Spring game has Prunty feeling good about HU
Coach says it’s ‘by far’ the best team he’s had at school
HAMPTON — After rain pelted the Hampton Roads area all morning, the skies parted just in time for Hampton University to start its spring football game Saturday.
The Pirates essentially competed in an intrasquad scrimmage at Armstrong Stadium. The team was split into blue and white squads and ran several eight-play situational drives from various locations on the field.
While there’s still another five months before Hampton takes the field for a regular-season game, head coach Robert Prunty is pleased with the early returns.
“Very happy with the effort,” he said. “We got some things to clean up, just typical things. Gotta make sure we can maintain when you get tired that you stay with your fundamentals. The effort was great. … I like what we have. I think this is by far the best football team I have had at Hampton since I’ve been here.”
Prunty said he was happy with the work the Pirates were able to get in during the two-hour game and added that the team has developed a good culture this spring.
“I’m just happy to be able to get these many plays in and nobody get injured, and know that our guys are in good shape right now going into the spring,” Prunty said. “This is the first spring that I’ve been here where we’ve had the chance to go full gear. … This is by far the toughest camp I’ve had. My biggest thing going into camp was, and I told the players, ‘This is the year of discipline.’ “
Strong defensive showing
Hampton’s defense stole the show on Saturday and only allowed the offense to score four touchdowns.
“(Our) defense is young, but they’re talented, they’re gifted.
They’re big and athletic,” Prunty said.
One of the highlights was linebacker Ze’marion Harrell. The redshirt freshman was flying around the field and seemed to be involved with almost every play.
Harrell transferred from Coastal Carolina last year and totaled 32 tackles in 10 games for the Pirates.
“He’s learning to understand how to play now,” Prunty said. “He didn’t get to play much at Coastal Carolina, but you can clearly see he’s got some ability and that’s really exciting.”
No Burris, no problem
Hampton was without star running back Elijah Burris on Saturday. Prunty said Burris, whose 2023 season ended early due to injury, could have played, but the coaching staff opted to hold him out to take a look at the other running backs.
The Pirates primarily rotated Tymere Robinson, Vaughn Pemberton, Ja’Quan Snipes and Amaad Foston at the position.
“I thought the backs ran hard and I thought the offensive line blocked good,” Prunty said. “The running backs, you can clearly see how we could have a good running game, especially when we develop our passing game.”
Snipes made the most of his
snaps, scoring two touchdowns. One was a nearly 70-yard score and the other was from a few yards out.
Foston, a sophomore who transferred from Virginia, looked explosive in his snaps as well.
“I thought Amaad ran hard, Tymere ran hard, but Snipes was the one that surprised me,” Prunty said.
The other two TDs came through the air. Chris Zellous found Dorrian Moultrie on a 10-yard touchdown pass, and Malcolm Mays connected with Kevin Johnson for a roughly 60-yard scoring pass.
MVPs and moving forward
At first, Prunty opted not to choose a few MVPs of the spring game, saying it was too early to tell and that the whole team deserved it. Eventually, though, Prunty did name Snipes the offensive MVP and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Saint Farrior the defensive MVP.
Hampton still has four more spring practices left, and Prunty said the team will practice next week from Monday through Thursday before the Pirates break camp.