Just one day after officially entering the transfer portal, former Oregon Ducks running back Makhi Hughes has committed to Houston, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.
Hughes transferred to Oregon after two standout seasons at Tulane, in which he totaled 2,779 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns. He was considered to be one of the top running backs in the 2025 transfer portal class, having joined the Ducks expecting to have a prominent role in the offense.
That wasn’t the case however, as sixth-year senior running back Noah Whittington and true freshman Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. along with junior Jayden Limar were ahead of Hughes on the depth chart. Hughes carried the ball just 17 times for 70 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards in 2025, eventually deciding to utilize a redshirt.
Now, he’s set to join the Houston Cougars program, which finished 41st in rush yards per game this season.
Starting running back Dean Connors, who transferred to Houston for the 2025 season after three years at Rice, is out of eligibility, leading the way for Hughes to potentially step into a starting role for the Cougars.
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