The Oregon Ducks will kick off the spring practice season on Thursday, which means the new leader of the Ducks' defense will get a chance to set the tone for the 2026 season.
After both coordinators departed Eugene for head coaching gigs, the Ducks promoted from within. One of those promotions was Chris Hampton, who will take over as the defensive coordinator for Tosh Lupoi after the latter left to coach the California Golden Bears.
Hampton has been a crucial part of the recruiting process for the Ducks alongside his defensive-minded head coach, Dan Lanning. He helped bring the latest impact players in the secondary to Eugene, such as Brandon Finney Jr. and Na'eem Offord.
In his new role, Hampton will still have a handle on the defensive backs as the safeties coach, while Rashad Wadood handles the cornerbacks. Hampton previously held the same job title for two seasons at Tulane in 2021 and 2022. However, the job just isn't the same when the expectations are to have a championship-caliber defense at Oregon.
"The biggest difference today, I'm just in charge of the day-to-day operations," Hampton said in an exclusive interview with the Bleav in Oregon Podcast. "Organizing the practice plans, the practice scripts, where everyone is and the type of different field locations depending on the practice format."
With Lupoi in charge, Hampton was able to focus on his group of responsibilities. But he picked up on the nuances that it takes to manage an entire side of the ball and be successful. That also means figuring out what went wrong last season in a blowout loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff, which is becoming all too familiar.
"I'm in charge of making sure that everything is organized and detailed and ready to go," Hampton said. "Going through all the installs, drawings, making sure the drawings are correct. Anything that we've changed from the self-scout through from last season, and now make sure they're updated. And then ultimately, you know, calling the plays, obviously."
Oregon isn't expected to experience much of a drop-off in defensive production next season, despite losing key pieces like safety Dillon Thieneman and linebacker Bryce Boettcher. The Ducks still return a pass rush that includes Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti, and important transfers, such as Minnesota safety Koi Perich and Ohio State corner Aaron Scott Jr.
High-quality talent can mask growing pains within a coaching staff, but so far, Hampton is navigating the change in stride, thanks to the support of the seasoned coaches around him.
"We've got a tremendous staff," Hampton said. "A bunch of guys who were here with me last season and seasons before that. And I still got Coach Lanning with me, so I've got an ultimate trump card with him, and we've got great players. So it's been fun."
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Chris Hampton breaks down new DC role with Oregon Ducks
