When Ethan Hampton strolled onto Aurora Christian’s football field Tuesday evening, he was greeted by at least 80 of his most passionate fans.
That is saying a lot because the 2021 AC grad earned plenty of national accolades after quarterbacking the Northern Illinois University Huskies to a dramatic 16-14 upset over fifth-ranked Notre Dame on Sept. 7.
Sportscasters declared it the biggest upset in the school’s history — and quite possibly will be the biggest upset to occur this college season. And anyone who watched that game, or at least saw the highlights, could tell what an impressive quarterback this 21-year-old from Elburn is.
But after listening to him speak to Aurora Christian middle schoolers before their football practice earlier this week, it’s clear Hampton is not just the kind of athlete but also the kind of person we’d all like our young people to emulate.
For one thing, despite a heavy schedule as a Division I student/athlete – and smack dab in the middle of an intense football season – it was important for him to return to AC and talk to these kids about what it takes to win, not only on the field but also in life.
“Dedication” was not only Hampton’s theme for this motivational chat but is one of the “Seven Pillars of Football” that varsity head Coach Dave Beebe uses as the focus for all the middle and high school teams.
Certainly Hampton had that drive early on, according to Beebe, who introduced the NIU star on Tuesday by pointing out that coaches “dream of guys like Ethan,” not just because of “the game he played, but also because of the young man he is.”
He was “always about the team,” Bebee noted, later adding that “no one outworked Ethan,” who could often be found throwing footballs into nets on the field when everyone else was inside on frigid winter days.
That no doubt contributed to why Hampton, who excelled his junior year at AC but missed out on football as a senior because of COVID, graduated a semester early from the Aurora school and was already working out with the Huskies spring 2021.
Hampton quickly moved from fourth to second string his freshman year at NIU. Then he waited patiently – and in today’s college portal world, loyally – behind Rocky Lombardi, who is now playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, before earning the starting QB position this year.
Hampton, who “always knew we had a chance” against the Irish of Notre Dame, says the headline-making win came because “we executed what we had to do … kind of out-physicaled them out front” and had no turnovers.
Hampton was not quite prepared, however, for the attention that hit after the upset — which propelled NIU up the rankings to number 25 in the country.
“That was an awesome experience,” he recalled, that led to a bright national spotlight on him that included two interviews a day for nearly a week and a half, not to mention a “few NIL [NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness] deals” that put some cash into his pocket.
But the fall was as quick as the ascension.
Following a bye week, the Huskies lost in overtime to the University of Buffalo before a sold-out home crowd. Then they were defeated again in a close game against North Carolina State.
“That’s what is tough … they will be with you when you are up high, but then you go low,” Hampton said to me, noting how “hard it is to maintain” when there is so much pressure and attention after such a monumental upset.
After that Buffalo loss, he told Aurora Christian’s middle school teams, ”every person who was for us was now, ‘wow, these guys are terrible at football, these guys stink …’”
That is, of course, where character comes into play, noted Beebe, who was in the Notre Dame stadium sitting next to Ethan’s father, Jay, who fell to his knees weeping when his son threw that first 80-yard touchdown pass.
“It’s that same (dedication) bucket that not only makes him a great athlete and a great student,” Beebe continued. “It makes him want to honor what was given to him … to come back and talk to these kids.”
Hampton certainly had plenty of solid advice to pass along as the young teams listened intently to every word the star spoke. Start creating good habits now, he told the kids, because the work ethic they develop now in middle school will translate into future successes.
And find balance in your life between God, and family and friends, Hampton continued. He admits his faith blossomed as a student athlete at AC and has only grown stronger because he knows that “when you feel like everything is against you … I know God’s got me.”
Hampton reiterated the importance of staying “true and dedicated to what you are doing” and to “push through those failures” because “you can’t grow without failing.”
After he spoke and before the young AC Eagles started their practice, a large group photo was taken. Later, autographed photos of the NIU quarterback during that Notre Dame game were handed out.
Hampton’s parting words, however, were meant to extend beyond any one moment in time, no matter how historic.
“Chose your friends wisely … enjoy your time now,” he told the kids, “don’t forget to work hard.”
dcrosby@tribpub.com
