Who is the new Oregon Ducks running back coach Ra’Shaad Samples?

Dan Lanning has found his man on the ground. Replacing Carlos Locklyn and leading the Oregon running back room is Ra’Shaad Samples.

Samples is the latest and greatest assistant head coach and running back coach for the Ducks. He was most recently the wide receivers coach and passing games coordinator for the Arizona State Sun Devils but what else has Samples done throughout his career?

Before his one-year stint with the Sun Devils, Samples had taken his coaching talents to the NFL. He spent one season as the LA Rams running backs coach in 2022.

Samples first took over a running back room for the SMU Mustangs. In 2019, he as an offensive assistant for SMU before he was promoted to the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator in 2020. 

The new Ducks coach was promoted once again in 2021 to assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Mustangs before heading to the NFL.

He spent one season with the Longhorns as Texas’ assistant wide receivers coach in 2018.

Samples started his coaching career as a student assistant coach for the Houston Cougars from 2016-17.

Samples has been across the country throughout his short coaching career and has seen incredible rapid vertical growth over the past eight years.

Before becoming a coach, Samples played for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Houston Cougars during his collegiate career.

Duck fans should be excited that Samples is apart of Oregon’s staff and impressed by head coach Dan Lanning’s hire, once again.

Samples joined Oregon’s spring practice for the first time on April 9. He and the running backs room will compete in Autzen Stadium for the first time together on April 27 in the Ducks’ spring football game.

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