Navy has always recruited quarterbacks capable of playing multiple positions during head coach Paul Johnson?s five years on the job. All of the Midshipmen?s top backup signal-callers ? Jarrod Bryant, Kaipo-NoaKaheku-Enhada and Troy Goss ? will see time at other positions: Bryant at slot back and the other two at wide receiver. Current starter Brian Hampton knows what that is like. He saw time as a kick returner as a plebe before working his way up the depth chart to the No. 1 spot entering Saturday?s opener against East Carolina.
While Johnson has built a consistent winner that has gone to two straight bowl games, Hampton represents the third straight year Navy has gone with a first-year starter. The Midshipmen also have had a different starter in each of the last four seasons.
Hampton said he has tried to take something from each of the previous starters ? Craig Candeto, Aaron Polanco and Lamar Owens ? as he hopes to continue Navy?s run of success.
“So far, camp has been a series of progressions for me as I?m working to get better,” Hampton said. “Right now, I?m making better decisions, but I still have to work on making better reads.”
Johnson said he has seen enough from Hampton to name him the starter but knows there is still work to be done.
“Brian?s done some good things in camp, and there are some things we would like to improve,” Johnson said. “We still have some time to work and we will continue to work with him, and hopefully he?ll continue to get better. We will see when he plays. We will let him play a little bit before we make a judgment on him.”
Johnson has at least an idea of what to expect from Hampton in an actual game. Hampton saw limited action in place of an injured Owens last year. Johnson added that he feels comfortable going into the season with another new starter after going through it the previous two seasons.
“You know going in, but it?s just a question of ?Can they take it from the practice field to the game field??” Johnson said, referring to expectations for Hampton?s first game. “It?s just a question of ?Can he focus knowing that he?s the guy??”
One skill Hampton showed last year on the field was his ability to stay on his feet and avoid defenders, something even more important in the triple-option offense where the quarterback is asked to run a lot of the time.
“He just has to play within himself and let the big plays come to him,” Johnson said. “They will. It?s the nature of what we do. Just don?t try to force things. Just do your assignment and good things will happen.”
Notes
Hampton?s father, Charles, is in the Air Force ? He is a cousin of NBA great Charles Barkley.
The Hampton File
» Age: 23
» Height: 5-foot-11
» Weight: 208
» Hometown: Scott Air Force Base (Ill.)
