By Kendrick Marshall
HBCU Sports
https://hbcusports.com/
Hampton University didn’t waste much time finding its new football leader.
Just over two weeks after parting ways with Trent Boykin, the Pirates are turning to a seasoned Power Four coach — Van Malone of Kansas State.
Multiple reports indicate Malone, who served as the Wildcats’ assistant head coach, has been tapped to take over the program.
Malone brings plenty of experience and results to Hampton.
Over his seven seasons in Manhattan, he helped guide Kansas State’s defense to national respectability, coordinating the defensive passing game and shaping a relentless secondary.
Under his watch, the Wildcats produced seven All-Big 12 cornerbacks and notched three nine-win seasons in the past four years.
K-State’s defense consistently ranked among the country’s best, allowing just 21.8 points per game over that same stretch — good for a top-25 national standing.
At 55, Malone isn’t new to success on the field. A former standout at Texas, he earned All-American honors and lettered all four years as a Longhorn before beginning his coaching journey after a three-year stint in the NFL.
He had previous coaching stops at North Dakota State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State.
Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.
