What's new with the Oregon Ducks' RB room ahead of 2026 spring season?

Coming off of yet another elite season, the  Oregon Ducks  now go into a new 2026 campaign with higher expectations than they've had in quite some time. There's a belief that it is  "championship or bust"  in Eugene, thanks to the return of guys like Dante Moore , Evan Stewart , Matayo Uiagalelei, A'Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti. Oregon's roster is among the best and most experienced in the nation, and there's a feeling that the '26 season could be special.

While it may be a stretch to say that anything short of a championship will be considered a failure, there are reasons for the  Ducks ' fanbase to hold such high hopes. Oregon has been building to the 2026 season for a couple of years now, and with the combination of elite young talent like Jordon Davison, Dakorien Moore, and Brandon Finney, among others, along with the aforementioned veterans, it comes as no surprise that the Ducks are considered among the championship favorites going into spring ball.

The running back room is right up there for reasons that the Ducks are in fact inner-circle contenders for the national title. Though sixth-year senior and the ultra reliable Noah Whittington is gone, the true sophomore-to-be duo of Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. will head the running back room, potentially making them one of the top backfields in the nation.

But there's still a lot of work to be done before that can be achieved, as well as other backs who could fit into the equation. As we get ready for spring practices to kick off in a couple of weeks, here's a refresher on who is returning, who left, and who is joining the Ducks' RB room going into the new year.

Returning Players

Jordon Davison

Career Stats: 113 rushes, 667 yards, 15 TDS / / 12 catches, 62 yards

One of the biggest surprise contributors as a true freshman, Davison burst onto the scene to open the 2025 season, scoring three short touchdowns against Montana State. As the season progressed, his role began to increase from almost strictly short-yardage back to filling in for Whittington. When given opportunities in the middle of the field, Davison showed an impressive burst and tackle-breaking ability for his 6-foot, 236-pound frame. Look no further than Davison to fill the go-to role for the  Ducks  next season.

Dierre Hill Jr.

Career Stats: 75 rushes, 656 yards, 5 TDs / / 16 catches, 137 yards, 1 TD

Hill compliments the physical, tough Davison perfectly with his speed and ability to run away would-be tacklers in open space. Like Davison, Hill didn't come into the season as an expected contributor but proved himself against Penn State in Week 5, tying for the team-lead in carries and finishing with a team-high 82 rushing yards to go with a receiving score. Hill does have a slighter frame and will need to improve his pass-blocking if he's to become a reliable every down back.

Da'Jaun Riggs

Career Stats: 28 rushes, 168 yards, 1 TD

Da'Jaun Riggs would've been a big factor down the stretch of the season if not for injuries that sidelined him for essentially the second half of the year. When he was healthy, he saw time in blowout situations and showed some pop with the ball, as he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and totaled 66 yards on 10 carries combined against Oregon State and Rutgers. With another offseason of experience and getting back healthy, Riggs will likely still be a reserve, but could have more time come 2026.

Player Departures

Noah Whittington

Career Stats: 523 rushes, 2,950 yards, 21 TDs / / 90 catches, 544 yards, 4 TDs

The most reliable of the Oregon running backs this season, Whittington waited his turn for four seasons as a Duck before finally claiming the RB1 role in 2025. He had three 100-yard games and averaged 6.4 yards per carry, combining explosiveness with physicality. The sixth-year senior is out of eligibility and is in the 2026 NFL draft class.

Makhi Hughes

Career Stats: 540 rushes, 2,849 yards, 22 TDs / / 32 catches, 267 yards, 2 TDs

A preseason All-American, it was a shock to nearly everyone outside of the Oregon program when Makhi Hughes opened the season outside of the top four running backs in the rotation after two standout seasons at Tulane. After not making the trip to Penn State, Dan Lanning announced that Hughes would utilize a redshirt. He has since entered the transfer portal and committed to Houston.

Jay Harris

Career Stats: 52 rushes, 186 yards, 3 TDs / / 7 catches, 91 yards

Jay Harris and Hill turned out to be the only healthy running backs for Oregon in the Peach Bowl, with the former Division-II All-American receiving the bulk of the carries and totaling a career-high (during his time as a Duck) 67 total yards. He saw little time the last two seasons before that, leading to him enter the transfer portal and eventually commit to Kansas State.

Jayden Limar

Career Stats: 95 rushes, 442 yards, 4 TDs / / 20 catches, 207 yards 1 TD

A bruiser between the tackles who proved to be a reliable pass catcher as well, Jayden Limar was simply bumped out of the rotation because of the emergence of Davison and Hill. Limar was well-liked in the Oregon program but ultimately decided to transfer closer to home (he is a Lake Stevens, WA, native) and join the Washington Huskies for his final season of eligibility, barring a medical redshirt, as he battled an injury in 2025.

Incoming Players

Simeon Price (Transfer)

Career Stats:100 rushes, 470 yards, 2 TDs / / 21 catches, 142 yards, 2 TDs

Simeon Price is joining the Oregon program for his final season of eligibility after stints at Mississippi State (2022-23), Coastal Carolina (2024) and most recently Colorado (2025), where he competed in a reserve role. He's a solid pass-catcher and has ideal size — 6-foot, 215 pounds — to be an all-around back. His experience may be his biggest asset to the Ducks, as he's surrounded by youth in the running back room.

Tradarian Ball (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking: No. 9 RB, No. 106 overall (247 Sports Composite)

Standing 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, Tradarian Ball is an absolute speedster at the running back position. Given his frame and jitterbug nature, he could be used as a slot receiver as well and play a Hill-like role for the Ducks. His slight frame does give some pause about if he'll be asked to contribute in 2026 or redshirt and have a more prominent role after a year in the program and putting on some weight.

Brandon Smith (Recruit)

Recruiting Ranking:No. 19 RB, No. 254 overall (247 Sports Composite)

A late signee in the 2026 class, Smith was expected to sign with the Arizona Wildcats before eventually pairing with Ball as the second Ducks freshman running back addition. At 6-foot and 185 pounds, Smith has home-run hitting capabilities and a solid frame that could lead to him seeing the field earlier than expected. It remains to be seen whether that's in 2026 or 2027, but Smith's late signing with Oregon can't be understated.

Most Intriguing Storyline to Watch This Spring

How can Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. continue to complement each other and coalesce into the best 1-2 RB punch in college football?

Last season, both Davison and Hill started out largely as role players. Davison was the short-yardage bruiser while Hill was a de facto scat back, excelling outside the tackles and in limited opportunities as a pass catcher. But with the undisputed bell-cow in Whittington gone, the carry and snap share between Davison and Hill will be something to watch this spring. Both are extremely talented and worthy of double-digit carries — but what does that look like?

It begins with each player evolving their games and becoming more well-rounded. Davison needs to be able to run outside the tackles better, while Hill needs to run in between the tackles and protect better in the pass game. They'll still have their respective strengths, but when one is in the game and the other isn't, there can't be a stark difference, or else defenses will begin to pick up on tendencies.

If done correctly and the coaching staff brings out the best in each player, the pairing of Davison and Hill has the potential to be the best running back duo in the country this fall. But it starts with figuring out the perfect recipe during spring ball.

Biggest Questions Facing the Position in 2026

Who emerges as the third back?

Though the young backfield duo is sure to command a lion's share of the carries, last season saw four running backs featured at the same time when each of Whittington, Davison, Hill, and Limar was healthy. We may not see that much variety, but regardless, someone else in the running back will have to step up and see reps that they haven't seen with the Ducks.

It could be Riggs, who's shown potential in limited time during his two seasons at Oregon. He and Price are likely the head-to-head favorites, as the former Buffaloes back brings four years of experience to a young running back room. But despite his four seasons in college, he's recorded just 121 touches — less than Davison and just 30 more than Hill in 2025. Could it be Ball or Smith, two electric runners outside the tackles?

After spring practices, we very well could have the answer to this question.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What's new with the Oregon Ducks' RB room ahead of 2026 spring season?