A newly surfaced video has put Oregon assistant coach Ra’Shaad Samples back in the spotlight after an April crash in Eugene that has already led to DUI and reckless driving charges.
The footage shows Samples leaving the scene after backing his Ford F-150 into a parked Dodge Ram. Dashcam video from the other vehicle captured the collision, and bystanders can be heard yelling as Samples pauses briefly before driving off. The other driver, Steven James Young, then followed him and confronted him.
Samples said Tuesday that he did not realize he had struck anything at the time.
“I did not realize I backed into anything until I pulled away,” Samples said Tuesday in a statement released to The Oregonian/OregonLive via his lawyer.
Young said Samples gave the name Deshaun Jackson at the scene, and text messages later showed the same alias along with insurance screenshots. Samples later told investigators he used the name as a joke and said DeSean Jackson is his favorite player.
Recorded phone calls also show Samples asking Young not to share the video with head coach Dan Lanning. In those calls, he offered game tickets and cash to help cover the damages.
“If I can do something for your family, if there’s a game, if there’s anything I can do bro,” Samples told Young in the phone call in the days after the incident. “It would make me feel better if I’ve shown some appreciation, if you ever need it.”
Samples said he regularly gives tickets to people he meets, though he denied remembering any specific ticket offer in this case.
“While I saw no damage to his vehicle, I offered to pay for any damage,” he said via his lawyer. “I don’t remember offering him any game tickets.
I routinely give people game tickets. If I meet someone who wants to go to a game, I give them tickets.
I don’t believe I’ve ever told someone no.”
University of Oregon athletics released a brief response.
“We take these matters seriously and have taken appropriate action,” UO athletics said.
Samples is still listed on the team website as assistant head coach and running backs coach. Fall camp begins this week.
Young and some passengers in his vehicle now say they were injured and have hired attorneys to pursue the case. According to the DMV report, no field sobriety test was done at the scene. Eugene police are still investigating.
Samples appeared in court for an initial hearing in July, and his next court date is set for late August.
In Other News...
Iowa Football Pride Just Got Another Boost From Three In-State Stars
Iowa football has a habit of turning in-state standouts into national names, and the latest NFL Top 100 list gives that pipeline another high-profile nod. Cooper DeJean, Tristan Wirfs and Jack Campbell all landed among the leagues best heading into the 2026 season, a reminder that some of the most recognizable pro talent with Iowa roots still traces back to the states high school fields.
DeJean checked in at No. 38 after a fast rise as a Pro Bowl and All-Pro talent, while Wirfs came in at No. 52 and Campbell at No. 88. For Iowa fans, it is another point of pride in a long-running trend that has helped the Hawkeyes claim a special place in the states football identity, and it also leaves the bigger question intact: just how much higher can that group climb from here? [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Secondary Earns Elite Hype With Plenty Left To Prove
CBS Sports gave Iowas secondary a strong early nod this week, slotting the Hawkeyes at No. 6 in its preseason ranking of the best defensive backfields for the 2026 college football season. The group drew praise for the blend of returning talent and new faces, with Zach Lutmer, Deshaun Lee and Jaylen Watson all drawing mention, along with recent transfers Tyler Brown and Anthony Hawkins as part of the mix that could shape the units look next fall.
Even so, the placement comes with some clear caveats, since the piece also pointed to uncertainty about how the pieces will fit and where some of the players ultimately line up. For Iowa, that makes the ranking feel more like an acknowledgment of upside than a finished verdict, with plenty still to sort out before anyone can say whether this group belongs in the top 10 for real rather than just on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Landed In A Recruiting Fight Fans Need To Watch
Iowa has jumped into the mix for one of the nations top 2027 guards, with five-star Bremerton High School standout Jalen Davis drawing heavy attention from a list of programs that now includes the Hawkeyes. Davis has official visits lined up to several schools, Iowa among them, which puts this recruitment squarely on the radar for a staff that continues to build out its early board in the class.
The interest in Davis also comes as Iowa keeps working on other guards in the 2027 group, a sign that the Hawkeyes are clearly aiming to shape the backcourt well ahead of time. For now, they have one commitment in the class in forward Keller Daugherty, but landing a player with Davis profile would be a much bigger swing and one that could help define how this cycle develops. [Read more 🡒]