WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Hampton University football team will compete in the AT&T Nation's Football Classic on Friday evening at historic RFK Stadium, taking on rival Howard to open MEAC play. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats: Click here.
Radio: WHOV 88.1 FM/HSRN.
TV: ESPNU.
Last Time Out: The Pirates (1-1), in their second season under head coach Connell Maynor, are coming off a 31-28 loss to Richmond despite three touchdown passes from quarterback David Watford, while the Bison (0-2) are coming off a 76-0 loss this past weekend at Boston College.
Coach Speak: "(The Richmond game) was a test to let us know where we were, where we stack up against FCS opponents, and we know we can play with anybody. (Being on national TV) means a lot. It means a lot of exposure for our conference and our program – for our players to represent Hampton University and the MEAC at a high level."
Coach Maynor on Howard: "They're not gonna quit. They play hard. They've been over-matched the first two games (against FBS programs Appalachian State and Boston College). But they've beat us the last four years, so they have confidence playing against us. We expect them to come out hard, ready to play, and expecting to win."
The Series: The Pirates are 47-43-1 all-time against Howard, though the Bison have won each of the last four meetings – including a 30-29 defeat in Washington, D.C. last season. Prior to Howard four-game winning streak in the series, the Pirates had won 14 straight games against the Bison. Overall, the Pirates are 4-2 against Howard on a neutral field.
Pirates on Neutral Fields: Hampton last played on a neutral field in 2011, opening that season in Chicago, Ill. with a 21-20 win over Alabama A&M. Prior to that, the Pirates' last neutral-field game came in the 2008 MEAC'SWAC Challenge, when Hampton defeated Jackson State 17-13 in Orlando, Fla. Dating back to 2003, the Pirates have won their last nine neutral-field contests.
Pirates Against the MEAC: The Pirates are 200-175-6 all-time against schools currently competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) after going 2-6 in league play last season – boasting wins over Delaware State and Bethune-Cookman. Hampton is 10-10 against Bethune-Cookman; 26-14 against Delaware State; 8-13 against Florida A&M; 47-43-1 against Howard; 24-37-2 against Morgan State; 25-26-1 against Norfolk State; 26-16-2 against North Carolina A&T; 18-7 against North Carolina Central; 5-0 against Savannah State; and 11-8 against South Carolina State. Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates have won the conference championship five times, including three straight in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Pirates Picked to Finish Sixth: The MEAC preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, picked the Pirates to finish sixth this season. In addition, the Pirates landed eight players on the conference's preseason teams, headlined Mixson, defensive lineman Miles Grooms, linebacker Joshua Thorne, and punter Christian Faber-Kinney – all of whom were First Team selections. Four Pirates were named Preseason Second Team All-MEAC: offensive lineman Michael Young, defensive lineman Charles Owens, wideout Rashawn Proctor, and offensive lineman Torrian White.
Counting To 1,000: This Friday's game against rival Howard will be the 1,000th in the history of Hampton University football. Heading into Friday's game, the Pirates are 549-416-34 all-time (a .550 winning percentage).
Quarterback Returns Home: For Watford, who transferred to the Pirates from the University of Virginia, Hampton is home. Watford played his high school football at nearby Hampton High, totaling over 3,000 yards as a senior en route to All-District and All-Region honors. He did not throw an interception that season, guiding the Crabbers to an 11-2 record – the only losses coming to eventual state champion Phoebus. In 2012 with U.Va., Watford set a school record with 244 completions, and against Georgia Tech, he completed a school-record 43 passes for a career-high 376 yards. In his Pirates debut against Kentucky State, Watford threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns – four of which went to T.J. Mixson. He also threw three touchdowns this past Saturday against Richmond, and through two weeks, Watford leads the MEAC in passing (292.0 yards per game) and total offense (311.0 yards per game).
Mixson Leading Pirates Receivers: Mixson was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season and was on the conference preseason First Team. In 2014, Mixson led the team and the MEAC in receiving, averaging 68.3 yards per contest. He caught 5.6 passes per game, and Mixson had a team-high 615 receiving yards on the season with six touchdowns. He opened the 2015 season in style against Kentucky State, catching seven passes for a career-high 135 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 93 yards and a score against Richmond, while also throwing a touchdown pass. Through two weeks, Mixson leads the MEAC in receptions (6.0 per game), receiving yards (114.0 per game), scoring (15.0 ppg), and all-purpose yards (114.0 per game).
At or Near the Top of the Pile: Through the first two weeks of the regular season, the Pirates are at the top or near the top of the MEAC in several statistical categories. Hampton leads the conference in total offense, averaging 373.5 yards per game, while the Pirates' 297.0 passing yards per contest are also a MEAC best. Hampton's defense also has a MEAC-best eight sacks through two games, while the offense has yet to give up a sack (the only team in the MEAC to boast that). The Pirates are second in the MEAC in scoring defense, giving up 25.5 points a game, while their 31.5 points per game on offense are the third-most in the conference. Hampton is second in the MEAC in rushing defense (146.5 ypg) and third in total defense (364.5 ypg), and the Pirates also rank second in the MEAC in both pass efficiency and pass defense efficiency. The Pirates rank third in the MEAC in interceptions on defense, and their offense is second-best in the MEAC in terms of third-down conversions (55.6 percent).
Grooms a Force on the Line: Grooms was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into 2015, after being named Third Team All-MEAC in 2014. He was sixth on the team with 52 total tackles in 2014, while also ranking second on the team in tackles for loss (13.0) and third in sacks (5.0). His 10 quarterback hurries were a team high, and Grooms also forced a pair of fumbles last season. In Saturday's opener against Kentucky State, Grooms had four quarterback hurries, seven tackles, and 1.5 sacks. After two weeks of play, Grooms is tied for the MEAC lead in sacks.
Thorne a Tackling Machine: Thorne had 113 total tackles last season, leading both the team and the MEAC while recording 100 tackles for the second straight season. Thorne was a Second Team All-MEAC selection in 2014, and he also led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss – while his 5.5 sacks tied for the team lead. Thorne averaged 5.5 tackles per contest, and twice last season he racked up a career-high 19 tackles: at Delaware State and at North Carolina Central. He also had three sacks and six tackles for loss in Hampton's shutout win over the Hornets. Thorne was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection leading into the 2015 season.
Faber-Kinney One to Watch Out For: After being named Second Team All-MEAC in 2013, Faber-Kinney was a First Team All-MEAC selection last season. He led the conference in punting in 2014, averaging 42.9 yards per kick and recording 14 punts of at least 50 yards. The VaSID Second Team All-State selection pinned 10 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and he had a career-long 72-yard punt at Delaware State. Faber-Kinney, who was also a Third Team All-MEAC honoree in the indoor heptathlon and outdoor decathlon, was a Preseason First Team All-MEAC selection coming into the 2015 campaign.
Coaching Staff Changes: Michael Ketchum is but one of the new faces roaming the Pirates sideline this season, coming over from Delaware State to serve as defensive coordinator. Tremayne Henry, who served as defensive coordinator for part of last season, will coach the defensive line in 2015. Marc Bacote also joined the staff, where he will serve as safeties coach, and Bryant Foster has come on board to serve as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Former Pirate Marcus Wade has also joined head coach Connell Maynor's staff, serving as a graduate assistant.
Pirates Wideouts Standing Out: Mixson received all of the accolades, but the Pirates receiving corps boasted two other high-caliber threats on the outside. In fact, two Pirate receivers ranked in the top 10 in the conference in receptions per game last season; Rayshad Riddick was tied for fourth in the MEAC with 4.2 catches per game, while Proctor was sixth in the MEAC with 4.1 catches per contest. Proctor is also seventh in the MEAC in receiving yards, averaging 50.0 per game. So far this season, Proctor is tied for third in the MEAC in receptions (4.5 per game), while also ranking fourth in receiving yards (67.5 per game). Leon Shorter is fifth in the MEAC with 60.5 receiving yards per game.
COURTESY HAMPTON UNIVERSITY PIRATES SPORTS INFORMATION
No comments:
Post a Comment