Another Football Coaching Change, For Now, at Storied Hampton High
The strange past couple of months for the storied Hampton Crabbers football program just took another twist this week.
Back in the spring, longtime Crabbers Head Football Coach Mike Smith retired from his job as Dean of Students at Hampton High School, yet maintained his football coaching job. However, due to a rule with the Virginia Retirement System that requires a bonafide break in service, Smith - the man with more victories (482) and state titles (12) than anyone else in Virginia High School League history - has been forced off the sidelines until October.
In his place, Danny Mitchell - a longtime aide of Smith since 1979 - was named the interim Head Football Coach. Mitchell coached the first half of last Friday night's season opener against Denbigh, where the Crabbers led 14-0 before weather suspended the contest.
Also the school's Head Baseball Coach for 30 years, Mitchell has decided he will be stepping away from his duties as Head Football Coach and the sport altogether.
"Between baseball and this Crabberween Food Drive we have going on, I felt it was best. When I was an assistant coach I could do it all, but I didn't want to screw up with baseball because I've been doing that a long time and this food drive has become very important to us," Mitchell told VirginiaPreps.com.
"I've had a lot on my table dealing with football and baseball. As a Head Coach, you have so much more responsibility and have to spend so much more time in the film room because it's going to come down to your calls and your decisions you're going to make during the game. I've been doing it a long time. I wanted the kids to give 100% and I couldn't give them 100% and my all to football. I'm taking a leave and just doing baseball."
So who will be coaching the Crabbers for the next few weeks until Smith makes his return? Kenneth Gilliam has been promoted from assistant to Head Football Coach on an interim basis, Hampton Athletic Director Richard Fortune confirmed to VirginiaPreps.com on Thursday.
"We put a lot on Danny expecting him to run football and baseball. Kenny's been an assistant coach here for 30 years and knows the system. We wanted to keep things consistent," remarked Fortune.
"He's been a constant with Coach Smith and played for him, so we wanted to keep that going. Coach Smith should be back for our game on October 4th."
Gilliam played with the Crabbers during the 1970's and was a teammate of Dwight Stephenson, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In fact, Gilliam even played on the collegiate level at the University of Richmond before getting into coaching at his alma mater.
Mitchell, 65, admitted that this decision to step aside was a very difficult one. After all, he's been with Smith for two fists full of State Championships.
"The decision certainly wasn't easy. It's stuff you've been doing all your life and now it's not there. It was tough and I know it's tough on the kids. Sooner or later, I had to make that decision and there were going to be some kids I didn't want to leave. After 40 years, you can't base your decision on this kid means a lot and that one does. You've got to do what's best for you and your family," Mitchell added.
"Last week before the Denbigh game I told the administration that I was going to get us through the first game. We got through the summer and did a lot of good things. We have a good staff and they'll hold it together until Coach [Smith] gets back."
Upon informing the administration of his decision, Mitchell was asked to even re-consider. While he gave it some thought, his mind was ultimately made up. He'll stay on as Hampton's Head Baseball Coach while spending more time with is wife of more than 40 years, Sindi, and following Norfolk State University's baseball program, where his son - Matthew - is an assistant coach.
"Matt's at Norfolk State and I haven't really gotten a chance to see him at all. I want to spend more time following him, spend more time in the Fall with Sindi and play a little golf," noted the elder MItchell, who the baseball field at Hampton High is named after.
"It wasn't a spur of the moment thing, but it sort of came fast when I made the decision. Hopefully I made the right one. I'm not saying I won't ever come back. Just for right now, it's the right decision for me and my family."
Meanwhile, the Crabbers are set to take on Warwick, which sits at 2-0 overall, on Friday, September 7th at John B. Todd Stadium in Newport News. They're aiming to get the second half of their game against Denbigh concluded before October rolls around.
"The coaching staff has done a great job keeping the kids motivated," Fortune commented. "They're excited about getting a full game in. We're looking possibly at towards the end of September to try to get that make-up game in."
Smith is slated to be back as Head Coach on October 4th when the Crabbers take on Menchville at Darling Stadium.
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to the ACC Sports Journal. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10 AM on ESPN Radio 94.1.