Oregon reportedly in line to add Tulane DC Chris Hampton to coaching staff
The offseason brings plenty of changes for every program across the country. Even programs that had as much success as Oregon did last year will tend to see some coaching staff movement after the season.
The Ducks recently lost co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Matt Powledge after he decided to return to Baylor to take over the defense in Waco, Texas on Dave Aranda's staff.
Sunday, several media reports indicated that the Ducks have found the coach to fill that open vacancy. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel and others, Tulane defensive coordinator Chris Hampton will be making the move out west to Eugene to serve in an unspecified position on Dan Lanning's staff.
Hampton, who is a Memphis, Tennessee native, primarily has coached defensive backs during his career, so he would seem to be a natural fit to take over a similar role to the one left open by Powledge.
Having another assistant with coordinator experience on staff will be an added bonus for Lanning as he continues to emphasize raising the level of play on that side of the ball.
Hampton has continued to work his way up the coaching ranks over the last several years. He has been the defensive coordinator at Tulane for two seasons in what is his second stint with the Green Wave. Those two stints were split by a season at Duke where Hampton served as cornerbacks coach in 2020.
Prior to that he was in charge of coaching the secondary at Tulane helping the defensive back group become one of the best pass coverage units in the American Athletic Conference.
In 2018, he was honored by the AFCA with its 35 Under 35 award.
His first stint with the Green Wave began in 2016, and before that he made stops at McNeese State and Central Arkansas coaching in the secondary. Hampton's career began at Arkansas State in 2008 as a graduate assistant. He went on to become a GA at Georgia Tech before earning his first full-time role in 2011.
Hampton signed with South Carolina in 2004 and played safety for the Gamecocks from 2004-07.
He will head to Oregon after leading an impressive turnaround in New Orleans. The Green Wave finished the season with a 12-2 record and a win over USC in the Cotton Bowl.
Tulane finished the season ranked inside the top 50 in total defense (360.4 yards) and at No. 37 (208.1) in passing yards allowed. Hampton's defense also made a big jump in points allowed during the 2022 season.
Tulane allowed an average of 22.2 points putting Hampton's group at No. 33 overall among all FBS teams. Just a year earlier, the Green Wave finished the season at No. 114 overall after allowing 34 points per game.