Oregon RB coach Ra’Shaad Samples brings Texas ‘tough love’ to Ducks

That's how things are starting to take shape inside the Ducks' RB room. With the veteran Noah Whittington off to the league, and true sophomores Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill stepping into an even bigger spotlight after breakout freshman seasons, it's time for a little bit of tough love.

For many coaches, it would be easy to look at the dynamic duo that combined for 1,323 yards and 20 touchdowns last year and let them continue to forge their own path. Samples is digging in, though, knowing that, based on how his father pushed him, he can squeeze more out of these seemingly generational talents.

“He's for sure ramped it up just knowing our room is not as old," Davison said of Samples' tough love. "I want to say he's just been on us hard, trying to make everybody mature sooner.”

"Coach Samp can be very mean at times," Hill laughed. "Some of the new guys that have come in already have asked me the question, ‘Was he this hard on you, too?’ And I just smile. It's just like, ‘Yes, he really is. You wouldn't be here if he wasn't hard on you, you know.’ And he just sees so much potential in us. He pushes us to the mat, he pushes us out of our comfort zone, and that's what we want. You know, coming here to Oregon, that's exactly what we're looking for."

That tough love is a fine balance, though, especially in an era of college football where it's never been easier for a player to pick up and leave should they decide they're unhappy. For Samples, it's about being honest about his intentions, pushing to the point of progress but not past the point of exhaustion.

"Sometimes those guys, they're like, 'Coach, do you not like me?'" Samples said. "And I'm like, 'No, I love you guys, but I've got to hold you to the highest standard, and that's how you show love.’ I think that the best way to show that you love somebody is to hold them to the standard that they want to be held to."

If that means yelling and cursing at times, so be it. In the long run, the end goal remains the same.

“I don't go home and not sleep at night because I think Jordan or Dierre or Dink (Riggs) or Simeon (Price) is mad at me," Samples said. "I don't care. I'm coming back, and I'm gonna do it again, and they know that.”

While Samples is still a young coach, he has earned the respect of his players early on at Oregon to be able to handle his room that way. The running backs have seen what this tough love can do for them, so they're fine with more of it coming on.

“We respect him so much, so we want to go out there and do that, because we know he wants the best for us, so we just try to do that for him," Hill said.

While their careers are still in the early stages, it was clear early on in 2025 that the Ducks had something special with the "Thunder and Lightning" duo of Davison and Hill. With Hill being the perimeter player who thrives in open space, Davison has proven to be a punishing runner between the tackles. As a combo, it's fair to think that they could find a place among the program's greats like LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, or Jonathan Stewart and Jeremiah Johnson, should they stay on this trajectory.

They aren't there yet, though, and Samples knows that in order for that level to be reached, they need to be pushed.

"Those two guys tell me they want to be some of the greatest running backs to ever come through here," Samples said. "I said, ‘Well, if I love you, then I hold you to the standard of that. Every single day and every single thing you do.’ That's how I was raised.”

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks RB coach Ra’Shaad Samples ups ‘tough love’ approach