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The Oregon Ducks had a very deep running back room in the 2025 season. At this time last season, the Ducks weren't expected to feature a pair of freshmen in the backfield as much as they did, but there came a point where the talent on the field was undeniable.
Entering the Peach Bowl, that depth had all but vanished, with Noah Whittington and Jordon Davison dealing with injuries and others having already hit the transfer portal. That left freshman tailback Dierre Hill Jr. as the remaining back with plenty of experience during the regular season. However, Hill only got five carries in the loss to Indiana, primarily because he wasn't an ideal asset in pass protection.
Instead, more snaps went to Jay Harris, whose size made him more useful to protect Dante Moore and still present a physical threat on the ground. Hill, standing 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, was used on the edges more often, hoping his speed and shiftiness could move the chains. According to PFF, Hill only had six snaps last season in pass protection.
This season, not only is Hill getting stronger, but he's learning the ins and outs of pass protection to stay on the field more and become an every-down threat. He's even getting help from Davison, who will likely share the backfield with Hill again next season.
“It’s definitely helped me being able to just look over my notes and actually, truly analyze them," Hill said. "It's just really opened my eyes up. I watched a tremendous (amount of) film, and been with some of my other brothers in the room. Guys like Jordon Davison, he helped me tremendously."
Oregon running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples has also been part of Hill's evolution as a blocker, and the speed that his sophomore tailback displays on the field translates to the classroom, where he's quickly learning the nuances of keeping his quarterback upright.
"He's made an outstanding jump in pass-pro and understanding defenses," Samples said. "I mean, he's even surprised me. He's going to have to continue to gain strength as a young guy and work on his pass-pro, but just the understanding of the game already, he's taken a huge leap.”
The Ducks also added Colorado transfer Simeon Price to the room through the transfer portal, as well as true freshman Tradarian Ball, a four-star recruit with similar size and attributes to Hill. In his second season, Hill is still learning but also serving as the standard for the position group as the veteran member.
The Ducks had several great backs last season, and Hill wound up third on the team with 75 carries for 656 yards and five touchdowns. He had a breakthrough on the road against Penn State, taking 10 carries for 82 yards and catching a screen pass for a touchdown to bring home a win.
Hill has a goal this spring to show Samples and new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer that he should never be taken off the field in the fall. The Ducks run plenty of sets on offense with two running backs, meaning Davison and Hill could work together again as thunder and lightning, but with the twist that Hill can hold his own against a blitzing linebacker as well.
"Just being able to have those in the room and help me just be the best version of myself and what the team needs," Hill said. "I can't be out there if I can't block for my quarterback, No. 5. So, it's been great, and I want to keep learning and keep growing, because there's a lot more work to do.”
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dierre Hill focused on improved pass protection in year two with Ducks
Continue reading...
Entering the Peach Bowl, that depth had all but vanished, with Noah Whittington and Jordon Davison dealing with injuries and others having already hit the transfer portal. That left freshman tailback Dierre Hill Jr. as the remaining back with plenty of experience during the regular season. However, Hill only got five carries in the loss to Indiana, primarily because he wasn't an ideal asset in pass protection.
Instead, more snaps went to Jay Harris, whose size made him more useful to protect Dante Moore and still present a physical threat on the ground. Hill, standing 5-foot-11 and 205 pounds, was used on the edges more often, hoping his speed and shiftiness could move the chains. According to PFF, Hill only had six snaps last season in pass protection.
This season, not only is Hill getting stronger, but he's learning the ins and outs of pass protection to stay on the field more and become an every-down threat. He's even getting help from Davison, who will likely share the backfield with Hill again next season.
“It’s definitely helped me being able to just look over my notes and actually, truly analyze them," Hill said. "It's just really opened my eyes up. I watched a tremendous (amount of) film, and been with some of my other brothers in the room. Guys like Jordon Davison, he helped me tremendously."
Oregon running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples has also been part of Hill's evolution as a blocker, and the speed that his sophomore tailback displays on the field translates to the classroom, where he's quickly learning the nuances of keeping his quarterback upright.
"He's made an outstanding jump in pass-pro and understanding defenses," Samples said. "I mean, he's even surprised me. He's going to have to continue to gain strength as a young guy and work on his pass-pro, but just the understanding of the game already, he's taken a huge leap.”
The Ducks also added Colorado transfer Simeon Price to the room through the transfer portal, as well as true freshman Tradarian Ball, a four-star recruit with similar size and attributes to Hill. In his second season, Hill is still learning but also serving as the standard for the position group as the veteran member.
The Ducks had several great backs last season, and Hill wound up third on the team with 75 carries for 656 yards and five touchdowns. He had a breakthrough on the road against Penn State, taking 10 carries for 82 yards and catching a screen pass for a touchdown to bring home a win.
Hill has a goal this spring to show Samples and new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer that he should never be taken off the field in the fall. The Ducks run plenty of sets on offense with two running backs, meaning Davison and Hill could work together again as thunder and lightning, but with the twist that Hill can hold his own against a blitzing linebacker as well.
"Just being able to have those in the room and help me just be the best version of myself and what the team needs," Hill said. "I can't be out there if I can't block for my quarterback, No. 5. So, it's been great, and I want to keep learning and keep growing, because there's a lot more work to do.”
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dierre Hill focused on improved pass protection in year two with Ducks
Continue reading...
