Huffman on Pac-12 recruiting: Ducks hire Samples and blue chipper follows; USC stays hot; Arizona breaks through

The Hotline is delighted to provide Pac-12 fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on April 11 …

Oregon’s big hire

Dan Lanning really doesn’t need much help when it comes to recruiting — the Ducks just landed the No. 1 class in the new-look Big Ten.

Hiring Ra’Shaad Samples as Oregon’s new running backs coach is a case of the rich getting richer.

The former Arizona State assistant, who has spent time coaching in the NFL and is well connected in Texas — his father, Reggie, is a legendary coach at Duncanville High School — provides an instant boon for the Ducks.

While his successor, Carlos Locklyn, prided himself on player development, Samples is both a terrific coach and recruiter and should further embolden Oregon’s recruiting efforts as the school transitions to the Big Ten.

Instant results in Eugene

It didn’t take long for Oregon to reap the rewards of adding Samples to the staff.

On Wednesday, the No. 1 recruit in the state of Arizona, Cooper Perry, announced his commitment to Oregon.

The Ducks had long been the leader with assistant Junior Adams, the 247Sports Big Ten Recruiter of the Year, running point on Perry’s recruitment. But Samples’ arrival expedited the situation. (ASU had been involved with Perry because of Samples’ presence on staff.)

So Oregon reeled in the four-star prospect from Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale thanks to the Adams-Samples tandem.

USC keeps rolling

The Trojans have been hotter than any team in the West when it comes to recruits, and they accomplished the feat by leaving the footprint.

USC landed three more commitments this week, all from outside the Pacific Time Zone.

Murfreesboro (Tennessee) athlete Daune Morris announced his pledge on Sunday to the Trojans, who are expected to utilize him as a running back.

Then they added another prospect, Dinwiddie (Virginia) athlete Harry Dalton III, who projects as a running back as well.

Finally, USC pulled in another playmaker in Baltimore (Maryland) City College receiver Romero Ison.

Arizona wins West Coast duel

New Arizona coach Brent Brennan had his first significant victory on the recruiting trail on Sunday when Danville (California) tight end Kellan Ford committed to the Wildcats.

Ford’s mother played soccer at Washington; his father played football at Washington State; and Cal is his hometown team. All three schools had lined up official visits for Ford.

Instead, he pledged to the Wildcats, thanks largely to his relationship with Brennan and tight ends coach Matt Adkins, who recruited him while on staff at San Jose State.

Keep an eye on UCLA, however. The Bruins offered Ford a scholarship on Monday, the day after his commitment to Arizona.

His sister, Taylor, plays beach volleyball for the Bruins, and he had coveted an offer from the school.

More commitments

— Speaking of the Bruins: New coach DeShaun Foster landed his second commitment in the 2025 class — and his first out-of-state pledge — when Frisco (Texas) cornerback Chase Coleman picked UCLA on Wednesday.

Coleman took an unofficial visit to Westwood over the weekend and received a scholarship offer. He needed just a few days to seal the deal.

— Washington State pulled in its first 2025 commitment as it heads into a new era of football. The Cougars stayed in-state with Tumwater (Washington) defensive lineman Malijah Tucker.

— Meanwhile, their Apple Cup rival, Washington, locked down its second commitment in the class of 2026 last week when Bellflower (California) kicker CJ Wallace announced his commitment.

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