On Tuesday Hampton announced that Head Football Coach Robert Prunty had been given his walking papers after 5 seasons as head coach. Prunty finished his Hampton tenure with a record of 26-29 and 8-21 in conference play which stretches from The Big South to the CAA. The timing of the move has been questioned by many with the 2024 a little over four months away and the NCAA transfer portal window almost closed. With Prunty out, Trenton Boykin takes over as interim head coach for the 2024 season. Boykin was once Head Coach at Lane College from 2008-2009 where he had an unimpressive record of 4-17 including a 0-10 record during his final season leading the Dragons.
Hampton was once a proud football program and arguably the best football program in HBCU football under Joe Taylor. The Pirates finished ranked in the top 15 five times under Taylor including three straight top 12 finishes from 2004-2006. Joe Taylor led the Pirates from 1992-2007 and compiled a record of 136-49-1. Taylor also won 5 Black College Football National Titles at Hampton and 6 MEAC Titles. Since Taylor, Hampton's football program has declined dramatically. The Pirates haven't won a conference title since 2006 and since Taylor's departure in 2007 Hampton has a record of 77-89. Hampton has only finished above .500 six times since 2008 including a 7-3 season in 2018 which was Robert Prunty's first season as head coach. But during that 7-3 season Hampton only 2 of Hampton's 7 wins came against D1 opponents while the other five wins came against NAIA, Division II and Division III opponents. The Hampton today is a far cry from the program that sent 5 prospects to the NFL combine in February of 2007.
So what's next for the Pirates? The 2024 season will probably be another tough one for the Pirates, which means that a coaching search more than likely be occurring later on this year. This next hire is very critical for the Pirates and could ultimately decide if the Bully that Joe Taylor built can be resuscitated or has that ship sailed? Whoever is selected will have to create a winning environment starting in the locker room. Hampton has only finished higher than fourth in the conference standings once since 2008. The kids being recruited today were just being born the last time Hampton won a conference title and weren't around the last time Hampton was dominant and a wrong move could potentially mean that the return to dominance for Hampton still may be decades away.
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