Chris Hampton Details Oregon's Biggest Weakness Before the Spring Game

Oregon Ducks defensive coordinator Chris Hampton spoke to the media ahead of Saturday's spring game, and he opened up on Oregon's biggest point of emphasis this spring as well as his plans for the NFL Draft on Thursday.

Hampton is in his first year as Oregon's defensive coordinator, replacing current Cal coach Tosh Lupoi, and the Ducks coach expressed his excitement for the spring game with a key group of returning defenders. Hampton also revealed who's been working at the nickel position in spring practice.

oregon ducks chris hampton defensive coordinator spring game autzen stadium dan lanning dillon thieneman nfl draft — New co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Hampton, right, joins the first practice of spring for Oregon football as they prepare for the 2023 season. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Here's everything Hampton said after Monday's practice:

Biggest Weakness/Emphasis in Spring Practice

"I think a big emphasis for us has been improving in the red area. We weren't very good there last season. Can we improve in the red area? Can we improve in third down? So each and every day that we do it, we chart it. And I think we've made strides there in practice for sure. Understanding the down and distance, the field zone," said Hampton.

"That's a big piece. And so we started off, I think, practice one or two in the red area. And we've kind of did something in the red area each and every day for the most part. So, that's been a big emphasis is being better in the red area. And I think we've kind of attacked that as a staff and as a unit," Hampton continued.

On Anything Unexpected Coming Up as Defensive Coordinator

"Not really. I've done this job before at a different school, different university, so I don't think there was anything that I wasn't prepared for. Every day is a new day. There's always something that comes up that you can get better at as a coach each and every year, each and every day. So that's a continuing process, but I don't think there was anything just major that I wasn't prepared for," Hampton said.

What's Standing Out to Him So Far

"I think I really enjoy coaching these guys each and every day. I think they cheer for each other. They play hard for one another. They play hard for the coaches, for all the coaches on defense," said Hampton. So I've been impressed with the connection of the group. There's not a lot of, there's not any selfishness, you know, and that's hard in today's game of college football. But everybody seems to be pulling on one accord, cheering for one another, and happy for the guy beside them when they have success."

What He's Looking for in the Spring Game

"Yeah, I just want to see us go out there and play fast, you know, go out there and play fast, play physical, play the way that we've been coached to play. You know, not do anything crazy, anything that you didn't do in practice, you know, don't do it now because there's a crowd out there. So you want to see guys go out there, just play fast, play physical and honestly have fun. You know, this game is fun. And we know we talk about that, and we want the guys go out there and fun, enjoy the moment and embrace it," said Hampton.

Early Assessment of Oregon's Newcomers

"The newcomers have done a great job, man. This is a fantastic group. You know, the high school guys and the transfers, they've gotten acclimated. They're adjusting to the culture here. They're asking great questions. They're doing a lot of bonus meetings. They're eager to learn. They work extremely hard. They're selfless, you know, and so I like all the guys that we brought in. I really do. I really enjoy coaching these guys, the newcomers, the older guys. I think we have, like I said, a connected group and a group that I think is going to be fun to watch."

On Analyzing Defensive Trends in NFL, College Football

"Every year. Every year you're looking to get better," said Hampton. "That's a great question. You know, my first year here we were probably primarily a four-down outside leverage nickel team. My second year, we had Derek Harmon, Jamari Caldwell, Jordan Burch. We were more of a three-down inside leverage nickel team. Last season, we had Dillon Thieneman. We were more of a four-down umbrella safety team. And I think this year, we'll just see how it pans out."

"I think you always think about who are your best players. How do you highlight their strengths? How do you highlight their deficiencies? And you look around the country to see what other people are doing with guys similar to your skill sets, similar to your talents. What's the new trend in college football, you know, in the NFL? So each and every year you're looking to grow and, you know, we looking to expand our defense."

On Dan Lanning Promoting from Within

"I think he trusts guys. You know, I think it proves that if you come here and you work hard, you do a good job, you can get elevated. You know, and, you know, there's a quote, 'God doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called to do a job.' You know, and I think Coach Lanning, if he sees a guy's qualified to do a job, I'm not saying he's God, but he'll promote a guy."

"So, it may be, you know, even in my situation, there may be a guy that was a more sexier pick. You know, a guy that on the outside may seem more qualified to do the job, but, you know, it's a reason that you get the opportunity," said Hampton.

How the Oregon Program has Grown the Most:

"Man, this place grows every year. I think a lot in the support staff, we have a tremendous support staff that a lot of you guys may not really know. Carl Holmes, Osman Kamara, our player development team, our strength and condition team with Kyle Bolton in the speed department, athletic training. I think that the place has really grown, and I think it's a tight community," Hampton said.

"You know, there's not anyone bigger than the other. There's no job too small or no job too big for anyone to do. And so I think this place has really grown. It's like the support staff has grown and how we're able to put the players first and, you know, give them the best service possible."

Using the Monarc Machine to Practice Catching

"So we talked about that at our first scrimmage that we left a lot of opportunities on the field, dropped some passes, dropped some interceptions, whatever the case may be. And those guys are really attacking it," said Hampton. "Like I just left off the field. I was out after Coach (Drew) Mehringer, and there's a lot of guys out there on the Monarc now getting working. Carl Holmes, I know, not Carl Holmes, Carl Williams. Carl Holmes works in player development. Carl Williams gets 300 catches a day, right? And so hopefully that pays off for him, but I know he does 300 every day, seven days a week."

"And so the guys are real attacking it. And each week we look at it and, you know, say who's the first number one team in the country and doing it. And so most weeks it's us, you know, some weeks we aren't, but then we push our guys. 'Hey, we weren't the number one team in the country and using the Monarc.' You can chart it. And so that's a goal for us each and every week is to be the number one team in the country on the Monarc. I don't know if y'all knew that or not. Maybe it's a secret," said Hampton.

On the NFL Draft

"For me, personally, this is the greatest joy I get as a coach when I see these guys reach their goals and aspirations. That's really why I coach. How can I help these guys get to where they want to go? And so to see Dillon (Thieneman) get his name called and a bunch of other guys, hopefully Jadon Canady, you know, we've got a bunch of guys, Bryce Boettcher, get their name called, man, it brings me joy."

"And I'm actually going. He's invited me to go with him to Pittsburgh, so it'll be my first time in the green room. I'm fired up. Coach Bolton, Kyle Bolton and I are both going. We're leaving here on Wednesday, heading to Pittsburgh to see him. So hopefully he gets his name called early in round one," said Hampton.

On the Nickel Position

"We've got a bunch of guys working there. We really do, man. We rotate a lot of different players. Carl (Williams) is definitely doing it. Davon Benjamin is doing it. Zach Grisham is doing it. Brandon Finney is doing it. Peyton Woodyard is doing it. So there's a bunch of guys that are working. Naeem Offord, he's working there. Azel Banag, new freshman, he's doing it," said Hampton.

"So we've got a lot of guys playing. It's a staple of our defense, playing a lot of nickel like you asked about earlier. So Jadon (Canady) was a really good nickel for us last season. So we've got big shoes to fill there with him. But we've got a lot of guys, and I think they've grown tremendously from practice one until now," Hampton continued.

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