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With zero victories in five previous visits to Armstrong Stadium since 1997, South Carolina State has found Hampton University's home field rather inhospitable over the years.
For Bulldog sophomore right defensive end Markus James, Saturday's game against Hampton University is just as much of a "Homecoming" for him as the host team. Growing up less than 10 minutes from the campus and a former two-sport letterman at Bethel High School, James will have sizable fan support amid a sea of hostile Pirate fans in the stands.
"About 40 family members are coming to the game," he said. "Pretty much, everybody that's supported me is headed to the game."
Many of those same supporters made the trip across the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel to Norfolk State two weeks ago when James and the Bulldogs played at Dick Price Stadium. He had just three tackles in the 20-13 double-overtime loss to the Spartans and is focused on helping SCSU produce a different outcome in the Tidewater Area.
"I just want to play hard this time around and play smarter because we went to Norfolk, underestimated them...and we know Hampton is going to be ready," James said. "We have to come with our 'A' game.
The 6-3, 235-pound James played tight end and defensive end at a high school which produced NBA superstar Allen Iverson, former Chicago Bear wide receiver and Super Bowl champion Shaun Gayle and Atlanta Falcons' defensive back Jimmy Williams. Despite earning All-District honors, James received little interest from the hometown university.
After a stint at Fork Union Military, James found an interested party in SCSU thanks to the efforts of family friend who brought him to the attention of the Bulldogs' coaching staff.
"I guess I wasn't what they were looking for in their recruiting process," said James about Hampton. "I'm just fortunate that the coaches here at South Carolina State welcomed me into the program."
James had 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery in his first season last year with the Bulldogs. Ironically, James' first career start came against the Spartans and he was considered one of the team's leading returning pass rushers.
Through six games, James leads the team in pass breakups, has already matched his season total from last season and is part of a defensive line which has held MEAC opponents to a conference-low 88.3 rushing yards. Overlooked in the team's offensive explosion against Florida A&M was the defense which limited one of the conference's leading rushers, Philip Sylvester, to just 31 yards.
James credits the influence of new defensive coordinator John Hendrick, who along with the assistant coaches, have constantly emphasized playing smart, playing focused and not making mistakes.
"(Coach) Hendrick has brought a new passion to the defense," he said. "He's set a flame under us. He's just always pressing us to be better than what we are, to always get better."
While James is the lone Hampton native on the roster, the Pirates have seven players with Palmetto State ties. Pirates' head coach Joe Taylor has called South Carolina a "rich area" for football talent, having snagged such standout players as linebacker Justin Durant (Jacksonville Jaguars), lineman Isaac Hilton and Paul White and quarterback Princeton Shepherd.
The latest South Carolinian to apparently catch Taylor's interest is Orangeburg-Wilkinson outside linebacker Sterling Lucas. Bruins' head coach Reggie Kennedy told South Carolina recruiting guru Phil Kornblut the Pirates, along with SCSU, Howard and Michigan State has expressed interest in the 6-1, 190-pound senior.
Harrison leads O-W with 122 tackles and is coming off a 20-tackle effort against Goose Creek.
James insists he has nothing to prove to the Hampton coaching staff and is just happy to be in college and playing football.
"It's really a blessing just to go and play in front of my family, friends, old high school teammates and old high school opponents," he said.
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.
HOUSE OF HORRORS
SCSU is 0-5 lifetime at Armstrong Stadium, the site of Saturday's game against Hampton
1997 - Hampton 20, SCSU 14 (OT)
1999 - Hampton 39, SCSU 27
2001 - Hampton 28, SCSU 17
2003 - Hampton 32, SCSU 12
2005 - Hampton 14, SCSU 10
PALMETTO STATE TIES
Hampton University has seven players on its roster from the State of South Carolina:
Defensive Back Sam Pope - St. Helena's Island (Beaufort High School/University of South Carolina)
Strong Safety Tyler Bailey - Irmo (Hammond School)
Defensive Linemen Deandre Herrings - Columbia
Offensive tackle Akeem Lamar - Charleston (West Ashley High School)
Offensive lineman Jobie Dowling - Columbia (Columbia High School)
Offensive lineman Ryan Cave - Beaufort (Beaufort High School)
Wide receiver Justin Brown - Surfside Beach