Oregon Ducks Transfer Portal Star Makhi Hughes Bringing 'Violence' to Big Ten

The Oregon Ducks bolstered their running back room this offseason with the transfer portal addition of Makhi Hughes. He's expected to form a lethal one-two punch with starting running back Noah Whittington.

Oct 13, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) runs the ball during the second half against the Memphis Tigers at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

As the 2025 season gets closer for the Oregon Ducks, the hype surrounding transfer running back Makhi Hughes continues to grow.

Hughes, a transfer from Tulane, committed to Oregon in January and garnered tons of hype as a result after an impressive 2024 season with the Green Wave.

Oregon running back Noah Whittington is slated to be Hughes' backup next season and is giving fans a peek at what he's seen from his backfield running mate so far this spring while speaking to the media on Thursday.

Nov 24, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) runs against UTSA Roadrunners safety Rashad Wisdom (0) during the first half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

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"I think he brings a sense of violence," Whittington said. "There's a lot of people in our room where it's the same thing. Basically him in Memphis drills pass protecting, he doesn't take contact, he enforces it. It's the same thing within his running style. He a big body. He's fast. I don't think anybody is really gonna want to tackle him." 

Hughes was highly productive for Tulane last season. He finished the year with 265 rush attempts for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 19 catches for 176 yards and two more scores. This was highlighted by a career-best performance against North Texas in October when he rushed 30 times for 195 yards and a touchdown.

He had similar numbers as a freshman in 2023, posting 258 carries for 1,378 yards and seven touchdowns.

Hughes and Whittington could potentially make a case as the top running back duo in the country next season. Whittington proved to be a nice complement to Jordan James in 2024, finishing the season with 118 carries for 540 yards and six touchdowns while adding 24 catches for 136 yards and two more scores. 

Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein also recently spoke with the media and echoed many of the same praises that Whittington had for Hughes.

Dec 27, 2023; Annapolis, MD, USA; Tulane Green Wave running back Makhi Hughes (21) rushes as Virginia Tech Hokies safety Jaylen Jones (15) attempts to tackle during the third quarter at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

"We saw obviously, lots of production. ... So coming from Tulane, he played against really good competition in that league, has great contact balance, good vision, his ability to catch the ball in the backfield," Stein said. "So he's carried the ball a lot in college, which is, again, that experience will, to me, give him definitely a benefit coming here."

Stein added that the entire running back room will be talented in 2025. He pointed out running backs like Whittington, Jordan Davison, Jay Harris and more.

"That whole room is talented," Stein said. "It's a deep room. It's really competitive. Coach (Ra'Shaad) Samples does a phenomenal job not just getting the players here, but developing them."

Hughes, Whittington and the rest of the offense will have their first chance to show off in front of a live audience when the Ducks have their annual spring game on April 26. Oregon will then open up their 2025 season in Autzen Stadium against Montana State on Aug. 30.