Hughes, Whittington Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List

DALLAS - Oregon running backs Makhi Hughes and Noah Whittington were both named to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award on Tuesday morning. The Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding college running back.

Oregon is one of 25 FBS teams, and one of six in the Big Ten, to have multiple running backs on the Doak Walker Award watch list.

Both Ducks have received multiple preseason honors in recent weeks. Hughes has landed on watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year award while also earning Walter Camp preseason second-team all-America honors, and Whittington was named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list.

The Ducks are in their first full week of fall camp as they prepare for the 2025 season opener against Montana State in Autzen Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30 (1:00 p.m. PT, Big Ten Network).

Single-game tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now.

RB Makhi Hughes
» Maxwell Award watch list
» Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list
» Walter Camp preseason all-America second team
» Doak Walker Award watch list
» Rushed for 1,000-plus yards each of the last two seasons at Tulane.
» All-AAC first-team selection in 2024, rushing for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns.
» As a redshirt freshman in 2023, rushed for 1,378 yards and seven touchdowns.
» Has rushed for 100-plus yards 14 times over the last two seasons.

RB Noah Whittington
» Doak Walker Award watch list
» Paul Hornung Award watch list
» Entering fourth season with Oregon, playing in all 14 games in 2024 after missing most of 2023 due to injury.
» Rushed 118 times for 540 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 while also catching 24 passes for 136 yards and two scores.
» Oregon's leading kick returner in 2024, taking eight kicks back for 232 yards with a long return of 100 yards.
» In 31 career games with the Ducks, has rushed 277 times for 1,465 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching 56 passes for 383 yards and three scores.

Ducks on Preseason Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (National POY) - RB Makhi Hughes
Bronko Nagurski Trophy (National Defensive POY) - ILB Bryce Boettcher, DB Dillon Thieneman, ILB Matayo Uiagalelei
Outland Trophy (Top Interior Lineman) - OL Iapani Laloulu, OL Emmanuel Pregnon, OL Isaiah World
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (Top Defensive Back) - DB Dillon Thieneman
Butkus Award (Top Linebacker) - ILB Bryce Boettcher, ILB Devon Jackson
Paul Hornung Award (Most Versatile) - RB Noah Whittington
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy (Community Service) - OL Matthew Bedford
Walter Camp Player of the Year (National POY) - RB Makhi Hughes, QB Dante Moore
Doak Walker Award (Top Running Back) - RB Makhi Hughes, RB Noah Whittington