Contrary to the CAA preseason poll, the Hampton Pirates believe they are on the cusp of a breakout season.
Coach Trenton Boykin highlighted the team’s grit that kept the Pirates in multiple one-score games in 2024.
“Each game, we focused in and locked in. Our guys did a great job of fighting… you’re always trying to find a way to get over that hump. Our team stuck together in tough times, both during the season and through the winter and spring,” he said at CAA Media Day.
This offseason, Boykin’s message has been about “doing hard things together,” driving home a sense of unity and resilience.
Ja’Quan Snipes, who rushed for 531 yards and six touchdowns in 2024, described his personal goals: “Developing into that starter role, playing a full season, and being a brute force for my team… Training’s gone well through the summer and spring, and I’m just ready.”
Defensive back Cam Sturdifen echoed these sentiments, focusing on staying healthy and stepping up as a leader in the defensive unit.
“We’re here to win games. We have to be more disciplined—these are close games, often decided by one play or one missed assignment,” he said.
Both players reflected on last year’s challenges, acknowledging a season that started strong but faltered down the stretch. “Those four games, it was more so one play away,” said Snipes. “Now we know what we have to do.”
Sturdifen added that this year’s off-season training has been about “getting over the hump and finishing games strong by focusing on the little things.”
Pirates 2025 schedule filled with HBCUs
The 2025 schedule features an unusual slate: no FBS opponents, but five games against fellow HBCUs—something Boykin insists was not a strategic move but a product of scheduling that occurs years in advance: “It just happened to be that way… it wasn’t by design.
Ranked 11th in the CAA preseason poll, the Pirates are using the perceived slight as motivation. “We know what the conference thinks of us… we just take that as motivation,” said Snipes.
Asked what he would say to doubters, he responded, “Just watch. The proof is in the pudding. We’re going to work hard, and the results will come.”
Position battles remain a key storyline as fall camp approaches, especially at quarterback. Boykin indicated a competitive camp ahead with four quarterbacks in the mix, and praised the depth and experience of his wide receivers and offensive line: “Wide receiver is probably the most advanced group. With our running back position, that group is going to be competitive. I’ll be excited to see who rises to the top.”
For now, the goal is simple. As Coach Boykin put it: “We want to go out there, execute, and be 1-0 on Saturday. If we do that, we’ll reach the goals we’re after.”
