AFA center Hampton has waited for chance to start

Senior Michael Hampton’s football career at Air Force has not gone according to plan.

Then again, if it had, he might not have grown into the player and person he is today.

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Hampton, who hails from Waco, Texas, is listed as starting center. If, as expected, he holds onto the job, he’ll make his first career start Sept. 5 when Air Force opens its 2009 season against Nicholls State.

It would have been hard to imagine several years ago that Hampton would not have played meaningful snaps for the Falcons heading into his senior year. He started at center for the prep school in 2005 and then made the Air Force varsity as a freshman. But the promising start to his career was knocked off course his sophomore year when he had to miss nine games to concentrate on academics.

“It set me back, but looking back on it now with hindsight, it helped me grow more as a person. And I’m grateful for that,” Hampton said. “It just kind of hits you that you didn’t do your end of the deal when it comes to the team. You learn that it’s not all about you, and yeah, you might have problems going on and you’ve got a battle going on inside emotionally and whatnot, but things still need to go on on the field, and you still need to be there for your teammates that are playing and support them. And you’ve got to come out here and you’ve got to run a good scout team.

“Did I come out here a couple days and maybe have a pity party? Yeah, I probably did. But I’d say for the most part I came out here and was just like, ‘OK, I didn’t do my part of the deal, I have to earn my way back, and I’m going to come out here and give these guys the best look.’ ”

Hampton had to do that again last season when he was edged by then-senior Andrew Pipes for the starting job. Offensive line coach Clay Hendrix said he didn’t think there was “that much difference” between players. But coaches didn’t want to use a rotation at that position because they had a new quarterback. And they wanted the quarterback to get used to one center.

Now, however, it finally appears as if Hampton will get his chance. Hendrix said he has confidence in Hampton, who he calls “a consistent player” both mentally and physically. And Hampton has the support of the players next to him — left guard Nick Charles called Hampton “tough” and “a really good player,” and right guard Peter Lusk said Hampton is “ready” and “will fit right in.”

Still, Hampton knows he’s the X factor on an otherwise experienced line.

To his left are Charles, a preseason all-Mountain West Conference selection who has started 32 games, and tackle Ryan Gonzales, who split time with Keith Williams in 2008. To his right are Lusk (16 career starts) and tackle Chris Campbell (15 career starts).

“They’re all seasoned and have seen it, and I haven’t played a (full) game since the prep school,” Hampton said. “So I am a little nervous. But at the same time I know I’ll get my confidence back in this camp. And I’ve got a great group of guys around me — the best that I could ask for — and I know if I’m having problems I can lean on them, and they’ll help carry me through.”

He can also lean on lessons learned the past four years.

“It didn’t work out as I had it planned, but it never does — it never goes exactly as you want it to,” Hampton said. “But I’m grateful for this one year that I’m hopefully going to get to play. … It’s more just a relief to me to finally get to contribute to the team.”