Oregon running back Makhi Hughes will redshirt the remainder of the 2025 season after playing a limited role for the No. 2 Ducks. Hughes didn’t travel with Oregon to its highly anticipated showdown against Penn State last weekend. CBS Sports college football insider Matt Zenitz reported that Oregon would like to keep Hughes with the program.
“He’s asked to redshirt,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said on Wednesday. “We honor that opportunity for him.”
Hughes can take a redshirt with Oregon because he didn’t play during the 2022 season due to an injury. He was able to receive a medical hardship waiver, which gave him the option to redshirt this season.
The former No. 7-ranked running back available in the 247Sports transfer rankings never clicked with his new team after starring at Tulane. Hughes was expected to play a significant role for Oregon’s offense and serve as the replacement to former running back Jordan James, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Transfer RB Report Card from September: Ahmad Hardy is a star; what’s going on with Jaydn Ott, Makhi Hughes?
Cameron Salerno
However, Hughes was never able to establish himself as the lead back and ended up buried on Oregon’s depth chart behind Dierre Hill Jr., Jayden Limar, Noah Whittington, and Jordon Davison. Hughes was sixth on his team in rushing yards (70) and attempts (17). Per PFF, Hughes logged just 18 snaps in the four games he played.
Hughes finished among the top 10 rushers during the 2024 campaign with just north of 1,400 yards, while also contributing as a pass-catcher for the Green Wave with two touchdowns receiving. In his first season at the FBS level in 2023, he finished with 1,378 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Hughes isn’t the only star transfer running back who has struggled to find a concrete role at his new school. Oklahoma running back Jaydn Ott, who transferred into the program this spring from Cal, has just nine carries for 17 yards this season.
Oregon offense firing on all cylinders anyway
It appears that Lanning has been comfortable with going running back by committee this season. Hill has the most yards (270), while Limar has gotten the most carries (39). Whittington, who was Oregon’s second-leading rusher last season behind James, has also been in the mix.
Davison, a former four-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, has also found himself in the rotation. He has recorded at least one touchdown in each of his team’s first five games and has the most rushing touchdowns (seven) on his team. He ran for 17 yards and a touchdown last weekend in the 30-24 double-overtime win over Penn State.
And the committee has worked so far. Oregon ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten in total offense (503.8 yards per game) and rushing yards per game (239.4).
Coming into the season, there were questions about how Oregon’s offense would look with a new starter under center in Dante Moore. The former UCLA quarterback was tasked with replacing Dillon Gabriel, who departed as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in FBS history. On top of that, star wide receiver Evan Stewart suffered an injury over the summer that put his availability for the season in doubt.
Moore has looked like a star and could find himself in the mix to become the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Moore currently has the third-best odds, per FanDuel, to be selected No. 1 overall next spring.
Despite Hughes not working out at Oregon this year, the Ducks have still maintained an elite offense that carried the program to the No. 1 overall seed in last year’s inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Sitting at 5-0 ahead of a massive showdown with No. 8 Indiana on Oct. 11 (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS), the Ducks looked primed to make another run toward a CFP berth.
Duck Territory’s team of Oregon insiders are providing on-the-ground updates on all of the latest VIP Oregon Ducks scoop. Sign up for a VIP membership now and join the conversation to experience the power of the Duck Territory community where fans connect and get even more insider information from our experts on staff.
Read the full article here
