one of the most consistent guys in the room, and I think he's grown in a leadership role. He speaks more than he did last year. This time last year, he's here every day. He's here at six o'clock in the morning going through the script. And he doesn't do it himself. He's brought some other guys with him.”

“He's bringing the freshmen in, he's bringing some of the young guys in, and he's doing script reviews with them every single morning. And so, Jayden is a guy that flies under the radar, but the value of him to that room, to this team, is outrageous,” Samples said.

“You go back, and you look at the Boise State game last year. I mean, I don't know what happens if he doesn't pick up that ball on the one yard line and run it in so, Jayden is so important to the room, to the culture of the room, and as he continues to go, his role will continue to grow, and he'll continue to be a leader in that room,” Samples said.

Where Da’Juan Riggs Can Fit In The Backfield:

“I see (Riggs) has an immense level of talent. I mean, he has pace, he has feel, he has a real, really good conceptual understanding for the game, man, and he's competing at a high level,” Samples said.

“I think he has to continue to grow. He has a chance to play as a redshirt freshman. I think he has to continue to grow and come to work every single day. I think all those guys have a special trait, right? And so, when you talk about carving out unique roles, I think all those guys could have certain roles and do different things. But I think right now, the focus is showing up every day and trying to grow as a complete player.”

How Jay Harris Has Grown:

“I see it everywhere, man. Jay is one of the guys I'm most proud of. We talk about a kid going through the maturation process and finding himself as a player, finding himself spiritually, growing, mentally, spending time, so much time in the playbook,” Samples said.

“I mean, he's so much different than he was last year. He's more coachable, he's more comfortable, he's more trustworthy. That's a kid that the sky's the limit when it comes to talent. I mean, he's sealing this when it comes to talent. And so, as the person continues to grow, the player continues to grow.”

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How Freshmen Dierre Hill Jr. An Jordon Davison Have Separated Themselves:

“Those guys are years beyond their time, man. Those guys are football junkies. When you got freshmen that probably spends just as much time as the older guys, or more in the film room, learning plays, learning the system. Those guys are years beyond their time, and they've already came and kind of showed and flashed during this camp,” Samples said.

“Those guys have made some big boy plays, some grown up plays. Now they're still young, and they still do some freshmen things, but those guys have showed that they can play ball on this level. And so, as they continue to grow too, they continue to understand the level of physicality every single day.”

“I think that's a little bit different from a guy coming from high school to me. These guys are gonna hit you in the face every single day at practice. They're coming every single day. And there's not a day off, there's not a period off. When you're in there, we play a lot of football, and as those guys continue to understand those standards and meet those standards, man, those guys got a chance to be really special,” Samples concluded.

If He Likes To Go Into The Season With A Solidified RB1:

“In the best situation, you want a bunch of R1’s, right? And I think Noah was coming off of injury last year, like you said, I think that played a big part into it. I think as the year went on, you saw those kind of carries balance out a little bit more. So, when you got a group of guys that can wear a defense down, that can come in fresh, that can spell each other, I think that's the best way to do it,” Samples said.

“I think it's hard when you got to put the carries on one guy, and that's not something we plan on doing. And luckily, you know, we have a bunch of guys who can carry the ball can do some different things, and I don't see that being the thing we do this year. I think we're going to have a couple guys that can run the ball.”

If He Sees More 20, 21, 22 With The Depth He Has:

“I think we're gonna go into each game with a game plan based on strengths and weaknesses of a team, based on the defense place, on what they're gonna be able to do. Do I see us being able to do a little bit more 21 with the guys we got, with the multifaceted backs? Yeah, I do,” Samples said.

“I think Noah can play slot. Jay Harris has a lot of talent at receiver and ball skills. I think Jayden has proved, I think a lot of guys that can do a bunch of different things. I see us having the ability to do a lot more of that. Now, does that mean we're going to do it every single game? No, it might be better for us going in a game would be in 11 more, but I think the ability is there.”

Jul 23, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

How He Wants To See The Group Grow And What They’ve Improved On:

“I think anytime you go on a year or two of something, you gain some comfort. And I think there's some not in a bad way. I think there's some comfort. There's some comfort in the room. There's some comfort with understanding how I'm going to approach every single day. It's a comfort with the expectation of the room,” Samples said.

“But I think when we go out there every single day, I think there's a I think we're closer to the level, the standard of play that we expect every single day, consistently. Those guys know what I expect from they know the level of finish, they know the level of physicality, they know the level of violence I expect those guys to play this game with. And that's something that I've seen as camp go on.”

“That's been a little bit more consistent than maybe it was last year. New coach, new situation, understanding, he might want done things, done a little bit differently than the last guy, and that's something that's been great. As we continue to grow, we are a young group, right? Noah's played a bunch of ball, but outside of that, and Makhi outside of that, we don't have a bunch of guys that's played a bunch of ball, and Makhi hasn't played ball here,” Samples continued.

“So, you talk about being able to play ball here, you talk about guys that have to know the system every single day and I think as we're learning, as this group is growing, they have to continue to learn the playbook and learn the ins and outs and learn what we're trying to accomplish, not just at the running back position.”

“We've mentioned 21, so how can we know what to do when we go to the slot and receiver? How can we know what to do when we're in protection? I think you know, as we continue to grow, that's going to be important,” Samples concluded.