You know that the college football season is right around the corner when preseason awards lists start getting published.

In the first of many lists, the Maxwell Award, given out to the nation’s best player, published their preseason list, and Oregon’s newest tailback, Makhi Hughes, is among the many athletes listed.

Hughes, a transfer from Tulane, is expected to be a major impact player for the Ducks this season as he will try to fill the shoes of Jordan James, who left early for the NFL.

With the Green Wave, Hughes had an incredible two seasons, gaining 2,779 yards and 20 touchdowns, 15 of those coming just last season. He should have similar numbers for the Ducks, as he will be running behind a much better offensive line. Even if he equals his sophomore season, Dan Lanning will be more than thrilled.

It’s also possible Hughes might have to carry the offense a little more than originally expected when he came to Eugene through the transfer portal. Given the Ducks have a new quarterback in Dante Moore and a young receiving corps that is missing Evan Stewart, Oregon could rely on the running game more in 2025 than in years past.

Oregon also has Noah Whittington, a very good tailback in his own right, to give Hughes a break here and there. It’s a powerful 1-2 punch out of the backfield that Duck fans are accustomed to seeing.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Makhi Hughes to represent Oregon Ducks on Maxwell Award watch list