Oregon Ducks' 2026 Position Preview: Running Backs
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The 2026 college football season is right around the corner, which means it's time to look at the Oregon Ducks roster before Week One.
Last year, head coach Dan Lanning led the program to a 13-2 record, with both of the losses coming at the hands of the reigning National Champions, the Indiana Hoosiers. Fortunately for the coaching staff, their efforts to retain their top playmakers from the last season were a key reason why the program is a consensus top-10 team in the preseason polls.
One group that did not need to be addressed this offseason was the running back position, as the group is set for a massive season in 2026.
Examining Oregon's Prolific RB Unit
Despite the Ducks losing their leading rusher from the 2025 season in Noah Wittington, Lanning's outstanding job in the 2025 recruiting class gives the program a young, lethal one-two punch in sophomores Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill.
While playing alongside Wittingham as a freshman, Davison had plenty of flashes that allowed him to carve out a significant role on offense by the end of the season, notching 667 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on a limited 113 carries.
At 6-foot, 236 lbs., it's clear that the former four-star prospect is set to be the bell cow for the Ducks in 2026 with Wittingham out of the picture.
Luckily for Davison and the rest of the offense, Oregon possesses a terrific change-of-pace back in Hill, who is a perfect complement to the fellow sophomore rusher. Hill may have been third on the depth chart during the 2025 season, but still found a way to have an impact on offense, recording 656 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 75 carries.
In addition to his success on the ground, Hill also finished with 16 receptions for 137 receiving yards and one touchdown, proving himself to be a capable third-down, satellite back for the Ducks.
Lanning was not afraid to add more depth to the running back room this offseason, as the Ducks landed former Colorado Buffaloes rusher Simeon Price through the transfer portal. Price was featured in four games for the Buffaloes in 2025, while also ending the year with 143 rushing yards in a crowded backfield.
Oregon's electric rushing attack of Davison and Hill is set to be one of the best running back rooms in the country heading into the upcoming season. The duo combined for 1,323 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground last season, and with Davison taking a majority of the workload, Hill can be the spark plug on offense by offering big-play ability.
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