Physically, Hampshire senior Griffin Chamberlain possessed the skills to win this summer’s quarterback competition with senior Tyler Lacke.
But under first-year coach Braden Foster, Chamberlain quickly picked up on more of the mental game. He referenced former NFL superstar Tom Brady on what’s the separator between a good QB and a great one.
“His best ability in his game was how quick he was on the field,” Chamberlain said. “He already knew what the defense was doing before they knew it. That’s really helped me this year.”
Chamberlain put it all together Friday in one of Whip-Purs’ most memorable wins in recent history.
He threw five touchdown passes in a 44-20 Fox Valley Conference win over perennial powerhouse Prairie Ridge. It was the first win for Hampshire over the Wolves since 2021 and only the second since the Crystal Lake school opened in 1997.
“I know people might say this is a down year for them, but there’s a whole new coaching staff here,” Chamberlain said. “We’re going through a rebuild.
“Going out and beating that team by 24 points is a great morale booster for us.”
Seeing how Chamberlain came through the way he did Friday night for the Whip-Purs (2-2, 2-2) was part of the reason Foster named him the starter before the season opener.
“I think Griff does a very good job of deciphering coverages,” Foster said. “The biggest thing I wanted to teach the kids is the why behind doing certain things. I can say, ‘Go out and run this route,’ but why are we doing this?”
More Top Picks Robot Lawn Mowers
One of those routes resulted in a 38-yard TD pass to Lacke. After losing out on the starting quarterback spot, Lacke moved to receiver.
“I went with it because I want to impact this team as much as possible,” Lacke said. “I wanted to try it out, and it’s been going pretty well. It’s been pretty easy for me.
“I know what a quarterback likes. That gives me an advantage.”
Senior linebacker Ivan Lechuga, who made two interceptions against Prairie Ridge, has seen how much Chamberlain has grown during practice. Friday night was an eye-opening experience.
“It was crazy, honestly,” Lechuga said. “Finally, I got to see the offense (Foster) put in start clicking. Griffin, first year starting, he’s really improved as a player, as a person and as a leader.
“It’s been amazing. A lot of it has been his decision-making. It’s a lot more getting the ball out quickly and going through his progressions easier.”
That was Chamberlain’s goal ever since he started working with Foster and his coaching staff.
“I wanted to go out and give my guys everything I had,” Chamberlain said. “The game has slowed down in a way so it’s easier to navigate.”
That’s part of the buy-in Foster was hoping to develop when Hampshire took a leap of faith and hired the 26-year-old Mundelein native to become the youngest varsity head coach in Illinois.
“In all honesty, I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” Foster said. “I’m blessed to be in this spot.”
Chamberlain loves the culture that has quickly developed under Foster.
“It’s holding each other accountable and making sure you’re doing your job,” Chamberlain said. “You do your job, everything else falls into place. He’s serious. The guy knows football.
“And that’s what we needed here.”
More Top Picks Best Quiet Pet Water Fountains For Bedrooms
Foster doesn’t believe in the word “rebuild.” Suddenly, a program with seven combined wins in the previous four seasons and no playoff wins since 2006 is starting to believe that as well.
“I don’t think this school has seen this in a while,” Chamberlain said. “I just go out and play the best ball I can and put my guys in the best situations to win.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.