Ryan Hampton Will Be Starting Quarterback for Tigers, is Looking Forward to Challenges Ahead

EDWARDSVILLE – Senior Ryan Hampton will be the starting quarterback for Edwardsville during the 2019 season, taking over for the graduated Kendall Abdur-Rahman, and is looking forward to the challenges the season has in store for both him and Tigers.

And preseason practice has been going very well for him and his teammates, and Hampton feels that the Tigers have improved steadily as the summer went on.

“I think practice has been going really well,” Hampton said in an interview prior to the Tigers’ Orange and Black scrimmage on Friday evening at Tiger Stadium. “Our team’s definitely improved from the beginning of practice to the end of the summer, and we’ve been grinding all throughout since school started, and I think we’re ready for the season.”

And Hampton is looking ahead to his first varsity start next Friday, when Edwardsville meets McCluer North in Florissant, Mo., in a 4:15 p.m. kickoff.

“Yeah, I’m really excited,” Hampton said. “I can’t wait to start my first varsity game. It’s going to be a real moment for me.”

Hampton realizes that he’s stepping into some big shoes to fill with the graduated Abdur-Rahman, who’ll be a wide receiver this season at Notre Dame, but again, is looking forward to the challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge,” Hampton said. “Obviously, they’re big shoes; Kendall was a great athlete, but we’re two different types of quarterbacks; he’s more on his feet, I think I’m more on my arm, but I think I can lead this team, and execute my plays just as well as he can.”

Hampton’s style is more of a pocket passer who can throw just about any kind of pass.

“I’d say I’m more of a pocket passer than roll out or running,” Hampton said. “I like staying in the pocket, and throwing some deep balls or short balls.”

Hampton also feels that the key to the Tigers’ success this season will be a combo of a strong running game and passing game when the opposing defenses fill up the box.

“Well, obviously, we’ve got a blessing to have Justin (Johnson, Jr.) on our team,” Hampton said. “We’ll be giving him the ball a lot, and let him do his thing a lot. And then, when the team stacks too many in the box, I’ll be able to throw over them, and do my part.”

And of course, the Southwestern Conference race awaits both Hampton and the Tigers, and the competition the league offers every night is something he’s looking forward to.

“Yeah, for sure,” Hampton said. “I mean, I was in the fans’ section last year in the bleachers, and I remember how awesome the atmosphere, watching all my classmates play, and now, it’s just going to be everybody watching me and my teammates play. So, I’m really excited for the atmosphere.”

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