NORFOLK, Va. – Junior quarterback Jaylian Williamson had a career day on Saturday for the Hampton University football team, but Old Dominion won the season opener for both teams, 41-28, at Foreman Field.
 
Williamson (Chesapeake, Va.) threw for a career-high 407 yards and three touchdowns, completing 32 of 45 passes. He is the first Pirate to throw for 400 yards in a game since Herbert Bynes at Florida A&M (401) in 2008.
 
Williamson's 407 passing yards are also a school record for a single game.
 
Sophomore wideout Rayshad Riddick (Portsmouth, Va.) also had a career day, catching 11 passes for 119 yards – both career highs.
 
"I'm proud of the guys, they fought hard," first-year head coach Connell Maynor said. "Putting new systems in, offense and defense, first game of the season against a very tough opponent … I'm very proud of my guys of how hard they fought.
 
"They didn't quit. They didn't give up."
 
The Monarchs opened the scoring at the 3:40 mark of the first quarter on a 14-yard run from Cam Boyd, but the Pirates answered with a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ate up almost nine minutes – and ended with Williamson connecting with sophomore fullback Marcus Hampton (Williamstown, N.J.) from five yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
 
ODU answered with 21 unanswered points, scoring three touchdowns in just over six minutes to take a 28-7 lead with 1:24 left in the half.
 
Hampton (0-1) then marched 62 yards in 11 plays, scoring as time expired when Williamson found sophomore wideout Twarn Mixson (Charlotte, N.C.) from six yards out to send the Pirates into the locker room down 28-14.
 
ODU scored on its first drive of the third quarter, finding the endzone in four plays to take a 35-14 lead.
 
The Pirates wasted no time answering, going 53 yards in three plays – including a long pass from Williamson to Mixson that at first appeared to be a touchdown – before freshman running back Eric Carter Jr. (Fayetteville, N.C.) ran it in from two yards at the 12:15 mark of the third quarter to cut ODU's lead to 35-21.
 
ODU (1-0) answered with 8:14 left in the third quarter on an 8-yard run from Boyd, taking a 41-21 lead after the PAT bounced off the right upright.
 
But the Pirates responded yet again, needing just three plays to hit paydirt after Williamson dumped the ball off to senior running back Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.), and Washington sped 75 yards to cut ODU's lead to 41-28.
 
ODU had two other drives in the second half that appeared to be destined for the endzone, but both times, junior defensive back Breon Key (Hampton, Va.) was camped in the red zone to pick off Taylor Heinicke.
 
But the Pirates also had their share of missed opportunities, including a drive late in the fourth quarter that saw Hampton inside the ODU 5-yard line. The Monarchs came up with a big play to cause a turnover, before burning off the rest of the clock.
 
Thanks to Williamson, Hampton racked up more passing yards than ODU – 407 to 281. In all, the Pirates had 416 yards of total offense – their highest total since racking up 482 yards of total offense against North Carolina Central last season.
 
The Pirates also went 9-for-16 on third down.
 
Washington had 99 receiving yards on four catches for the Pirates, and Mixson caught nine passes for 92 yards. Sophomore wideout Rashad Proctor (Hampton, Va.) also had an outstanding game, catching four passes for 71 yards.
 
Washington also returned five kickoffs for 129 yards, averaging 25.8 yards per return.
 
Freshman linebacker Hayden Gregory (Nashville, Tenn.) led the defense with 10 tackles and a sack.
 
The Pirates will hold their home opener next Saturday, taking on William & Mary at 6 p.m. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.