Oregon assistant football coach Ra’Shaad Samples has been charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants (DUII) and reckless driving following an incident in April, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive. The University of Oregon assistant coach was reportedly involved in a collision where he backed his 2026 Ford F-150 into a parked Dodge Ram.
When confronted by the owner of the parked vehicle, Steven James Young, Samples allegedly identified himself as former NFL star DeSean Jackson. "I got a little frustrated, and I gave him a cheeky response. ‘DeSean Jackson.’ Jackson is my favorite football player," Samples told the outlet.
Dashcam footage from Young's truck captured the incident, showing Samples' vehicle backing into the parked car and then driving away. Another person in Young's vehicle is heard saying, "Yeah, he’s so drunk."
Young pursued Samples and eventually pulled alongside him, stating, "You just hit me, bro." Samples responded, "Did I?"
During the brief exchange, Samples ran a red light as Young's passengers reacted. The report indicates that a field sobriety test was not conducted at the scene. Instead, Samples allegedly offered Young $1,000 to resolve the matter without further action. Young declined the offer, citing the presence of minors in his vehicle.
Young stated that Samples initially withheld his insurance information but later provided it, claiming he was driving a loaner vehicle. The insurance information provided was reportedly for a different vehicle and included a text message with the name "Deshaun Jackson," which Young and a friend later determined was not the former NFL player. Young eventually learned Samples's true name from an Eugene police officer.
University of Oregon athletics released a statement acknowledging the incident, stating, "We take these matters seriously and have taken appropriate action." Samples, who is still listed as the Ducks’ assistant head coach and running backs coach, had an initial hearing on July 20, with his next court date set for August 25.
Young expressed disappointment, telling the outlet, "I don’t think he’s a bad guy. I think he made a terrible decision. I think since he made that decision, he’s just been trying to cover it all up. And that’s not what you do when you’re teaching young adults to be men."