Owensboro’s Evan Hampton is 2025 Kentucky Mr. Football
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- Evan Hampton named 2025 Kentucky Mr. Football after Owensboro won 5A title.
- Hampton rushed 2,031 yards and 31 TDs, finishing season as championship MVP.
- KFCA honored Bo Wolford as Lineman of the Year and named Brandon Smith Coach of Year.
Owensboro High School’s dream football season continued Wednesday evening as standout running back Evan Hampton received the 2025 Mr. Football award from the Kentucky Football Coaches Association during the Red Devils’ community celebration of their third state championship.
Hampton, a 6-foot, 208-pound running back and Vanderbilt signee, helped the Red Devils claim this year’s Class 5A state crown with a most valuable player performance in their 35-7 win over Pulaski County at Kroger Field on Dec. 6.
The Mr. Football honor has been bestowed to a top Kentucky high school football senior annually by the KFCA since 2019. The award ties its origins to the historic Associated Press Mr. Football that ran from 1986 to 2021.
Earlier Wednesday, the KFCA announced the winner of its inaugural Coach Philip Haywood Lineman of the Year honor. Fittingly, it went to Belfry’s Bo Wolford, a player who played for Haywood until the legend’s untimely passing last January due to injuries suffered in a car accident.
Wolford, a 6-3, 305 pound senior tackle, anchored the interior line for one of Class 2A’s most potent run offenses, which piled up 3,736 yards rushing and 45 points per game on its way to a region title and state semifinals appearance.
The KFCA also named South Warren’s Brandon Smith as its Jimmie Reed Coach of the Year. Smith guided the Spartans to a 14-1 record and the Class 6A state final in their first season in Kentucky high school football’s division for its largest schools.
Hampton is the fifth Mr. Football to have earned a state championship game MVP honor to cap his senior season ahead being named Mr. Football. He was also named the 2025 Kentucky Gatorade player of the year earlier this month. Past state final MVP winners who became KFCA Mr. Football were Covington Catholic’s Michael Mayer, Beechwood’s Cam Hergott, Belfry’s Isaac Dixon and Bullitt East’s Travis Egan.
Hampton rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns, including a 43-yarder, in the 5A championship game win. For the season, he totaled 2,031 yards and 31 TDs rushing and 288 yards and three TDs receiving.
During the Red Devils’ playoff run, Hampton’s 326 yards rushing to go with five touchdowns against Fairdale on Nov. 21 broke a school record held by Mark Higgs, who went on to a legendary career at Kentucky and played in the NFL, most notably for the Miami Dolphins.
For his career, Hampton accumulated 5,259 yards and 82 TDs rushing to go with 922 yards and nine TDs receiving. Both his career yardage and scoring marks will place Hampton among the top 50 all-time in those categories in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s record books. KHSAA individual records have not been updated since 2021 due in part to unresolved issues about how to deal with COVID-19 pandemic bonus-year players.
This year, the KFCA named nine finalists for its Mr. Football award. In addition to Hampton, they were: Ryle’s Jacob Savage, an Indiana signee; Cooper’s Cam O’Hara, a Western Kentucky signee; St. Xavier’s Marlon Harbin, a Louisville signee; Murray’s Wyatt Robbins, a Murray State signee; Campbellsville’s Kace Eastridge, an Eastern Kentucky baseball commit; Boyle County’s Ji’Dyn Smith-Hisel; Somerset’s Kris Hughes and Madisonville-North Hopkins’ Markezz Hightower.
Kentucky’s Mr. Football
The award for the state’s most outstanding high school football senior was chosen exclusively by sports writers/editors of the Associated Press from 1986 to 2018 before the KFCA began choosing its own in 2019. The AP Mr. Football ceased after the 2021 season.
2025: Evan Hampton, Owensboro; 2024: Montavin Quisenberry, Boyle County; 2023: Daniel Thomas, Bell County; 2022: Travis Egan, Bullitt East; 2021: Isaac Dixon, Belfry*; 2020: Cam Hergott, Beechwood/Jager Burton, Frederick Douglass**.
2019: Michael Mayer, Covington Catholic.* 2018: Wan’Dale Robinson, Western Hills; 2017: D’mauriae VanCleave, Danville; 2016: Jamale Carothers, Bowling Green; 2015: Kash Daniel, Paintsville; 2014: Elijah Sindelar, Caldwell County; 2013: Nacarius Fant, Bowling Green; 2012: James Quick, Trinity; 2011: Patrick Towles, Highlands; 2010: Lamar Dawson, Boyle County.
2009: Antonio Andrews, Fort Campbell; 2008: Rolandan Finch, St. Xavier; 2007: Corey Robinson, Lone Oak; 2006: Douglas Beaumont, Male; 2005: Micah Johnson, Fort Campbell; 2004: Curtis Pulley, Hopkinsville; 2003: Brian Brohm, Trinity; 2002: Michael Bush, Male; 2001: Jeff Duggins, Boyle County; 2000: Montrell Jones, Male.
1999: Travis Atwell, Hancock County; 1998: Jared Lorenzen, Highlands; 1997: Dennis Johnson, Harrodsburg; 1996: Derek Homer, Fort Knox; 1995: Tim Couch, Leslie County; 1994: Shaun Alexander, Boone County; 1993: Jeremy Simpson, Lincoln County; 1992: Billy Jack Haskins, Paducah Tilghman; 1991: Scott Russell, Evarts; 1990: Damon Hood, Warren Central.
1989: Pookie Jones, Calloway County; 1988: Jeff Brohm, Trinity; 1987: Kurt Barber, Paducah Tilghman; 1986: Frank Jacobs, Newport Central Catholic.
*AP’s Mr. Football mirrored the KFCA’s in 2019 and 2021.
**Hergott was named KFCA winner but shared AP honors with Burton.
