Oregon Ducks' newly-hired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer gave high praise to the program's incoming running back duo from the 2026 recruiting class.
As the Oregon Ducks slowly begin to prepare for the 2026 college football season, the excitement surrounding the program’s 2026 recruit class continues to grow prior to the team’s spring season.
Newly-hired offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer gave high praise to four-star signee Tradarian Ball earlier this week, who is set to join the Ducks for the 2026 season.
“Tradarian Ball. Freak athlete, 10.5 100-meter kid,” Mehringer told 247Sports. “He's from Texarkana, right down the street from LaMichael James' high school. He's the No. 4 running back in the country, four-star player, and the only running back in the country to have both 1,000 yards receiving and 1,000 yards rushing. Freakazoid athlete.”
Ball was one of head coach Dan Lanning’s gems in the 2026 recruiting class, as he is currently No. 4 running back in the class, as well as the No. 10 prospect in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports. While the Miami Hurricanes made a hard push for the young talent, Ball would remain committed to the program throughout the duration of his recruiting process.
In his four seasons at Texas High, Ball managed to rush for 3,613 yards and 42 touchdowns on 502 carries, while also tallying 2,427 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns through the air. His ability to be a force in both the pass and run game will allow him to be a key playmaker for Oregon’s offense in the near future.
While Ball has a prolific resume at the high school level, the Ducks also landed another highly-touted running back in the 2026 class in Brandon Smith. Mehringer also showed his excitement for the California native.
"Brandon Smith is a 4-star running back out of Fresno, and the Fresno Player of the Year,” Mehringer stated. “He had over 3,000 yards rushing in high school and 57 touchdowns. He is a 10.6 100-meter, so both of our backs right now can absolutely run.”
Smith is a top-20 running back in the 2026 class, as well as a top-50 prospect in the state of California, according to 247Sports. Unlike Ball, however, the Fresno, CA, prospect was originally committed to Arizona. This would quickly change last month, as Smith would quickly decommit from the Wildcats and ultimately sign with the Ducks.
Looking ahead at Oregon’s running back room for the upcoming season, the program’s run game will be led by rising sophomores Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr.
The young duo combined for 1,323 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2025, and with Noah Wittington set to depart from the program, both players are expected to have an increased role next season.