Tag: Chris Hampton

Chris Hampton offers injury update for CB Jahlil Florence

Oregon defensive back coach Chris Hampton said corner Jahlil Florence is recovering nicely from a lower leg ailment.

You never want to hear about injuries to any players, but in football, it comes with the territory.

Oregon defensive back Jahlil Florence, expected to contend for a starting spot in the Duck secondary in 2024, hasn’t seen much time on the field this spring as he is still nursing a lower leg injury he suffered in the off-season.

According to defensive back coach Chris Hampton, there’s still a chance Florence could recover in time to participate in the next month.

“We may get some out of him later on in the spring,” Hampton said about Florence. “He’s out there now doing some of the walkthrough stuff with us. But that’s about it right now. But I think his rehab is going pretty good.”

He may be recovering physically, but there can be a mental toll on any player who can’t do the thing they love. Hampton said Florence is improving on that aspect as well.

“After talking to Chief and talking to Jahlil, he’s in a much better space than what he was about a month ago,” he said. “So I expect we’ll maybe get some of him here at the end of spring.”

Realistically Florence can take all the time he needs as long as he is ready to go in the fall and be on that field Aug.31 against Idaho.

Oregon to promote safeties coach Chris Hampton to DBs Coach

On Tuesday afternoon, the news broke that Oregon Ducks cornerbacks’ coach Demetrice Martin has accepted a position at Michigan State under Jonathan Smith. To fill the position, Oregon is now expected to promote Chris Hampton, the current …

On Tuesday afternoon, the news broke that Oregon Ducks cornerbacks’ coach Demetrice Martin has accepted a position at Michigan State under Jonathan Smith. To fill the position, Oregon is now expected to promote Chris Hampton, the current co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, to defensive backs coach according to Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports.

Hampton was hired in the spring of 2023 to replace former safeties coach Matt Powledge, who became the Baylor Bears defensive coordinator last offseason. Before Oregon, Hampton was the defensive coordinator at Tulane and was a big part of the Green Wave’s Cotton Bowl victory over USC. In 2023, Hampton was instrumental in integrating transfer safeties Evan Williams and Tysheem Johnson into the Ducks defense.

Zenitz also reported that Hampton has turned down multiple DC jobs with other Power 5 teams in order to stay with the Ducks. He also included the tidbit both Brian Michalowski and Rashad Wadood are expected to be promoted as well into bigger roles with the linebackers and cornerbacks, respectively.

The loss of Martin is a big one. Martin was one of the first coaches hired by Dan Lanning when Lanning’s Oregon career started, and he has been one of the most beloved coaches in the program since he was hired. Martin’s departure also probably played a role in his son, Cole Martin’s (a freshman safety), decision to transfer to Arizona State.

The state of Oregon’s secondary is a bit of an unknown for 2024. The Ducks are losing Khyree Jackson, Evan Williams, and Steve Stephens, but they’re adding 4-star transfer Kam Alexander, 4-star JUCO recruit Sione Laulea, and potentially Jabbar Muhammad, who entered the transfer portal after Kalen DeBoer left Washington for Alabama, but has yet to commit to a new school.

National brand makes recruiting at Oregon easier for Ducks’ coach Chris Hampton

“When you talk to kids now, they know exactly who you are,” Hampton said. “I’m a little bit prettier than I was at my previous spot.”

No matter where you go in the world of college football, recruiting is largely the same. You bring a kid to campus, show him the facilities, lay out a plan for how he will be utilized if he chooses to play for your school, and try to sell him on his future.

However, that’s a lot easier to do in some places than others.

We always talk about the world of recruiting turning into an arms race in college football. The best teams get the most money, and pour that money back into the facilities in order to improve the experience for kids coming in. We’ve seen this become a trend across the nation in the past decade, with schools working hard to try and one-up each other every year, getting the highest tech equipment and flashiest amenities that money can buy.

Fortunately for Oregon fans, the Ducks are one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to dominating the recruiting game. Year after year, they are voted as having the best facilities, and they consistently rank atop the Pac-12 when it comes to top-rated recruiting classes, and are a fixture inside the top-15 nationally.

This has made it easier for Chris Hampton, Oregon’s new safeties coach, to find success recruiting some of the top players in the nation, he told me.

“When you talk to kids now, they know exactly who you are,” Hampton said on Tuesday. “I’m a little bit prettier than I was at my previous spot. The kids are definitely intrigued by coming here with the brand, Nike, and just Oregon in general with winning and coach Lanning being here.”

As the defensive coordinator at Tulane last year, Hampton was able to prove himself as a good recruiter, landing a couple of nice defensive back prospects. Early on in his Oregon days, though, Hampton has already made a splash by getting a verbal commitment from 4-star Aaron Flowers, the No. 7 safety in the 2024 class.

Hampton also recent extended an offer to 5-star DJ Pickett, the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, someone who will likely find his way to Eugene for a visit over the coming months.

The Oregon logo holds weight in the world of college football, and the Nike brand is recognizable across the globe. When it comes to pitching high school players on a future in Eugene, those two things go hand in hand, and are usually successful in convincing some of the best players in the nation to be a Duck.

“I think it all helps,” Hampton said. “Recruiting has been going great.”

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Ducks extend offer to 5-star DJ Pickett, No. 1 safety in 2025 class

Oregon’s Chris Hampton has big eyes in the class of 2025, offering DJ Pickett, the No. 1 ranked safety in the nation.

The Oregon Ducks’ new safeties coach Chris Hampton is making an early impression on the recruiting game up in Eugene since coming over from Tulane.

Already he has landed a commitment from Aaron Flowers, one of the top safeties in the 2024 class, and he appears to be big-game hunting, extending an offer to DJ Pickett, the No. 1 safety in the 2025 class, and the No. 6 overall player, per the 247Sports Composite.

Pickett is a rising star in the 2025 class, and he has a lengthy offer list from some of the top schools in the nation. The Ducks will likely be aggressive in recruiting him, attempting to get him out to Eugene for a visit in the coming months as his process continues.

DJ Pickett’s Recruiting Profile

Facing Bo Nix in practice every day gives Oregon defense top-notch experience

Safeties coach Chris Hampton feels the Oregon defense will be too good to be overshadowed by the offense in 2023.

It will be easy to understand that when the 2023 Oregon Ducks are previewed by the national media or the media at large, the offense is going to receive most of the attention.

With all of the weapons the Ducks’ offense has, one can’t blame the media to focus on Bo Nix, Troy Franklin and others. But the unit that has to face that offense more than anyone is the Oregon defense in practice.

According to Oregon safeties coach Chris Hampson, the talent is there for this Ducks defense to be special.

“I think we’ve got a chance to be really really good. We’re trending in the right direction,” Hampson said after a practice. “We have a lot of variety of things we can do. I think we have great situational calls — a lot of things that I’ve learned since I’ve been here. I think we have the pieces with the players to be pretty good.”

They better be more than “pretty good” because the Pac-12 contains the best quarterbacks in the nation. Quarterbacks such as Michael Penix, Jr. of Washington, Cam Rising of Utah and the current Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams of USC will all play this defense.

But fortunately, Oregon’s defense will be facing their own quarterback five times a week in practices.

“I think it’s a tremendous challenge for us that can only make us better. He can extend plays with his legs, which is the big thing” Hampson said. “Mobile quarterbacks give defenses fits. We had a segment today in practice that he did. We go against a veteran quarterback every day and play against some really good receivers and some really good backs that we have to thud up and tackle in scrimmages. I think it’s a challenge each and every day going against that offense, and it’s going to make us better.”

The defense doesn’t have much of a choice but to get better.

Chris Hampton talks Ducks’ secondary, Dan Lanning, and trying to stop Bo Nix in practice

“We go against a veteran QB every day and play against some really good WRs. It’s a challenge each and every day, and it’s going to make us better.”

Of the many hires that Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning made over the offseason, safeties coach Chris Hampton was among the most intriguing.

Taking over for Matt Powledge, who left to become the defensive coordinator for the Baylor Bears, Hampton had relatively big shoes to fill in Eugene.

He himself was the former defensive coordinator for the Tulane Green Wave, which made him a coveted coach coming over to Eugene. Hampton now has the opportunity to coach a talented group of players in Oregon’s secondary, including Evan Williams, Tysheem Johnson, Steve Stephens, and Bryan Addison.

On Tuesday, we got our first chance to talk to Hampton and discuss his transition to Eugene and what it’s like to go up against Oregon’s explosive offense every day in practice. Here are some of best quotes from that interview.

Notable quotes from Dan Lanning after Ducks’ 9th spring practice

“I think we’ve got a lot of football players that can play. I think we’re having more depth, especially defensively right now, than we did last year.”

There has been some roster movement for the Oregon Ducks over the past few days.

With the team holding its first spring scrimmage of the year, Dan Lanning and the coaching staff got their first really good look at what some of the players can contribute in a game situation. Afterward, there were a handful of players who opted to enter the transfer portal, looking for a place where they likely have a clearer path to playing time. There are also a number of offers that the Ducks have reportedly made to players in the transfer portal since it opened on Saturday.

On Tuesday after practice, we got a chance to talk to head coach Dan Lanning and get an update on where things stand after the ninth practice of the spring season. Here are some of the most notable quotes from that interview.

Dan Lanning: New safeties coach Chris Hampton ‘makes us a lot better’

Dan Lanning had a lot of positive things to say about former Tulane DC Chris Hampton, who was recently hired as Oregon’s safeties coach.

When the Oregon Ducks lost Matt Powledge to Baylor this offseason, Dan Lanning struck quickly by bringing Chris Hampton over from Tulane to take over as safeties coach.

Hampton has an extensive coaching resume for his age, and he had a big part in Tulane giving up just 23.9 points per game last year – 39th in the country – as well as 6.4 yards per pass allowed which ranked 15th.

Lanning spoke glowingly of Hampton while talking to media after national signing day, mentioning the rave reviews he heard about him during the hiring process, while complimenting Tulane’s defense.

“Whenever transition exists, you look for opportunities to enhance your program,” Lanning said. “And Chris was really a like minded individual I thought would mesh really well with our entire coaching staff. I think he’s a great coach, a phenomenal coach. Really a lifelong learner. He’s a guy that I’ve known from a somewhat distance over the years and been able to connect with from time to time and I just have a lot of admiration and respect for the job that he’s done. And the closer we got to the hire, the more apparent and clearer it became that this is going to be somebody that makes us a lot better.”

Oregon returns Steve Stephens, Jamal Hill, and Bryan Addison to an experienced safety room for the 2023 season, and Hampton’s expertise should help them thrive once again on the gridiron.

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Oregon officially announces hiring of Chris Hampton as safeties coach, co-DC

The Oregon Ducks officially announced Chris Hampton as the new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in Eugene.

The coaching staff move was reported over a week ago, but the Oregon Ducks made it official on Wednesday morning, announcing the hiring of Chris Hampton as the new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in Eugene.

Hampton will be replacing Matt Powledge, who took the defensive coordinator job for the Baylor Bears in late December of 2022.

Hampton comes to Eugene from Tulane, where he was the defensive coordinator in 2022. He spent four seasons (2016-19) as Tulane’s defensive backs coach before leaving to be the cornerback’s coach at Duke in 2020.

“I am excited to work for and represent the University of Oregon,” Hampton said, per an Oregon press release. “I am extremely thankful for the opportunity provided by Coach Lanning and the Oregon administration. I believe in what Coach Lanning and the rest of the staff are building in Eugene. I can’t wait to get to work with the student-athletes and help Oregon compete for championships.”

Tulane saw major improvement under Hamton, moving up 82 spots to No. 32 in the scoring defense (22.2 PPG) in 2022, and 55 spots up to No. 46 in total defense (360.4 YPG). The passing defense also went from No. 115 in 2020 prior to Hampton’s return to No. 37 in 2022 (208.1 YPG).

Before starting his coaching career, Hampton was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at safety for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2004-2007. In his career, Hampton had 106 total tackles, 6.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 INT, and two PBU. He also won the team’s Harold White Award, given to the player with the highest GPA on the roster.

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5 things to know about Oregon’s newest defensive coach Chris Hampton

Get to know Chris Hampton, a former South Carolina safety who coached some impressive defensive backfields at Tulane over the years.

The Oregon Ducks reportedly made a new defensive hire on Sunday afternoon, with ESPN’s Pete Thamel reporting that former Tulane Green Wave defensive coordinator Chris Hampton will be heading to Eugene to take over as a position coach.

One could presume that he will be taking over the safeties position, acting as the replacement for Matt Powledge, who left Eugene this offseason to become the new defensive coordinator for the Baylor Bears.

While Chris Hampton may have been a relatively off-the-radar name for Oregon fans, it is an impressive hire and one that will likely be looked at with a lot of success down the road. Here are some things that you need to know about Hampton and what he brings to the Ducks: