Dallas Cowboys Interviewing Ra'Shaad Samples, Oregon Ducks Running Backs Coach

Oregon Ducks running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples is a coach of interest for the Dallas Cowboys running backs coach vacancy. Owner Jerry Jones' Cowboys will interview Samples.

The Cowboys, who recently promoted former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be their coach, are looking to fill out their coaching staff as the pre-draft process is well underway. Samples is no stranger to the NFL nor the Dallas area as he spent three seasons as a coach at SMU and a season with the Los Angeles Rams as their running backs coach in 2022.

Another college coach of interest to the Dallas Cowboys for their running backs coach job:

The Cowboys plan to interview Oregon’s Ra’Shaad Samples, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.

Samples, a Dallas native, is Oregon’s assistant head coach and running backs coach.… pic.twitter.com/i34SgtaeUe
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 2, 2025

During the Ducks' record-breaking 2024 season, in which they won the Big Ten Championship in their first season in the conference, Samples helped guide running backs Jordan James and Noah Whittington for a combined 1,807 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns this season. James, specifically, had one of the best seasons for a running back in Oregon history with 1,267 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. James was named All-Big-Ten Second Team.

Samples also has experience as a player having been a wide receiver at Oklahoma State University and Houston University. Samples' career as a player unfortunately ended early as he suffered multiple serious concussions and was eventually forced to medically retire.

The decision to jump into coaching was a rather quick one as he has already nine years of experience throughout the NFL and collegiate ranks.

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The loss of Samples, should it become a reality, would be a big loss for Dan Lanning and the Oregon coaching staff. Samples, while an excellent on-field coach, is known as a standout recruiter as well. Lanning and the Ducks have serious forward momentum in the recruiting department and look to continue to build on that foundation in the future.

One of the biggest recruits of this past cycle was five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore, an elite prospect from Texas who committed to Lanning, Samples, and the rest of Oregon's coaching staff.

New Oregon running backs coach Ra’Shaad Samples talks with running back Jordan James during practice with the Oregon Ducks Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Dakorien is a guy that I love to be able to talk about," Lanning said of Moore. "One of the things I think people don't realize when you talk about highly-recruited players, one of the things that makes him so special is he came here multiple times on Saturday Night Live and and was able to go out there and compete. And he's a guy that didn't have to go out there and run, and he wants to do every single drill and show everybody why he's so talented. Whether it's playing wideout or even going out there at DB or running the 40, he's the guy that wants to be involved in that, and so we're thrilled to have him in our program."

Keeping the coaching staff filled with hellacious recruiters and young, relatable coaches like Samples should be an emphasis for Lanning and the Oregon brass. It’s hard to win in situations such as this when the NFL comes calling, but Oregon is a special place and will make any coach think twice before leaving.

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