With former defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s departure, Chris Hampton has been promoted as the new defensive coordinator.
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Hampton has spent the past three years at Eugene as a co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. He had a significant role in shaping the Ducks’ defense, which ranked second in pass defense, recording 155.1 yards per game. Under his mentorship, he helped the Ducks post a 13-2 season, culminating in a CFP quarterfinal appearance in the Peach Bowl.
“Coach Hampton is one of the best defensive minds in the country and a terrific leader of men,” Dan Lanning said. “He has really poured into our program over the last three years and has played a huge role in our improvement and success on the defensive side of the ball.
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2026 Coaching Staff Update 🦆@CoachDanLanning has announced the promotions of @Coach_CHampton to Defensive Coordinator and @DrewMehringer to Offensive Coordinator.
📝 https://t.co/irMf7wwkWq#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/qEX1749s9N
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) January 15, 2026
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Chris Hampton is a former two-year starting safety who played for South Carolina in the 2000s. He was a four-year letterman and won South Carolina’s Harold White Award for his excellent contributions.
After wrapping up a celebrated collegiate career with the Gamecocks, he headed to Arkansas as a graduate assistant(2008) for his first coaching job. A year later, he headed to Georgia Tech in the same role and helped the Yellowjackets improve their defense. After completing two seasons, he switched to Central Arkansas as a safeties coach and a year later moved to McNeese State.
In his four-year stint with the Cowboys, he coached six All-Southland defensive backs, featuring Wallace Scott and Brent Spikes. Scott won the 2015 FCS All-American honor and was the Defensive Player of the Year.
Later, he moved to Tulane Green Wave, as a defensive backs coach and mentored CB Parry Nickerson to All-ACC First Team honors. In 2018, his unit tied for second nationally with 88 passes defended, followed by an equally impressive stint the following year. In 2019, his defensive back unit ranked third in the ACC with 12 interceptions, featuring Chase Kuerschen and P.J. Hal, leading the tackles.
For a brief while, he headed to Duke but returned for his first homecoming at Tulane after one season. This time as a defensive coordinator.
In 2022, the Green Wave led an impressive 12-2 season, with a Cotton Bowl win against the USC Trojans. His pass defense ranked No. 37, averaging 208.1 yards per game. Under his mentorship, Nick Anderson, Darius Hodges, and Patrick Jenkins won the All-AAC honors, with Williams making it to the All-AAC First Team as well.
His tenure at Tulane made him a popular defensive mind in college football, eventually landing him at Oregon as the Ducks’ defensive coordinator.
Chris Hampton lands at Eugene
Chris Hampton’s arrival at Oregon has led the Ducks towards a healthy, robust defensive unit. He led the program to rank seventh in scoring defense (17.9 points per game) and eighth in passing defense.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to the Oregon family,” Dan Lanning had stated. “Chris brings a wealth of experience as a former player, defensive backs coach, and defensive coordinator, and he has an excellent track record of teaching and developing defensive players.”
Working alongside Tosh Lupoi, he helped the Ducks to one of the elite passing defenses this past season. The Ducks led all FBS teams in pass breakups (73) while ranking second in passes defended (88). In addition, they ranked fourth in passing defense (157.9 YPG) and fourth in opponent completion percentage.
With Lupoi taking up new responsibilities, it will be up to Chris Hampton to lead Oregon Ducks towards the national championship in 2026.
