HAMPTON — Hampton University’s 34-7 loss last Saturday to rival Howard stung more than most defeats. It wasn’t just the lopsided scoreboard in the “Battle of the Real HU”; it was also how little seemed to go right for the Pirates on either side of the ball.
But players and coaches emphasized this week that the football season is far from over. Hampton sits at 1-3, yet only one of those games has come in conference play. The team has kept games close in previous weeks, losing two contests in the fourth quarter or overtime, which gives them confidence they can compete. With seven more CAA matchups ahead, the Pirates still control their path.
“We’ve got plenty of time to buckle down,” head coach Trenton Boykin said. “There’s still time to turn this thing around, especially with the most important part of our schedule ahead of us. You get focused in on this week. You play one game at a time, and this Saturday is the next opportunity for us to work. All our eggs are in that basket — to be 1-0 this Saturday.”
Execution was a buzzword throughout the postgame and into this week’s practices. Two costly turnovers loomed large in the Howard loss: an interception in the red zone on a first-quarter drive after recovering a fumble, and a fourth-down sack early in the third that prevented Hampton from cutting into the deficit.
“When you get an opportunity, you got to take advantage of it,” Boykin said.
Accountability is another priority. Missed tackles and turnovers, Boykin said, are mistakes the Pirates cannot afford. Tough love and honest conversations are the tools the team is using to correct course.
“Over-communication, being honest with each other and telling each other how we feel, how we think we could fix it,” offensive lineman Omari Allen said when asked what is needed to right the ship. “It starts in the locker room. We got a common goal to win. So we’re just trying to figure out how we could win, how we could put it all together.”
That’s where Hampton hopes the loss to Howard becomes more of a reset than a defining moment. The Pirates return to conference play this week at Elon at 2 p.m. Saturday, eager to climb back into the win column.
“The message from the coaching staff is just next week is the best week,” defensive back Cam Sturdifen said. “Our mistakes from the previous game have to be corrected. Next week is the biggest game we can look forward to.”
