2022 Recruit Omarion Hampton Loves How LSU Football Utilizes the Running Back Position
Omarion Hampton loves to plow through opposing defenses. The 2022 running back has been a down hill runner all his life and welcomes the physicality that comes with the position.
It can’t be just one player that takes him down but rather a whole army. It’s through his physical play style that Hampton has turned into one of the best the 2022 class has to offer in the backfield.
Hampton is certainly receiving his fair share of attention out on the recruiting trail. In addition to LSU, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Miami have all made Hampton offers.
Currently ranked as the No. 12 running back on 247Sports composite rankings, Hampton is only just receiving interest from the Tigers. The LSU offer came down on July 23 and caught the Clayton, North Carolina native completely off guard.
The staff wants Hampton to check in once a week and pose any questions he might have about the program. Hampton most recently spoke with running backs coach Kevin Faulk, who talked about what he thought about Hampton's run style.
The Tigers view Hampton as a powerful back that hits the holes hard and is tough to bring down. Hampton also feels he brings an elusive quality to his game and can make catches out of the backfield.
"I like coach Faulk, he seems like he's a very good coach and I can't wait to get to know him a little bit better," Hampton said. "I feel like I'm just a really polished, down hill runner and then I've been working on juking this offseason to. This year I'm really hoping to mix it up."
As far as technique, making sure he's keeping the ball high and tight and developing physically are just a few of the areas he's worked the most on heading into his junior season. Hampton says moving forward the coaching staff plans on giving him a few tips on how he can improve his training through various drills.
"In the mornings, I usually get a lift in and then in the afternoons I'll get with my teammates and we'll practice on everything we need to work on," Hampton said.
Video courtesy of Brandon Corbitt
This is an every day occurrence for Hampton and his teammates, who are hoping to advance deeper into the playoffs after being stymied each of the last two seasons. His first few seasons at Cleveland High School, Hampton made it into the playoffs but the team was knocked out in the third and fourth round each season.
"I definitely have a lot of goals I'd like to accomplish, first and foremost winning state," Hampton said. "But I'd also like to rush for 1,000 yards and just show college coaches that I've improved as a pass catcher and making guys miss."
Hampton was able to catch a few of the LSU games a season ago and said he really liked the way they used Clyde Edwards-Helaire in both the pass and the run game. The culture of the program under Orgeron was another area that Hampton pointed to, saying that he's impressed with the job Orgeron and the staff have done in creating a winner in Baton Rouge.
After all, it has been 620 days since LSU lost a football game.
"I've seen the impact that he's had there and I like it a lot," Hampton said. "I did a little more research after they gave me the offer and the history they have at running back is amazing. They do a lot of passing in the run game and I like that a lot."
