Dan Lanning opens up on hiring of Chris Hampton

Dan Lanning hired former Tulane DC Chris Hampton as Oregon‘s new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach last month, and had his first opportunity to speak to the press in-person about the hiring Wednesday during National Signing Day.

Spoiler: Lanning has high hopes for the new Ducks co-DC.

“Chris is really a like-minded individual. I thought he would mesh really well with our entire coaching staff,” Lanning said Wednesday. “He’s a guy that I’ve known from a distance over the years, and have been able to connect with from time to time whether it’s talking ball or whatnot.

“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. He gets rave reviews for everywhere that he’s been. Obviously, he did a phenomenal job this past season a Tulane. I’m certainly excited about what he brings to our program.”

Hampton spent the past two seasons as Tulane’s defensive coordinator where he helped lead the Green Wave to a 12-2 record capped by a program-shifting 46-45 win over USC in the Cotton Bowl this past season.

During his time with the Green Wave, he helped transform a defense that was giving up 34 points per game in 2021 to one that ranked second in the American Conference only giving up 20.5 points per game against conference competition. The Hampton-led defense finished 2022 ranked 33rd nationally in scoring defense at 22.21 points per game and 47th in the nation in total defense at 360.4 yards per game.

Before that, he made stops at Central Arkansas, McNeese State, Tulane, and Duke as defensive backs coach before become the Green Wave’s defensive coordinator. He also played safety at South Carolina from 2004-2007.

With 20 years not even removed since his collegiate playing days, Hampton’s youth, coaching style and track record has landed him one of the top assistant postitions in Pac-12 Conference football — and he’s only likely to keep moving up from here.