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Hampton University: 2007 Year-In-Review

By Maurice D. Williams

The Hampton University Pirates had a successful 2007 season, as then-head coach Joe Taylor led the Pirates to the their 15th winning season in his 16 seasons as head coach. Hampton finished with a 6-5 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the MEAC.

Hampton opened the season on a three-game winning streak. The Pirates defeated Howard 31-24 in the battle of “the Real HU,” scored 59 points on their way to a 59-14 pouncing of North Carolina A&T and defeated Morgan State 24-17 in overtime in the Pirates’ home opener on ESPNU.

Hampton would then stumble against Delaware State, falling 24-17, but the team rebounded to pick up a 48-27 victory over Princeton. It was only the second time an HBCU played an Ivy League member, and Hampton’s win marked the first time a historically black institution beat an Ivy League school.

The Pirates went on to lose their next three games by a combined total of six points. In those three contests, the Pirates fell 20-19 to both Norfolk State in the Battle of the Bay and Winston Salem State.

Hampton lost its first homecoming game in over six years to South Carolina State, 28-24.

But the Pirates bounced back to defeat Bethune-Cookman (31-24) and Florida A&M (30-15) before losing their season finale to Southern-Illinois, 45-27.

Pirates WR Jeremy Gilchrist

On the receiving end for the Pirates was junior Jeremy Gilchrist, who set a new single-season record for the most receptions (69), reception yardage (1,043), and the longest punt return (89). Gilchrist is the first receiver in Hampton University history to record over 1,000 yards receiving and his seven touchdowns were the ninth-most in a single season in school history.

Defensively, Hampton was led by their three senior linemen: Kendall Langford, Marcus Dixon and Vernon Bryant, who combined for 177 tackles and 34 tackles for a loss of 159-yards on the season. Defensive backs Sam Pope, Jackie Bates, and Tobin Lyons locked down the secondary for the Pirates, as they combined for nine interceptions. Five of the nine belonged to Pope, who returned them for 128 yards and a touchdown. In the middle for the Pirates was junior Wakeem Goode, who recorded 52 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss.

2008 Season Outlook

• Click here to see Hampton’s ’08 schedule
• Click here to see Hampton’s ’08 roster

For the first time in 16 years, the Pirates will be heading into the season without head coach Joseph Taylor walking the sidelines. Taylor, the winningest coach in Hampton football history, guided the Pirates to four Black College National Championships, eight MEAC championships, a Heritage Bowl Championship, and seven trips to the NCAA playoffs. (Taylor finished his career at Hampton with a mark of 135-50-1.)

Now under the direction of new head coach Jerry Holmes, the Pirates are looking to pick up where they left off. Holmes is no stranger to the Pirates staff, having served as the defensive coordinator for the past three seasons; before that, he was linebackers’ coach and co-defensive coordinator for the Pirates.

Mitchell returns as the Pirates’ starting quarterback, and with have his go-to receiver, Jeremy Gilchrist, back as well as junior Kevin Teel, who caught 33 passes for 433 yards and four TDs last season.

Also coming back for the Pirates are power back Van Morgan, who rushed for 529 yards with five touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 65 yards and a score.

With the experience of Sam Pope, Wakeem Goode and Jackie Bates, the Pirates look to be solid on the defensive front, and with the addition of a few new defensive linemen, the Pirates will once again be the Pirates of old.

EXTRA POINTS:

• Hampton will play three non-conference games during the 2008 season. The Pirates will open the season on Aug. 31 with the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando, Fla., facing Jackson State University. The Pirates leads the series 2-0 again the Tigers. The contest will be the first game for both teams and both will be integrating new players into their systems.

• Hampton will face Southern Illinois University on Sept. 6. On Sept. 13, Hampton will face Howard in the Bisons’ 2008 season-opener in the “Battle of the Real HU.” The Pirates will remain at home, as they host the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University.

• The Pirates will open October on the road against the 2007 MEAC Champion Delaware State Hornets, squaring off Oct. 3 in Dover, Del. The Pirates will return home Oct. 10 for the State Farm Battle of the Bay against the Norfolk State University Spartans. Hampton then will head south to see the Bulldogs of South Carolina State on Oct. 25.

• The Pirates will be on a two-game home stand against the Rams of WSSU for Homecoming on Nov. 1 and then on Nov. 8, they will host the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman University.

• The Pirates will finish their season on the road as they first travel to Florida A&M to see a familiar face in former head coach Joe Taylor and the Rattlers on Nov. 15. Hampton will close out the season at Morgan State on Nov. 22, the first time the Pirates have played at Morgan State since 2002.

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