Head Coach: Robert Prunty
2017 Record: 6-5
Conference: Independent (transitioning to the Big South)
2018 marks a historic season for the Hampton Pirates. In November, Athletic Director, Eugene Marshall announced that the school was leaving the HBCU conference, MEAC, to join the Big South Conference. Four days after that announcement, Connell Maynor resigned as head coach of the Pirates; a decision that was mutual. Transitioning from the MEAC to the Big South will make things difficult, particularly because Hampton has to spend 2018 as an independent but that transition will be even tougher with a new coach.
To fill the absence, Eugene Marshall turned to Robert Prunty, who served as the defensive coordinator for East Carolina last year. Normally, hiring a coach from an FBS program would be encouraging, but East Carolina ranked 130th in scoring defense last year. Yes, that's last in all of FBS, allowing an average of 46 points per game. Marshall takes over a program only returning 12 starters, but this is a very workable schedule which gives him a unique opportunity.
Key Losses from 2017:
RB - Yahkee Johnson
Yes, Virginia Tech transfer Shai Mckenzie will help in the backfield, but Johnson has led the team in rushing yards for the past two years and contributed in the passing game. He ended his career with a day that Pirate fans won't soon forget. 144 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD's, and a reception for 33 yards, Yahkee led Hampton to a 20-17 win over rival, Howard.
LB - Raheim Huskey
After transferring from Marshall, Raheim established himself as one of the best defensive players in the MEAC. In 2017, he broke a single season record for Hampton with 101 tackles. He added three interceptions and 5 pass deflections on the year. His performance was strong enough to earn a selection to the 2nd team All-MEAC. While he didn't really influence the pass-rush any, his ability to stop big plays and stop opposing running backs will be missed.
DL - Owen Obasuyi
The Pirates defense ranked 30th in FCS last year in passing yards allowed, with just 188 yards allowed per game. A major contribution to that pass defense was Owen Obasuyi. Owen led the Pirates in sacks with 7 and helped defend the run with 45 tackles. His career impressed scouts and he eventually signed an un-drafted contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
Key Returnees from 2017:
WR - Ronald Bell
Perhaps the most consistent player on the Pirates roster last year was receiver, Ronald Bell. He led the team with 60 receptions. For a comparison, second on the team was Aulden Knight who had just 28 catches. His break out game came against Monmouth, where he had 13 receptions, 140 yards and 2 TD's. Whenever a team brings in a new coach, consistency becomes incredibly valuable, and Bell will be a key player for this squad.
OL - Malik Mackey
If this offense is to improve from last year, it starts on the offensive line. Malik Mackey proved himself through all of last year and made third-team ALL-MEAC as a sophomore. Keep in mind that QB Delmon Williams averaged 10 rushing attempts per game in 2017. With this dual-threat offense, having an experienced lineman like Mackey will go a long way.
RB - Shai McKenzie
When McKenzie signed with the Virginia Tech Hokies in 2015, many fans had high hopes that he could return the Hokies' running game to the top of FBS. A short jail sentence kept him off the field for a while though and he transferred to Hampton last summer. His 2017 campaign was filled with ups and downs, but he certainly proved his value by rushing for 489 yards on 112 attempts while adding 3 TD's. At just over 4 yards per carry, he was incredibly consistent last fall. With Yahkee Johnson graduating, the Pirates will look to McKenzie to carry the offense moving forward.
2018 Schedule:
September 1, vs Shaw
September 8, @ Monmouth
September 15, vs Tennessee State
September 22, @ Northern Iowa
September 29, vs Charleston Southern
October 6, vs Lane
October 13, @ Presbyterian
October 27, vs Virginia University of Lynchburg
November 3, @ SUNY - Maritime
November 10, @ Mississippi Valley State
November 17, vs Saint Andrews
Schedule Notes:
5 non-division one programs make this schedule very easy. But, three of their first four games feature competitive programs. Monmouth reached the FCS playoffs last season and finished the year with a respectable 9-4 record. Northern Iowa finished 8-4 and reached the second round of the FCS Playoffs. And while Tennessee State missed the playoffs, they beat FBS foe, Georgia State, and finished 2017 with a 6-5 record. There is a very good chance Hampton starts off the year 1-3, only to come home and face a pesky Charleston Southern squad. If Robert Prunty can't guide the Pirates to that win on September 29th, Hampton fans could get antsy. On the other hand, if they can pull off an early season upset, the schedule is really workable after that match with CSU. Even with a potentially rough start, Hampton should still win 6-7 games.
Offensive Outlook:
Head Coach Robert Prunty has plenty of work to do this year, but the biggest question mark will be on the offensive side of the ball. Last year, Hampton ranked 76th in FCS in scoring offense, averaging just 21 points per game. Prunty brings back a familiar face at Offensive Coordinator, with the hiring of Duane Taylor. Previously, Taylor served as the receivers and quarterbacks coach with the Pirates. He spent last year at Fayeteville State, where the Broncos ranked 123rd offensively at the division 2 level. Despite losing Yahkee Johnson, the Pirates do return 7 starters on offense and Shai Mckenzie takes over at RB. While there has been so much turnover with the staff, this experience will help.
Defensive Outlook:
Defense carried Hampton last year to 6 wins, while ranking 27th nationally in yards and 30th nationally against the pass. Robert Prunty brings with him plenty of defensive experience but really has yet to prove that success. As the coordinator at East Carolina last year, the Pirates ranked last in scoring defense in all of FBS. It should be noted that those Pirates were young, and have been on a down swing the past couple of years. These Pirates have experience, have a history of winning games but only return 5 starters from last year's squad.
Prediction:
Few expected Connell Maynor would step down back in the winter. When you consider all of the changes happening on campus, it's possible that the decision to hire Prunty was rushed. However, while it's easy to look at Prunty's year at ECU and be concerned, it should also be noted that he wasn't hired to be the defensive coordinator. He was hired as a defensive line coach and was promoted to coordinator just a few weeks into the season. So, he really didn't have time to implement any sort of system. A relatively easy schedule should produce a number of wins, but the success of this season will be determined by the key games in weeks 2-4. If they can win just one of those games, this has the potential to be a solid season for the Pirates as they transition to a new chapter.
Schedule Breakdown:
September 1, vs Shaw - Win
September 8, @ Monmouth - Loss
September 15, vs Tennessee State - Win
September 22, @ Northern Iowa - Loss
September 29, vs Charleston Southern -Loss
October 6, vs Lane - Win
October 13, @ Presbyterian - Win
October 27, vs Virginia University of Lynchburg - Win
November 3, @ SUNY - Maritime - Win
November 10, @ Mississippi Valley State - Loss
November 17, vs Saint Andrews - Win
Record: 7-4
