HAMPTON ATHLETICS

The Hampton Pirates, who skipped the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns, open the 2021 campaign Sept. 4 against Virginia Union. The Pirates were picked to finish seventh in preseason Big South Conference polling of league coaches.

Labor Day weekend signals the start of college football.

Hampton, which opens the season on Sept. 4 against former CIAA rival Virginia Union, were picked to finish seventh in the Big South Conference, opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything football related over the last year took place virtually.

“A pandemic causes one of two things to a team, either you are going to get closer, or you are going to get further apart,” coach Robert Prunty said. “We got closer. That was the positive coming out of it.”

Prunty is focused on how the Pirates will respond to being on campus academically, as well as competing in a regular season after over a year without a traditional football season. As they prepare for the season opener, the approach is one day at a time.

“We have to work our way to being in great shape,” Prunty said. “When you are off for 15 months without anything organized, as far as strength and conditioning program, you have to take your time as far as getting the players in shape.”

Roster changes
Twelve starters return for Hampton – five on offense, four on defense and three on special teams. The Pirates lost 15 starters, including quarterback Deondre Francois, a Florida State graduate transfer who threw a school-record 26 touchdowns in 2019, his only season with the program. The Pirates went 5-7.

“Success for me is success for the team, because we all have the same goal – competing for a championship, but at the same time, we’re just looking forward to the season,” junior wide receiver Jadakis Bonds said. “We’re just trying to stay humble, control what we can control and everything else will fall into place.”

Bonds, a key returning player, played in 12 games in 2019. He ranked second nationally in touchdown receptions (15) and earned first team All-Big South. Overall, he had 70 receptions for 944 yards.

“Our main focus is just trying to stay humble,” Bonds said. “Trying to control what you can control. We’ve just been hitting the field. There is nothing like being around a bunch of brothers that love the game of football as much as we love the game.”

Familiar face in a new league
North Carolina A&T is the second historically Black college to join the Big South, joining Hampton, which left the MEAC in 2018. The Aggies, who are in their first Big South season, were picked to finish third. The Pirates host the Aggies on Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.

“I’m excited about A&T,” Prunty said. “A&T is a premier program. Sam Washington is an outstanding coach. They’ve got great players. A&T’s fan base is great. The administration is great. It’s a big win for the Big South.”

Said Bonds: “It’s going to be a great experience. We are the only two HBCU teams in the Big South. We know the history [A&T] has and the type of game of love they bring to the game. It is going to be a really great experience facing up against them.”

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