Lord Botetourt graduate A.J. Hampton announced on Twitter that he has been hired as VMI’s receivers coach.
Hampton had been serving as a graduate assistant at Virginia Tech since last spring, working with the defensive backs.
He was the passing game coordinator at NCAA Division II member West Virginia State in the 2021 season.
The former receiver began his college playing career at Mount Union before transferring to Emory & Henry.
He earned his master’s degree from Florida State. As a student assistant at FSU, he helped coach the tight ends and receivers.
Hampton will now be on the staff of new VMI head coach Danny Rocco. The rest of the staff includes 2022 holdovers Patrick Ashford (offensive coordinator), Bill Parker, Chris Moore, Jack Abercrombie, Greg Wood and J.B. Lageman and newcomers Rich Yahner (defensive coordinator), Bryan Stinespring and Pat Brown.
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Bilal Marshall, who was VMI’s receivers coach last year under then-coach Scott Wachenheim, is now the receivers coach at West Virginia. Nick Reveiz, who was VMI’s defensive coordinator last season, is now the defensive coordinator at Charleston Southern. Dino Waites, who was the safeties coach last year, is now the cornerbacks coach at Liberty.
In other VMI football news, the school has announced the 2023 schedule.
VMI will visit North Carolina State on Sept. 16. It will be the teams’ first meeting since 1946.
The Keydets will host 2022 FCS playoff participant Davidson on Sept. 2 to open the season. Davidson, which is steered by former Washington and Lee coach Scott Abell, lost to VMI in 2021.
VMI will visit Bucknell on Sept. 9. VMI won last year’s meeting.
In Southern Conference play, VMI will host Wofford, Samford, Chattanooga and Western Carolina and will visit Mercer, The Citadel, East Tennessee State and Furman.
— Mark Berman
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Players earn all-state honorsRoanoke Catholic graduate and James Madison defensive lineman James Carpenter has been named to the state Division I all-state first team by the sports information directors of Virginia colleges.
The first team also included VMI’s Stone Snyder and Virginia’s Nick Jackson, Fentrell Cypress, Anthony Johnson, Jonas Sanker and Daniel Sparks. Former VMI players Reece Udinski (Richmond) and Kris Thornton (JMU) also made the first team. So did Ali Jennings, who is transferring from Old Dominion to Virginia Tech.
The second team included Virginia Tech’s Silas Dzansi and Kaden Moore; UVa’s Chico Bennett and Demick Starling; and VMI’s Alex Oliver and Robert Soderholm. Former VMI receiver Jakob Herres (Richmond) also made the second team.
JMU’s Todd Centeio was named the offensive player of the year, while William and Mary’s John Pius was named the defensive player of the year. William and Mary’s Mike London was named coach of the year.
GOLF
Griffin returning to action PGA Tour golfer and Blacksburg High School graduate Lanto Griffin tweeted Monday that he will return to PGA Tour action this week in the Farmers Insurance Open, which begins Wednesday at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California.
Griffin has not played on the PGA Tour since early July. He underwent back surgery later that month. He had microdiscectomy surgery on a segment of his spine.
