Oregon Football Coach Speaks on Signing Former Tulane Star Running Back

Over the last three seasons, the Tulane Green Wave football team has maintained a high level of continuity at the running back position.

Tyjae Spears was No. 2 in the nation in 2022 with 19 rushing touchdowns, and his 1,581 yards were No. 14 in college football.

While Makhi Hughes wasn’t named the starter until conference play began in the 2023 season, he finished ninth in the nation with 1,378 rush yards.

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He was No. 10 in 2024, where he ran for 1,401 yards with 15 rushing touchdowns and added an arsenal to his game with 19 receptions for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall must now sort out who will replace Hughes after he transferred this offseason to the Oregon Ducks.

They’re a team coming off a berth to the College Football Playoff, and as Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks to build on that success, he sees Hughes as a big part of that.

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Lanning recently opened up about why he coveted Hughes in the transfer portal on Always College Football, as On3 Sports reports.

“Ultimately, the goal for us is, again, to make sure we have enough guys that can play a winning level of football,” Lanning said. “And there’s a kind of number that we really want in that running back room, and we felt like we had an opportunity to get a good player in Makhi.”

Hughes ascended from a three-star recruit in 2022 to one of the star backs in the Group of Five and now a cornerstone in the Big 10.

Hughes chose Tulane over several Power Four offers, but they ultimately couldn’t retain him over an offer from Oregon.

Lanning also pointed out one of Hughes’ top qualities that the Green Wave will miss—or look to replace through an intriguing group of backs.

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“The one piece about Makhi is he’s the one that’s always falling forward,” Lanning added. “When there are yards to be had, he’s going to make sure he’s falling forward.”

The Green Wave brought in a considerable number of options to recoup the loss of Hughes. They also lost Shaadie Clayton-Johnson and Trey Cornist in the transfer portal.

Running backs coach Brock Hayes will have his No. 2 option behind Hughes, returning in Arnold Barnes, in addition to redshirt sophomore Jamari McClure, who may have the best raw traits of anyone in the room.

Tulane added transfers Maurice Turner from the Louisville Cardinals and Zuberi Mobley from the FAU Owls.

The entire position group flashed all of spring camp, as did freshman Javin Gordon, who had a commanding presence.

All of the players also showed a knack for receiving amidst the quarterback competition.

It won’t be easy to replace the production lost by Hughes, but the Green Wave have plenty to work with at the position ahead of fall camp and the 2025 season.

For more Tulane news, head over to Tulane Green Wave On SI.