Ethan Hampton has record-setting day on 1st day as regular NIU starter

DeKALB – Ethan Hampton didn’t just show off his skill on the football field during NIU’s 54-15 win over Western Illinois on Saturday, setting a school record for passer efficiency rating.

During the postgame news conference he showed off his sense of humor, cracking up his teammates and coach Thomas Hammock more than once.

Trayvon Rudolph was talking about his decision to withdraw his name from the transfer portal this December and return to NIU. In his first regular-season game since then, he had a 60-yard touchdown run and four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.

“I’m glad I didn’t transfer. I’m glad I could do my last year here,” Rudolph said.

“Me too,” Hampton said without missing a beat as the room erupted in laughter for the second time.

Earlier, he was talking about Rocky Lombardi, a seven-year player who graduated last year and was invited to camp by the Cincinnati Bengals. Hampton roomed with Lombardi and even said how the quarterback already had texted him.

“One of my biggest supporters and also one of my biggest mentors, right? You come in as a 17-year-old kid, and you have this guy who’s maybe 31, 32,” he said as the room laughed along at the exaggeration of the transfer from Michigan State’s age.

“You have an older guy who has been around the block and been on Big Ten teams. It’s great for my development and was instrumental in it. I’ll forever be grateful for him.”

The Aurora Christian grad had started in place of an injured Lombardi in the past, but had never won a game in which he threw more than five passes. That ended in a big way against Western Illinois, an FCS school searching for its first win since the 2021 season.

Right from the start Hampton showed his big-play capability, hitting Marmion grad Dane Pardridge for a 23-yard pass to the end zone on the second play of the game.

NIU finished with 706 yards of total offense, with Hampton going 18 of 20 for 328 yards and five touchdowns, the most in a game since Chandler Harnish threw for six TDs at Toledo in 2011. His 310.3 quarterback rating bested the previous high of 261.3 set in 1963 by George Bork, who was honored pregame for his career achievements.

“It was great, but it’s something I know we can do,” Hampton said of the offense’s success, which included seven players scoring a touchdown. “It’s not really a surprise for me or any of these people up here. We go against a really tough defense, one of the best defense in the MAC, every day. So we stress ourselves out in practice so it becomes easier.”

The defense showed off too, not allowing a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter. Western Illinois finished with 298 yards of total offense. They almost gave up a touchdown after a Gavin Williams fumble in the first quarter, but it was called back because of a holding penalty on Western.

So instead of falling behind, they clung to a 6-3 lead and ended up scoring the next 41 points until the Leathernecks returned a blocked kick 103 yards for a score.

Hampton said he liked how the team responded after the fumble – the only turnover of the game. So did Rudolph.

“You know a couple years ago, people would get down,” Rudolph said. “But now we’re an older group, so it’s like just get to the next play. We know what you’re going to do. You’re going to make up for it and we’re going to help you.”

Williams’ nine attempts led the Huskies as they had 312 yards on the ground with no one over 70 yards. Antario Brown led the way with 69 yards on eight carries. Brown, Rudolph, Jaylen Poe, Justin Lynch and WIlliams all had at least 40 yards.

The receiving game was just as spread out. Eleven Huskies had a catch in the game, with Grayson Barnes hauling in five for 95 yards and a score. He, Rudolph, Cam Thompson, Pardridge and Keyshaun Pipkin caught touchdown passes.

“This was the calmest I’ve ever been for a game based on what I’ve seen from these guys,” coach Thomas Hammock said. “They checked every box until this point. Obviously, that performance today was one we haven’t done here in a while. Proud of them.”