HU HOPES WIN RANKS UP THERE

Defense keys Hampton University's rout of Western Illinois that might vault the Pirates into the top 25.

Date: September 19 2004
Source: Daily Press
Marty O'Brien
2003-2004 Press Releases

HAMPTON -- Hampton University's football team is for real and on its way into the national top 25. The Pirates virtually guaranteed themselves a place this week among the elite of Division I-AA with a 40-20 non-conference victory Saturday over No. 15 Western Illinois.

After strong performances by the offense and special teams in Hampton's season-opening victories the previous two weeks, only the defense was still a question mark. No longer.

Hampton's defense forced six turnovers, four fumbles and two interceptions, to put its fingerprints on the majority of the 40 points. Middle linebacker Justin Durant and strong safety Dirul Diabb were the standouts on the Pirates' star-studded defense.

Durant made a game-high 15 tackles and broke up four passes. Diaab added 11 tackles, returned a fumble for a touchdown, tipped a pass the Pirates intercepted and forced a fumble deep in HU territory to end a Western Illinois drive.

The usual suspects starred at the skill positions. Alonzo Coleman rushed for 88 yards and scored three touchdowns after sitting out the first quarter with a tender groin. Jerome Mathis caught a touchdown pass and had a kickoff return touchdown for the second consecutive week.

Mathis's 99-yard return gave the Pirates the lead for good, seconds after Justin Langan put Western Illinois ahead 3-0 with a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter. The Leathernecks (1-2) got into scoring position by recovering a fumbled punt at the Hampton 18. But Durant batted down a pass by quarterback Adam Smith to force the field goal attempt.

"I have to make sure the number three receiver doesn't get inside of me," Durant said of his success at breaking up passes. "So I dropped back and kept my head on a swivel and watched the quarterback because he was looking into the receiver's eyes most of the time."

Defensive end James Abrams made the next big defensive play for Hampton, sacking Smith for a 12-yard loss to force a punt. Two plays later, Mathis beat double-coverage to score on a 60-yard bomb from Princeton Shepherd to stretch the lead to 14-3 early in the second quarter.

Later in the second quarter, Diaab tipped Steve LaFalce's pass into the hands of cornerback Calvin Bannister. Bannister returned the pick 40 yards to set up Coleman's 5-yard TD run that made it 21-3 with 11 minutes, 25 seconds left in the first half.

It would get worse for Western Illinois late in the first half. Reserve defensive end Joey Drayton stripped WIU running back Attley Lawson of the ball, and Diaab returned the fumble 52 yards for a touchdown.

"Traditionally, we don't turn the ball over a lot, but today we did," Leathernecks coach Dan Patterson said. "They have excellent quickness, and it showed in their pursuit of the ball."

The Pirates continued to excel on defense to the start the second half, when they turned the game into a rout. Abrams sacked Smith again to force a punt. When the snap went awry, Henti Baird tackled WIU punter Kris Coffee at the Leathernecks' 26.

Shepherd was sacked on first down for a 12-yard loss. He was under heavy pressure on second down but found Coleman wide-open in the flat for a 38-yard touchdown pass. Stunningly, the Pirates, 0-3 against ranked teams last year, were ahead 33-3.

The rest of the second half, played in the rain and wind at HU's Armstrong Stadium, was a formality.

"This is a big win," Diaab said. "It's a stepping stone to other endeavors. There are other tests ahead of us, and we're still working to get better."

HAMPTON 40, WESTERN ILLINOIS 20

W. Illinois 3 0 10 7 - 20

Hampton 7 20 6 7 - 40

First Quarter

WI-FG Langan 27, 2:41.

HU-Mathis 99 kickoff return (Muro kick), 2:27.

Second Quarter

HU-Mathis 60 pass from Shepherd (Muro kick), 12:44.

HU-Coleman 5 run (Muro kick), 11:25.

HU-Diaab 52 fumble recovery (kick failed), 5:29.

Third Quarter

HU-Coleman 38 pass from Shepherd (kick failed), 11:57.

WI-Glasford 11 run (Langan kick), 7:18.

WI-FG Langan 37, 5:25.

Fourth Quarter

HU-Coleman 2 run (Peterini kick), 10:00.

WI-Thomas 64 pass from Smith (Langan kick), 8:31.

A-1,705.

WI HU

First downs 16 15

Rushes-yards 41-82 47-155

Passing 219 150

Comp-Att-Int 17-39-2 9-17-2

Return Yards 55 116

Punts-Avg. 6-36 5-34

Fumbles-Lost 7-4 4-2

Penalties-Yards 5-21 8-47

Time of Possession 31:30 28:30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING - W.Illinois, Glasford 26-98, Coffee 1-9, Douglas 2-8, Rivers 2-3, Yellin 1-2, Lawson 2-(minus 4), LaFalce 2-(minus 6), Smith 5-(minus 28). Hampton, Coleman 18-88, Daniels 21-63, Mathis 1-16, Shepherd 4-0, Team 2-(minus 1), Muro 1-(minus 11).

PASSING - W.Illinois, Smith 15-34-1-213, LaFalce 2-4-1-6, Norris 0-1-0-0. Hampton, Shepherd 9-17-2-150.

RECEIVING - W.Illinois, Glasford 7-73, Gray 3-28, Moore 3-28, Norris 2-16, Thomas 1-64, Gant 1-10. Hampton, Mathis 2-68, Hardy 2-20, McDaniel 2-13, Coleman 1-38, Faulkner 1-6, Lewis 1-5.