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Hampton Has Played More Than Almost Every Husky — All-Time, Not Just Now

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated 12/30/23

NEW ORLEANS — Dom Hampton's jersey number has shrunk in his six seasons with the University of Washington football team, going from 21 to 7, which sounds like a final score.

However, the sixth-year senior strong safety from Glendale, Arizona, is riding a unique streak that he doesn't want to end abruptly.

His games played for the Huskies steadily have increased to a level — 55 and counting — in which he'll tie the school record for most appearances when he takes the field against Texas on Monday night in the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinals at the Superdome.

And should he and his UW teammates beat the Longhorns and advance to the CFP championship game on Jan. 8 against either Michigan or Alabama, he'll have a chance to become the most utilized Husky football player all to himself in program annals covering 134 seasons.

For now, Hampton stands one game behind former UW place-kicker Peyton Henry, who appeared in 56 games, all consecutive in 2018-2022, and, of course, without any planned physical contact as part of his job.

"That's quite a compliment," Hampton said, when informed he was either the leader or close to it. "You know, it's football and you get dinged up a little bit, but we have a great medical staff that's able to back me every day and get me back on the field, doing what I love."

As former Seattle Mariners sluggers Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner used to say when comparing high-end home-run totals, he's got double nickels.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Hampton is an amazingly versatile player for this unbeaten Huskies because he's started all 13 games this season at safety, opened in 11 of 12 outings at nickelback in 2022 and drew a cornerback start in three of 11 games in 2021, making himself truly a full-service defensive back.

He came to the UW as this good-sized guy who could run, but it took him some trials and tribulations to get established.

A career-low moment for Hampton came during the Huskies' 31-10 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2021 when he drew a late-hit penalty that kept a drive alive and led to a touchdown for the Wolverines after they were stopped short on third down.

Former coach Jimmy Lake was notorious for his hot-tempered ways in meting out punishment when he felt his team was needlessly shortchanged. Hampton was not spared.

"I had a personal flag against Blake Corum at the time and it kind of put me in the doghouse for the rest of the season, and I didn't play for probably 8 or 9 weeks," he said, though continuing to take special-teams snaps. "It was a big mental thing for me. I didn't know where else to go to. Football was my escape but I couldn't get on the field."

Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff rescued Hampton from the football junk heap, making him a full-time starter in 2022 at the Husky position, or nickelback.

The coaches ultimately felt he was a better fit at strong safety and Hampton has responded with a team-high 93 tackles and interceptions against California and Utah, good for All-Pac-12 honorable-mention honors, his first college recognition of any kind.

He's piled up his soon-to-be school record game appearances because his unbeaten team keeps winning and extending the season. It's all made for a memorable finish for his extra busy UW career.

"My biggest high at this moment is now," Hampton said, referring to CFP . "I feel you got to have lows to get to the high."

50-GAME HUSKIES OR BETTER

56 — Peyton Henry, PK.

55 — Dominique Hampton, SS.

54 — Greg Gaines, DL; Luke Wattenberg, C

53 — Jake Browning, QB; Ben Burr-Kirven, LB; Kaleb McGary, OT; Dante Pettis, WR; Benning Potoa'e, DL; Danny Shelton, DL.

52 — Devin Culp, TE.; Myles Gaskin, RB; Tuli Letuligaseno, DL.

51 — Drew Sample, TE.

50 — Myles Bryant, DB; Nick Harris, C; Jack Westover, TE.

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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