Cheryl Evans/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK TEMPE - Ra'Shaad Samples will take over as the Oregon running backs coach and assistant head coach under head coach Dan Lanning. Samples served as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Arizona State. And like a game of chess, the Arizona State and Oregon are trading pieces once again. Samples will jump to the Kenny Dillingham's former team in the Pacific Northwest after one season in Tempe. Samples is regarded as one of the most highly-touted young coaches in the nation, most notably for his recruiting, and aided in the Texas to Tempe pipeline. Samples played football for Skyline High School in Dallas before having to medically retire. The 29-year-old's coaching career began at Houston from 2016-17 before eventually spending a year at the University of Texas as an assistant wide receivers coach. He was the youngest position coach in NFL history when he was the Los Angeles Rams running back coach in 2022 at the age of 27. He's also served as an offensive assistant and running backs coach at SMU before joining the Sun Devils. ASU has yet to fill Samples' seat, but a couple high profile names have been rumored to have visited Tempe in relation to the opening. It is likely the connection between Dillingham and Lanning played a role in Sample's move to Eugene. Now having gone through the thick of the portal frenzy, Dillingham is eyeing someone who can easily earn the respect of the locker room and brings experience to his pass-catchers. A guy with experience," Dillingham said. A guy who can develop. A guy who can demand presence and demand that leadership. He walks into the room and people say,'Man, where's my paper, where's my pen? I want to learn. I want to soak in every piece of knowledge this person has because he's done what I want to do, he's been where I want to go.'"Former Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Hines Ward was present at the Sun Devils practice on Tuesday, where he met with the staff about filling the vacancy. Ward was a well-polished receiver who spent 14 years in Pittsburgh, winning two Super Bowls (XL, XLIII), including being named Super Bowl XL MVP. https://www.kansasstateoutfit.com  He reeled in 1,000 receptions, 85 touchdowns and 12,083 receiving yards.Ward's recent coaching stops brought him to Florida Atlantic as the wide receiver coach in 2021 and head coach of the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL in 2023. His inquiry comes just a day after former New England Patriot wide receiver Troy Brown met with the ASU staff about the same position. Brown caught 557 passes for 6,366 yards and 31 touchdowns as a Patriot. He has been part of the coaching staff in New England since 2020, most recently as receivers and kick returners coach.The Sun Devils' receiver room includes Elijah Badger, Xavier Guillory, Melquan Stovall and Toy Omeire. The group is arguably the strongest positional group on the roster and is built for whoever takes over the job in Tempe.