The Recruiting Impact of Oregon Hire Chris Hampton

The Oregon Ducks have officially hired Chris Hampton to be their next defensive coordinator. Hampton has been on Coach Dan Lanning’s staff since the 2023 season as a co-defensive coordinator and a safeties coach.

What impact could this have on recruiting?

Defensive Backfield Should Thrive Under Chris Hampton

Oregon Ducks Chris Hampton Defensive Coordinator Tosh Lupoi Recruiting Defensive Backs California Golden Bears Dan Lanning — 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. Eug 031623 Uo Spring Fb 06 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

With Hampton being promoted to Ducks’ defensive coordinator, they should expect their recruiting for highly rated defensive backs to be as good as anyone in the country. Hampton is a big reason for the Ducks landing some of the top notch defensive backs in the country over the past few seasons.

Players like cornerback Na’eem Offord, safety Trey McNutt, safety Jett Washington, cornerback Brandon Finney, and safety Aaron Flowers are just a handful of elite recruits that Hampton has clearly had a big impact in landing.

The Ducks defensive backfield shouldn’t skip a beat with Hampton as defensive coordinator.

In the Lanning era, Oregon has not had a problem recruiting. Per 247Sports, Oregon has had a top six ranked class in each of the past three recruiting cycles.

On the field, Oregon has been steadily been getting closer and closer to their goal of bringing home the first national championship in program history. In Lanning’s first season, Oregon won 10 games. In 2023, they won 12 game including the Fiesta Bowl. The past two seasons in 2024 and 2025, Oregon has reached the College Football Playoff.

In 2024, Oregon was bounced in the quarterfinal by the Ohio State Buckeyes, who went on to win the national championship. In 2025, the Ducks got back into the playoff. They won a first round game against the James Madison Dukes and then a quarterfinal game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The season came to a close in a semifinal loss to the Indiana Hoosiers.

Oregon has taken a step further each season. If that trend continues, they will be in the national championship game next year. The Ducks got a big boost when quarterback Dante Moore announced he would be returning for another season, despite him being projected as a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

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Chris Hampton in for Tosh Lupoi

Oregon’s defense in 2025 allowed just 17.9 points per game which ranked as the 12th lowest in the country and the 4th lowest in the Big Ten. That unit was led by former Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who is now the California Golden Bears head coach.

Tosh Lupoi had been the defensive coordinator for Oregon since Dan Lanning was hired as Oregon coach in 2022. After four seasons in that position for Lupoi, he will be heading back to his old stomping grounds and alma mater.

Lupoi played for Cal from 2000-2005 as a defensive lineman. After his playing days, Lupoi got his start in coaching for Golden Bears as a defensive line coach from 2008-2011.