2017 University of Delaware Football News and Notes

dawrestling · Aug 29, 2017

------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 at 1:28 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Real. Live. Actual Blue Hens at University of Delaware Football Home Games this Fall
To:

SUBJECT: Real. Live. Actual Blue Hens at University of Delaware Football Home Games this Fall
DATE: August 29, 2017
Article Courtesy of Adam Thomas
NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware football fans who have never seen an actual Blue Hen in person will get their chance this fall as the University will have Blue Hens on display during home games as part of their pre-game tailgate festivities.
The birds will be on site in the Anchor Buick GM Blue Hen Fan Zone two hours before the games begin. The football season kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. when UD hosts Delaware State University.
Having the Blue Hens at the games is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration between UD Athletics and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). Chrissi Rawak, director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services, and CANR Dean Mark Rieger initially talked about the possibility of having a live mascot in December 2016, and the two teams have been working together ever since to bring the concept to fruition. Athletics and CANR have worked together on everything from game day logistics to coop design to blue hen color selection.
A trailer, designed by Dan Hougentogler research associate in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences (ANFS), has been constructed to house the Hens for the pre-game activities and is equipped with a mock up football field and goal posts, as well as fans to keep the birds cool.
The Blue Hen flock at UD features descendants of birds that were originally donated by S. Hallock du Pont in the 1960s for teaching and research, as well as three newer birds that were donated in 2016 by Wesley Towers, a 1964 UD graduate who majored in animal and poultry health during his time at UD and went on to serve as the Delaware State veterinarian for over 37 years. He is also a former member of the University’s Board of Trustees.
Bob Alphin senior instructor in ANFS and manager of the Allen Laboratory, explained that this is a great opportunity to provide educational outreach to the Delaware community on the importance of the poultry industry to the state, as well as educate them on the history and biology of the Blue Hens.
Alphin stressed that the safety and health of the birds is of the upmost importance.
“The trailer has a nice design with good air flow, with fans, we’ll provide water and feed, along with plenty of space for the birds. I don’t expect that we’ll have any issues but we are prepared just in case,” said Alphin.
Blue Hen Interns
Three student interns—Anna Desmond, Melanie Lopez and Meaghan Young—from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources have been working with the birds since June and will be on site at the games to help educate the public and to keep an eye on the birds.
Desmond, a junior majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences, said that she is thinking about a career in the poultry industry after she graduates and has enjoyed working with the birds this summer and learning new things about them such as how they ‘pant’ when they get hot.
“I didn’t realize that chickens pant. That’s something that I never would have even thought that they did. They don’t have sweat glands, like dogs don’t have sweat glands, and so they pant and chickens do the same thing,” said Desmond.
Young, a senior majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences and agriculture and natural resources who is also doing research on campus in the Allen laboratory, said that she is looking forward to people’s reactions to the Blue Hens.
“I’m excited to see how they react when they see an actual Blue Hen because a lot of people just think of UD when they think of a Blue Hen but it is an actual bird,” said Young.
Lopez, a senior pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences major who is also minoring in wildlife conservation, said that the primary goal of the internship is animal care and taking care of the birds.
“We go in there every day and make sure they have feed and water, that the coup isn’t wet and the fans are working, that there are no signs of distress and then we collect the eggs and we count them and put them in the egg room cooler,” said Lopez.
Lopez also said that the interns work on their communication skills with the general public to relay information in a way that children can understand.
“We have a couple of trainings with children that are coming up and that’s kind of our test run to see how the Blue Hens are going to react, how we’re going to handle a whole bunch of children and that should be a good indicator of what it’s going to be like in the fall,” said Lopez.
Naming Contest
Those who attend the first two home games (Aug. 31 vs. Delaware State and Sept. 16 vs. Cornell) will have the opportunity to suggest names for the Blue Hens, as the interns on hand will collect naming submissions before the game.
While there will most likely be five birds total at the games, their have been two male birds that have been chosen to represent the Blue Hens as they are the biggest birds in the flock and look the most like iconic Blue Hens.
Lopez said that it is easy to distinguish the two Blue Hens from one another and that they both have their own unique personalities.
“One is more energetic and vocal and then the other is quieter but has his bursts where he moves quick all around,” said Lopez.
Young added that “One is a little bit more curious. As soon as you walk in, he’ll kind of go up and check you out and then the other one just chills in the back a little bit.”
Winning names will be announced on Sept. 30 when Delaware faces James Madison at Delaware Stadium.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Aug 29, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Tue, Aug 29, 2017 at 1:37 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: University of Delaware Football to air Three Home Games on Television for 2017 Season
To:

SUBJECT: University of Delaware Football to air Three Home Games on Television for 2017 Season
DATE: August 29, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware Athletics has agreements with CSN Philadelphia*, CSN Mid Atlantic**, SportsNet New York (SNY), and COZI TV, Delmarva's NBC affiliate in Rehoboth Beach, to broadcast Blue Hen football home games from Delaware Stadium during the upcoming 2017 season.
Delaware will produce three games for live broadcast: Sept. 30 vs. James Madison, Oct. 14 vs. William & Mary, and Nov. 11 vs. Albany.
All three games will air live at 3:30 p.m. on CSN Philadelphia, COZI TV, and SNY. (The November 11 vs. Albany will air on a one hour tape delay on SNY.)
Additionally, Delaware has agreed to collaborate with James Madison University to produce the Sept. 30th match up. This game will air live on CSN Mid Atlantic via CSN+ serving 3.4 million homes throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia as well as on CSN Philadelphia, SNY, and COZI TV, bringing the Blue Hens and Dukes to the homes of over 20 million fans.
The agreements will place the excitement of Delaware football into the homes of over six million viewers in the Philadelphia area, Southern New Jersey and Delaware via CSN and CSN Mid Atlantic. SNY reaches 12 million nationally and is available to viewers throughout New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and northeastern Pennsylvania, and nationally on DIRECTV, Verizon FiOS, Comcast Cable, and AT&T U-Verse. COZI TV can be seen throughout the Delmarva area in southern Delaware and eastern Maryland.
“This is a wonderful moment for the University of Delaware, Delaware Athletics and Delaware Football” said Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Chrissi Rawak. “We are excited for the opportunity to highlight the great things happening on our campus to over 20 million households.”
Jet Media will produce the televised games on behalf of Delaware. The University was represented by Collegiate Sports Management Group during the negotiation of these agreements.
In addition to this three-game deal, Delaware football will also be featured three other times on linear or digital broadcasts this fall. Delaware’s Sept. 9 game at Virginia Tech will air as part of the Atlantic Coast Conference Network Extra package. The Blue Hens will also appear twice as part of the Colonial Athletic Association’s new “Game of the Week” partnership with CBS Sports Digital announced earlier this month – Richmond on Oct. 21 and at Maine on Nov. 4.
With the exception of Oct. 21 vs Richmond, all of Delaware’s home games will also be streamed live on bluehens.com.
Delaware Football season, group, and mini-plan packages are also on sale as are individual game tickets. Contact the Delaware Ticket Office by phone at 302-831-2257, by email at athletics-tix@udel.edu, or online by clicking on “Tickets” at www.bluehens.com. There are also a limited number of premium box seats still available for the 2017 football season.
* CSN Philadelphia will become NBC Sports Philadelphia on October 2
** CSN Mid-Atlantic will become NBC Sports Washington on October 2
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Sep 1, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Thu, Aug 31, 2017 at 10:28 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Cherry Scores Twice, Leads Delaware Football to Season Opening Victory Over Delaware State
To:

SUBJECT: Cherry Scores Twice, Leads Delaware Football to Season Opening Victory Over Delaware State
DATE: August 31, 2017
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team opened the Danny Rocco Era with a 22-3 victory over in-state foe Delaware State Thursday night at Delaware Stadium.
Senior wide receiver Diante Cherry led the Blue Hens (1-0), making four catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. The Lancaster, Pa., native also had a 19-yard acrobatic run off a reverse for another score. The 102 all-purpose yards earned Cherry the Nate Beasley MVP Award as the game's outstanding player.
The Blue Hens offense finished the opening night performance by racking up 432 yards of total offense, but it was the defense that truly shined.
That unit, which returned all but one starter from last year's team, held Delaware State (0-1) to just 224 yards of total offense, and to 3-13 success on third downs.
Delaware allowed just a 24-yard field goal late in the first half after stoping the Hornets on the one-yard line.
The Blue Hens defense forced three turnovers, recovering a pair of fumbles before sealing the win with an interception by redshirt freshman Nijuel Hill late in the fourth quarter.
Blue Hens redshirt junior quarterback Joe Walker (above) went 13 of 26 for a career-high 192 yards and the touchdown to Cherry while redshirt junior running back Thomas Jefferson ran for 102 yards on 19 carries.
Head Coach Danny Rocco
"I certainly recognize tonight the significance of team here at Delaware. I recognize the significance of the production of the game and all the involvement from so many people. I want everyone to know how much I appreciate all the support. We had a good crowd and there was great energy out there tonight."
"I think that calmness allowed our football team to finish with some confidence. We certainly didn't play as well as I expected us to play. We did the things we had to do to win the football game. We finished in a way that allowed us to be the better football team out there tonight. We did some good things but we were just way too inconsistent."
"I thought our defense held up their end of the bargain. I thought the two second half takeaways were probably the two most critical plays in the game. They really took away any hopes they had to actually win the game and gave us just enough momentum to go down and finish the drive and extend the lead. I've been doing this a long time and I know how hard it is to win a college football game so we are very happy to get the win."
Diante Cherry
"I was trying not get down on myself (after dropping a sure touchdown on a crossing pattern pass from Walker in the first half). You are going to make some mistakes in a game and I just needed to bounce back. I felt like we were executing things, but when it came down to crunch time, converting third downs, getting into the end zone, we just didn't do that very well. We just have to watch the films and see what we can do better as a team."
Hen Scratchings
• Rocco won his first game as head coach at Delaware and improved to 91-42 all-time as a head coach. He served as head coach at Liberty University in 2006-11 and at the University of Richmond in 2012-16.
• Rocco became the fifth straight Delaware coach to win his debut, joining College Football Hall of Fame members Dave Nelson (1951 vs. Lehigh) and Tubby Raymond (1966 vs. Hofstra), and K.C. Keeler (2002 vs. Georgia Southern), and Dave Brock (2013 vs. Jacksonville, Fla.).
• Delaware has now defeated downstate opponent Delaware State in all eight meetings since the first game in 2007 with an average winning margin of 27 points per game.
• Delaware has now won 9 of its last 13 season openers, 25 of its last 28 home openers, and 25 of its last 27 games vs. non-league opponents at Delaware Stadium.
• Jefferson surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark for the sixth time in his career.
• Junior defensive end Cam Kitchen opened the Delaware scoring when he notched a safety after tackling Mike Waters in the end zone late in the first quarter. Kitchen later recovered a fumble that led to the touchdown pass from Walker to Cherry.
• Redshirt junior kicker Frank Raggo converted field goals of 21 and 25 yards, the second giving Delaware an 8-0 lead late in the second quarter. He has now converted 10 of his last 13 attempts.
• Members of the team presented Rocco with the game ball in the locker room in celebration of his first Delaware victory.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

spartakos · Sep 1, 2017

@Dave
your posts are like a train wreck, I don't want to stop and look but I always do!!
Its going to be a long season.....

ravensrooster2 · Sep 1, 2017

Copy/Paste King

dawrestling · Sep 10, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Sep 9, 2017 at 5:47 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: University of Delaware Football Falls to No. 18 Virginia Tech 27-0
To:

SUBJECT: Delaware Football Falls to No. 18 Virginia Tech 27-0
DATE: September 9, 2017
BLACKSBURG, Va. - The University of Delaware defense put in a big effort in Saturday's college football matchup vs. No. 18 Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium, but one special teams lapse swung the momentum and an inconsistent offense could not put points on the board in a 27-0 setback to the Hokies before a boisterous crowd of 62,526.
Delaware (1-1), coming off a season-opening 22-3 win over Delaware State Aug. 31, held the Hokies offense to just 303 total yards and only two offensive touchdowns, but the offense could not hold up its part of the bargain.
Virginia Tech (2-0), ranked No. 18 nationally by the Associated Press, held the Blue Hen offense in check all day as Delaware managed just 223 total yards, turned the ball over twice, and was forced to punt 10 times. Delaware was also called for 11 penalties for 84 yards, the most by a UD team since 2014.
Delaware quarterback Joe Walker completed 8 of 17 passes for 116 yards and also rushed for 26 yards while Thomas Jefferson ran for 27 yards and Diante Cherry caught three passes for 41 yards. Defensively for the Hens, Nasir Adderley had a team-high six tackles and blocked a field goal attempt and Bilal Nichols had five tackles and a sack.
Virginia Tech quarterback Josh Jackson threw for 222 yards with touchdown passes of four yards to Travon McMillian and 28 yards to Cam Phillips. Phillips finished with six catches for 90 yards. Kicker Joey Slye added field goals from 50 and 24 yards.
The big blow just happened to be the first score of the game when Greg Stroman returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown with 2:45 left in the first half to give the Hokies the lead for good. Slye kicked his 51-yard field goal midway through the second quarter and McMillian scored his short touchdown just before halftime to give Virginia Tech the 17-0 halftime lead.
Phillips 28-yard catch from Jackson early in the fourth quarter and Slye’s 24-yard field goal capped the scoring.
Delaware, which suffered its first shutout since 2014, knocked on the door several times but could not put points on the board. Frank Raggo’s 28-yard field goal attempt with 3:40 left in the first half was off the mark. The Hens drove to the Tech 13-yard line late in the third quarter but was Walker was intercepted by Terrell Edmunds, who returned the ball 55 yards to set up the Phillips touchdown.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
Delaware head coach Danny Rocco
“I’m disappointed but I’m not discouraged. I saw too many phases within the game today that were positive and saw signs of a pretty good football team. I expected a little more today and I thought we would be able to keep the score within reach. Our defense had a pretty good day’s work but offensively we were too inconsistent from possession to possession. Virginia Tech has a really stout defense and they’ve been doing this for a long time. There is certainly no shame. I’ve seen that defense take control of a lot of games over the years. We just need to stay focused and stay committed.
Delaware center Brody Kern
“Virginia Tech has a great defense and fantastic linebackers. We knew they would be tough to move, but we made too many mental errors and had too many missed assignments. We should have put the ball in the end zone when we got down there. We need to do a better job at finishing drives and we will.”
Delaware linebacker Troy Reeder
“We walk away from this game with some positives, although its hard to think that way right now after a loss. We met some goals today. Our defensive line was very good and it was nice to see our guys in the back end step up. I was proud of the way they played. We can leave this game saying we gave it our best shot.”
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• The crowd of 62,526 marked the highest attended game the Blue Hens have participated in school history, surpassing the previous mark of 40,119 at Maryland in 2008
• Diante Cherry went over 1,000 career yards with his first reception of the day in the first quarter. His three receptions leaves him with 99 career catches heading into next week’s game vs. Cornell
• Delaware, which led NCAA FCS in fewest penalties with just 40 in 11 games in 2017, was whistled for 11 penalties for 84 yards. During one stretch in the second quarter, the Hens committed motion penalties on three straight plays
• The game marked the first-ever meeting between the two schools in football
• Delaware was held scoreless for the first time since a 19-0 loss at Towson on Oct. 31, 2015
• Delaware punter Nick Pritchard had a busy afternoon as he punted 10 times for a 39.9-yard average and booted a season-long kick of 52 yards
NEXT GAME
• Saturday, September 16 • Cornell at Delaware • Delaware Stadium, Newark, Del. • 3:30 p.m. • High School Band Day
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Sep 17, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Sep 16, 2017 at 6:52 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Dominant Defensive Effort Pushes Delaware Football Past Cornell, 41-14
To:

SUBJECT: Dominant Defensive Effort Pushes Delaware Football Past Cornell, 41-14
DATE: September 16, 2017
NEWARK, Del. – Five first-half turnovers set the tone for a dominant day for the University of Delaware football team Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens jumped out to a big halftime lead and pulled away for a 41-14 victory over Cornell at sun-drenched Delaware Stadium.
Delaware (1-1), which won its second straight home game, turned those five turnovers into 27 points and never looked back as the Blue Hens spoiled the season-opener for their Ivy League foe and first-time opponent Cornell (0-1).
The Blue Hens recovered a fumble on Cornell’s first play from scrimmage in the opening minute and intercepted four Big Red passes in the first half on the way to a 27-0 halftime lead.
Delaware junior quarterback Joe Walker hit on 20 of 30 passes for a career-high 202 yards and two touchdowns, junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon set career-highs with eight catches for 84 yards and scored his first career touchdown, junior running back Kareem Williams rushed for a game-high 121 yards, and junior running back Kani Kane scored three short touchdown runs to pace the offense.
The Blue Hens piled up 427 yards of total offense and gained 200 or more yards on both the ground and through the air for the first time since the 2013 season.
Delaware’s defense held Cornell to just 315 total yards. Senior defensive tackle Bilal Nichols recovered a fumble on the first play from scrimmage to set up Delaware’s first touchdown and later intercepted a pass inside Cornell territory to set up another score. Linebacker Colby Reeder, safety Nasir Adderley, and cornerback Malcolm Brown also intercepted passes to lead Delaware.
Hen Scratchings:
• Hens have won their first two games at home for the sixth time in the last eight years but for the first time since 2014
• Williams, whose 49-yard run in the third quarter was the longest by a Blue Hen runner this year, recorded his third career 100-yard rushing effort
• Delaware gained over 200 yards in both passing and rushing in the same game for the first time since a 33-30 win over Albany on Oct. 12, 2013
• Delaware senior linebacker Charles Bell recorded a game-high 12 tackles
• In addition to the four interceptions, Delaware’s defense also broke up six passes and had three sacks
• Wide receiver Vinny Papale, who suffered a bruised lung in the first quarter of last week’s game vs. Virginia Tech, returned to action and caught a pass for 14 yards
• Kane scored his three touchdowns on just five carries and finished with 11 yards
• Senior WR Diante Cherry was held without a catch for only the fourth time his 35-game career, still needs just one reception to reach 100 for his career at Delaware

Delaware head coach Danny Rocco
“We are very happy with the score and the outcome. We needed to come in here today and win a football game, extend the lead, and control the tempo against a team that I felt would compete relay hard. Winning 41-14 is a good score but my expectations are higher than that. There is a lot to learn from what happened out there today. I felt defensively once again we got off to a great start, took the ball away, and got off the field. I think offensively we had some really good drives for touchdowns. Early on we were able to get the ball in the end zone down in the red zone, which is what we have struggled with earlier this season.”
Defensive Tackle Bilal Nichols
“It felt great out there today. We really preached this week that we needed to get more takeways and that we needed to go after the ball more. It was great that we came out fast because that was our emphasis this week.”

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 1, 2017

rom: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Sep 30, 2017 at 7:04 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Delaware Starts Strong Before Dropping CAA Football Opener to Top-Ranked James Madison 20-10
To:

SUBJECT: Delaware Starts Strong Before Dropping CAA Football Opener to Top-Ranked James Madison 20-10
DATE: September 30, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware football team hung tough with top-ranked James Madison throughout the day, but some missed opportunities and a key fumble return for a touchdown in the first half was the difference as the Blue Hens dropped a 20-10 Colonial Athletic Association verdict Saturday at Delaware Stadium.
Delaware (2-2, 0-1 CAA), which entered its CAA opener having won both home games earlier this season, took a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter and was on the Dukes' heels the entire game but could not complete the upset.
JMU defensive end Andrew Ankrah returned what appeared to be an incomplete pass into a 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 6:53 left in the first half to take the lead for good and used two field goals by Tyler Gray to preserve the win, the 17th straight for the defending NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision national champions.
Delaware's defense held strong throughout the day, holding the high-powered James Madison offense to just 347 total yards and one touchdown, well below their CAA-leading averages of 47.3 points and 560.0 total yards per game. The Dukes (5-0, 2-0 CAA) entered the game having outscored its four previous opponents 189-48.
Blue Hen junior quarterback Joe Walker (above) hit on 5 of 11 passes for 47 yards and hit Jamie Jarmon with a 15-yard scoring pass with 12:07 left in the second quarter that gave Delaware its final lead at 10-7. Walker also rushed for 46 yards while junior Kani Kane led the running attack with a career-high 81 yards.
Defensively for Delaware, junior linebacker Troy Reeder (at right) recorded 12 tackles and intercepted a pass, junior defensive tackle Blaine Woodson made 12 stops, and senior linebacker Jalen Kindle, seeing extensive action after starter Charles Bell went down with an injury, had 10 tackles, including a sack.
Delaware junior kicker Frank Raggo (below) gave the Hens an early 3-0 lead and made some history in the process as he booted a UD record 55-yard field goal with the wind at his back six minutes into the game. His kick, which was also the fourth longest in CAA history, broke the Delaware record of 54 yards by Steve Leo vs. Navy in 1992.
James Madison quarterback Bryan Schor, the 2016 CAA Offensive Player of the Year, was held in check most of the day as he hit on just 10 of 19 passes for 93 yards and an interception. Trai Sharp led the JMU offense with 36 carries for 185 yards rushing, including a six-yard scoring dive with 6:57 left in the first quarter.
Delaware head coach Danny Rocco
"This is a game that was hard to process. We didn't play well offensively but we played a really good football team and we were very much in the game well into the fourth quarter. We played hard and fought to the end and we had a few moments today when we had the momentum and thought we might be able to push through but it never happened. Hats off to James Madison. They find ways to win games and they didn't waver and stuck to who they are today. No doubt the fumble recovery for the touchdown was the biggest play of the football game."
Delaware junior linebacker Troy Reeder
"I was proud of the way our guys (on defense) stepped up and held our ground today. I think it says a lot about our guys. We had intensity and we faced some adversity but we fought through it."
Hen Scratchings
• Delaware continues CAA play next weekend at Stony Brook. Kickoff from Long Island is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game marks Delaware's first ever trip to Stony Brook.
• James Madison was the first No. 1 ranked team the Hens have played since 2014 and was the first to visit Delaware Stadium since the 2009 season when top-ranked Richmond edged the Hens 16-15
• Senior wide receiver Diante Cherry caught three passes for 28 yards and became just the 19th player in UD history to reach 100 career receptions.
• Junior punter Nick Pritchard averaged 41.4 yards on five punts and had a season-long 52-yarder
• Delaware extended is scoring streak to 224 straight games at home since 1983 and 125 straight conference games at home
• James Madison put together a 21-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 9:35 in the third quarter but the Blue Hens came out unscatched when Gray missed a 28-yard field goal
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 9, 2017

om: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Mon, Oct 9, 2017 at 6:22 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Former University of Delaware Football All-American Eddie Conti to Join Radio Broadcast Team
To:

SUBJECT: Former University of Delaware Football All-American Eddie Conti to Join Radio Broadcast Team
DATE: October 9, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- A familiar name to University of Delaware football fans will now become a familiar voice to the Blue Hen faithful.

Eddie Conti, one of the all-time great wide receivers and kick returners in UD history who set 43 school, conference, and NCAA records and was inducted into the UD Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012, will join the 94.7 WDSD-FM and iHeartRadio broadcast team for Delaware football broadcasts beginning this week and will serve as color commentator alongside of play-by-play announcer and Voice of the Blue Hens Scott Klatzkin and sideline reporter Cory Nidoh for the remainder of the 2017 season.

“We are excited for the opportunity to add an all-time great and fan favorite to the broadcast team,” said Klatzkin. “His knowledge of the game and familiarity with the rich history of Delaware Football will bring a unique perspective for our listeners.”

Conti, who currently serves as community liaison for PIVOT Physical Therapy in Delaware, enjoyed a spectacular career for the Blue Hens in 1994-98 and helped lead the Blue Hens to three NCAA Tournament appearances under head coach Tubby Raymond. He was a consensus All-American in 1998, played in the Blue-Gray All-Star Game, earned NFL tryout with the Jets and Patriots, and played two seasons with the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe.

As a senior in 1998 he caught 91 passes for an NCAA-record 1,712 yards. He also competed for the UD track & field team and earned his degree in physical education studies from Delaware in 2002.

“I am proud to be a former UD football player and now honored to be joining the Delaware football radio team,” said Conti. “Playing the game is a lot different than announcing the game but the great thing they have in common and what I am most excited about is that I am part of the team and in the game again.”

94.7-FM is in its 19th consecutive season broadcasting Delaware Football, which includes each week the pre-game show that begins an hour prior to kickoff, game coverage, and exclusive pre-game and post-game interviews with head coach Danny Rocco.

Conti replaces longtime analyst Matt Janus, who will announce Colonial Athletic Association-produced football broadcasts for the remainder of the 2017 season.

MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 10, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Mon, Oct 9, 2017 at 7:11 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Delaware's Troy Reeder, Frank Raggo Earn CAA Football Player of the Week Honors
To:

SUBJECT: Delaware's Troy Reeder, Frank Raggo Earn CAA Football Player of the Week Honors
DATE: October 9, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- Delaware earned its first two individual Player of the Week citations by the Colonial Athletic Association Monday as junior linebacker Troy Reeder was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week and junior kicker Frank Raggo was selected as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week.

Reeder (Salesianum/Hockessin, Del.) recorded a team-high 12 tackles (seven solo), one tackle for loss, and assisted Jalen Kindle to force a fumble that was returned 45 yards for a touchdown as Delaware knocked off No. 23 Stony Brook, 24-20. The junior co-captain led a Blue Hens’ defense that held Stony Brook scoreless in the second half and the third-quarter forced fumble helped UD rally from a 20-7 halftime deficit.

Reeder was also named to the STATS Inc. National Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention squad for his efforts.

Raggo (Randolph/Randolph, N.J.) connected on a 50-yard field goal to help Delaware overcome the 13-point halftime deficit vs. Stony Brook. The field goal was the fifth-longest in UD history and marked the second straight week that he’s made a kick from 50 yards after converting a school-record 55-yarder last Saturday vs. James Madison. Raggo, who is 6-of-8 on field goals for the year, also converted all three of his extra point attempts vs. Stony Brook.

In addition to Reeder and Raggo, Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week and Villanova defensive back Jaquan Amos was picked as Rookie of the Week.

Delaware (3-2, 1-1 CAA) will return home to take on longtime rival William & Mary (2-3, 1-1 CAA) at 3:30 pm this Saturday at Delaware Stadium.

MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 15, 2017

SUBJECT: Defense Dominates as Delaware Football Blanks William & Mary 17-0
DATE: October 14, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware defense rose to the ocassion once again Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens held William & Mary to just 196 total yards and forced three turnovers in a 17-0 Colonial Athletic Association football victory before a spirited Parents & Family Weekend crowd at Delaware Stadium.
The Blue Hens (4-2, 2-1 CAA) won their second straight game and improved to 3-1 at home this season as they intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble. The shutout was Delaware's first since a 21-0 victory over William & Mary in 2011 at Delaware Stadium, a span of 68 games.
Delaware gained just 195 yards itself but used the outstanding defensive effort and a solid performance on special teams to post the victory before a season-high crowd of 18,721.
Junior quarterback J.P. Caruso, who made his first career start for the Blue Hens, threw for 78 yards and tossed a 27-yard scoring strike to junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon with 9:01 left in the second quarter for all the points the Blue Hens would need.
The Blue Hens made it 10-0 just before halftime as junior Frank Raggo converted a 45-yard field goal as the clock expired. The score was set up by an interception by redshirt freshman linebacker Colby Reeder at the Tribe 26-yard line.
William & Mary (2-4, 0-3 CAA) lost its third straight game despite a solid defensive effort itself, holding the Blue Hens to just 10 first downs and a season-low 195 yards. Freshman quarterback Shon Mitchell, making his first career start, hit on 18 of 36 passes for 101 yards but was intercepted twice.
Delaware concluded the scoring when junior Kani Kane (team-high 50 yards rushing) used a big second effort to bull into the end zone from one-yard out with 5:52 left in the fourth quarter for a 17-0 lead. That score was set up when junior safety Nasir Adderley, who earlier returned an interception 45 yards, recovered a muffed punt by the Tribe's Jalen Christian at the W&M 14-yard line. Adderley also had six tackles and two pass breakups.
HEAD COACH DANNY ROCCO:
"I was really pleased with the way this team responded at home. Our defense really stole the show today. They played with great passion, great energy, and great confidence. We have a great structure on defense in place and the players are buying in. I also knew our special teams would be important today and they were really solid. Our offense had a few good drives today but we just couldn't sustain it. We still have a lot of work to do. We were +3 today (in turnovers) and you are not going to lose many games when you do that."
LINEBACKER TROY REEDER
"We are building (on defense) week in and week out. This was really our first complete game on defense today. We are developing and that has been our emphasis. I looked up and saw zeros on the scoreboard and I wanted to keep it like that."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Delaware has now held opponents scoreless for six straight quarters and for 91:38 minutes since last week's 24-20 win over Stony Brook
• Delaware's 195 total yards was its lowest total in a victory since the Blue Hens managed just 172 yards in a 10-6 win over Richmond on Nov. 10, 2001 at Delaware Stadium. That victory marked head coach Tubby Raymond's 300th career win
• Jarmon has now caught four touchdown passes on 18 receptions this season and has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games, the third longest streak in UD history and the longest by a UD player since All-American Eddie Conti during the 1998 campaign
• Former Delaware captain and current Carolina Panthers starting safety Mike Adams was the Honorary Captain and took part in the pre-game coin toss
• Delaware entered the game ranked last in the NCAA in punt returns (-0.3 yards per return) but Jarmon returned two for 28 yards, including a season-long 15-yarder
• Junior punter Nick Pritchard punted 10 times for a 40.4-yard average and had five land inside the William & Mary 20-yard line
• Junior RB Thomas Jefferson upped his career rushing yardage total to 1,798 to move into 20th place on the all-time UD list
• Delaware will continue action next Saturday, Oct. 21, when the Hens host CAA foe Richmond for Homecoming at Delaware Stadium. The game will match UD head coach Danny Rocco against the team he served as head coach for the previous five seasons. Delaware will be looking to win three straight games for the first time since 2014
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 22, 2017

m: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Oct 21, 2017 at 7:14 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Jarmon Lifts Delaware Football to Thrilling 42-35 Double Overtime Homecoming Win Over No. 11 Richmond
To:

SUBJECT: Jarmon Lifts Delaware Football to Thrilling 42-35 Double Overtime Homecoming Win Over No. 11 Richmond
DATE: October 21, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware football team celebrated Homecoming in style Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens posted a thrilling 42-35 double overtime win over No. 11 Richmond at Delaware Stadium.
Delaware (5-2, 3-1 Colonial Athletic Association), which won its third straight game and earned its second consecutive win over a Top 25 opponent, went ahead on a one-yard scoring dive by junior fullback Kani Kane to open the second overtime and the defense took over from there, sealing the deal with a big stop of the Spiders (4-3, 2-2 CAA).
The victory gave Delaware an emotional triumph for first-year head coach Danny Rocco, who served as head coach of the Spiders the previous five seasons.
Delaware junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon stole the show for the Blue Hens as he scored three touchdowns, including a 74-yard run late in the first quarter in which he outraced a hord of UD defenders down the right sideline, a 19-yard reception from junior quarterback J.P. Caruso (#9 above) just before halftime, and a five-yard run around end with 10:06 left in regulation that tied the game at 28-28. Caruso, a first-year transfer from Appalachian State, was making just his second career start.
Jarmon rushed four times for 103 yards and caught three passes for 41 yards. On his score that tied the game in the final quarter, he took a handoff from Caruso on a speed sweep around the end, was hit at the one-yard line, and flipped into the end zone for a highlight-reel touchdown.
Delaware had the chance to win in regulation when a bad snap on a punt by Richmond gave the Hens the ball on the UR 27-yard line. After three running plays by Delaware and three timeouts by Richmond, Delaware kicker Frank Raggo had his 37-yard field goal attempt blocked.
Richmond opened the scoring in overtime on a 20-yard fade pass in the end zone from Kyle Lauletta to Dejon Brissett, but Delaware came right back to force a second overtime when Caruso hit junior tight end Charles Scarff on a three-yard scoring pass.
The Hens clinched it in the second overtime when Kane, who finished with a game and career-high 109 yards on the ground, ran 11 yards to the one and then dove over the top into the end zone from one-yard out. Delaware's defense preserved the win, forcing Lauletta into two incomplete passes and getting a sack from senior tackle Bilal Nichols. Lauletta's fourth-and-goal pass from the 24 on the final play of the game was batted down by UD junior cornerback Malcolm Brown.
Delaware piled up 418 total yards and converted on 8 of 16 third-down attempts. Caruso, starting just his second game at Delaware, hit on 13 of 23 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Lauletta, who entered the game leading all NCAA FCS passers in yards per game (391.3) and total offense, hit on 23 of 40 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns but was intercepted twice, both times by Delaware junior safety Nasir Adderley.
DELAWARE HEAD COACH DANNY ROCCO:
"This was an extraordinary game between two really good football teams who played hard and played well. We were just a little more fortunate today. This was a signature win for us. Our kids fought hard for their coaches and their teammates. Our first drive was huge and we showed what we are capable of doing. I thought J.P. (Caruso) came into his own today, made some critical throws, and showed the 'it' factor. I am so proud of this team and our coaches. If we remain focused and continue to work hard the best is yet to come. We needed a signature win and we went out and got it. We go home relevent tonight."
ROCCO ON FACING HIS FORMER TEAM:
"It was a little more emotional tonight than I was prepared for but it was a really special."
CO-CAPTAIN BILAL NICHOLS:
"This is what we work so hard for and gives us a taste of what is possible here. Last year we lost some close games but this year we have that belief and that faith in each other. It was great to win this one because we know Coach Rocco really wanted this game, even though he never made it about him."
JAMIE JARMON:
"It was great tonight to pull our (the offense) weight and not rely on the defense. Our coaches preached all week that we had to get off to a good start and we did. Our defense fought them blow for blow."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Jarmon snared a touchdown reception for the fifth straight game, tying the UD record set by Bob Norris (1986) and James Anderson (1987). He also became the first UD wide receiver to run for over 100 yards in a game since Michael Johnson had 123 vs. Rhode Island in 2013. Jarmon's 74-yard run was also the second longest ever for a wide receiver in UD history behind Johnson's 78-yard romp in that same game vs. URI in 2013
• Delaware snapped a three-game losing streak in the series against Richmond
• Richmond had a streak of 10-straight overtime wins snapped. The string included a 62-56 five-overtime win over the Joe Flacco-led Hens at Delaware Stadium in 2007
• The Hens are now 46-17 (.730) all-time on Homecoming, including a 3-0 mark vs. Richmond, and have won six of the last eight games overall
• Delaware has now won three straight games for the first time since 2014 and three straight conference wins for the first time since 2013
• Adderley now has a team-high four interceptions and has forced five turnovers this season
• Delaware will continue action next Saturday, Oct. 28, when the Hens head to Towson for a 4 p.m. CAA matchup. The Hens will be looking to match its first four-game win streak since the 2012 season
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Oct 29, 2017

-------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Oct 28, 2017 at 6:43 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Last Minute Touchdown Leads Towson to 18-17 Upset Over No. 23 Delaware in CAA Football
To:

SUBJECT: Last Minute Touchdown Leads Towson to 18-17 Upset Over No. 23 Delaware in CAA Football
DATE: October 28, 2017
TOWSON, Md. -- Just one week after an exhilarating double overtim victory over Richmond vaulted the University of Delaware into the Top 25, heartbreak hit on Saturday evening as the No. 23 ranked Blue Hens gave up a touchdown in the final minute and dropped an 18-17 Colonial Athletic Association football verdict to Towson at Johnny Unitas Stadium.
The Blue Hens (5-3, 3-2 CAA), who had a three-game win streak snapped, led almost the entire game until the Tigers (3-5, 1-4 CAA) won it on a 14-yard fade pass into the end zone from quarterback Ryan Stover to Sam Gallahan with just 35 seconds left in the game. The Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Despite the setback, Delaware remains in the hunt for a post-season playoff berth as wins against Maine, Albany, and Villanova over the next three weeks would give Delaware eight wins and virtually assure a spot in the 24-team tournament.
Delaware, which had taken a 14-3 lead on the first drive of the second half on a 30-yard run by Kareem Williams (#32 at left) and had gone up 17-11 on a Frank Raggo 26-yard field goal witih 9:43 left to play, had one last chance to score but were stopped at the Towson 44-yard line as a pair of passes by J.P. Caruso fell incomplete.
The last minute victory was nothing new in the series as five of the last seven matchups between these two longtime rivals separated by just an hour's drive have been decided by a touchdown or less, including Delaware's wild 32-31 comeback win in 2013 when the Hens scored 15 points in the final 48 seconds to win.
Delaware's defense, the league's No. 4 ranked unit, was strong once again as the Blue Hens held Towson to just 304 total yards and forced three turnovers. Unfortunately, the UD offense could not take advantage.
Delaware's Colby Reeder recovered a fumble by Towson's Coby Tippett on the Tiger 12-yard line following a muffed punt return with 11:10 left but had to settle for Raggo's field goal after the offense managed to pick up just three yards on three plays.
After the teams traded possessions, Towson finally put the game-winning drive together, going 52 yards on eight plays capped by the game-winner from Stover to Gallahan. Stover threw for 187 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 56 yards on the day.
Delaware junior Kani Kane led all runners with 113 yards on 22 carries - his second consecutive 100-yard effort - while Williams finished with 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Delaware finished with just 264 total yards, on 43 of them through the air.
Defensively for Delaware, senior defensive tackle Bilal Nichols finished with a team-high nine tackles while junior safety Nasir Adderley (#23 at right/ENP Photography) recorded eight tackles and intercepted a pass, a highlight reel version in which he leapt high to reach the ball and brought it down with one hand. Junior linebacker Troy Reeder also added eight tackles while junior defensive back K.C. Hinton recorded his first career pick in the first half.
HEAD COACH DANNY ROCCO
"I don't know if it was a letdown. We got one of Towson's better games this season and we played hard on defense. I thought our defensive played well enough on the road to come up with a win. We continue to lack explosive plays for touchdowns. We had some good runs today but we just didn't get enough from the passing game. We have to go back to work this week and improve from our performance tonight."
QUARTERBACK J.P. CARUSO
"We have to play better and smarter and it starts with me. We left a lot of yards out there. Our defense played well but our offense just didn't get it done. But we won't let this (loss) hold us back. Our road got harder but we aren't out of it. We just have to come out this week and work hard."
On settling for a field goal on the drive in the fourth quarter
"We have no excuse for not putting up more points right there. We could have ended it and we didn't. That was big."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• After Towson's Aidan O'Neill converted a 33-yard field on Towson's first drive of the day, Delaware came back to take a 7-3 lead into halftime on Caruso's three-yard pass to tight end Charles Scarff (at left) on the first play of the second quarter
• Delaware drove 71 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half as Kane and Williams combined for all of the yards on the ground
• Delaware moved into the national Top 25 rankings for the first time since the 2014 season and were looking to equal its first four-game win streak since 2012
• Junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon, who scored three touchdowns in the 42-35 double overtime win over Richmond last week, had his school-record tying streak of five straight games with a touchdown reception snapped but did extend his pass-catching streak to 13 straight games dating back to the 2016 season
• Delaware defensive tackle Blaine Woodson started his 41st straight game
• Raggo has now hit on 8 of 12 field goal attempts this season and extended his successful PAT streak to 57 straight
• Adderley, who entered the game ranked No. 7 in the NCAA in interceptions, now has a team-high five interceptions with four of them coming in the last three games
• Delaware will play its second straight CAA road game next Saturday when they travel to Portland, Maine to take on the Maine Black Bears on Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Nov 5, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Nov 4, 2017 at 7:05 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Colby Reeder's Scoop and Score Off Fumbled Punt Return Pushes Delaware to Crucial 31-17 Football Win over Maine
To:

SUBJECT: Colby Reeder's Scoop and Score Off Fumbled Punt Return Pushes Delaware to Critical 31-17 Football Win over Maine
DATE: November 4, 2017
PORTLAND, Maine -- The University of Delaware won its fourth Colonial Athletic Association football game of the season Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens used a big second half to defeat Maine 31-17 at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
The turning point of the game occurred early in the fourth quarter when Maine punt returner Micah Wright was stripped of the ball by Delaware defensive back Nasir Adderley.
Blue Hens freshman Colby Reeder scooped up the ball at the Maine five-yard line and dove into the end zone for the crucial touchdown that gave the Blue Hens the lead for good at 24-17 with 13:22 remaining.
On the next Maine drive, the stingy Delaware defense held the Black Bears (4-4, 3-4 CAA) to just four yards.
On the ensuing Delaware drive, the Blue Hens (6-3, 4-2 CAA) went 58yards on 13 plays. The drive, which took nearly eight minutes off the clock (7:39), was capped by quarterback J.P. Caruso’s one-yard rushing touchdown with 4:07 left in the final period to seal the victory. The drive was the team's third longest in terms of time this season.
For the afternoon, the Blue Hens accumulated 346 yards of total offense. Joe Walker provided a massive spark for UD as the junior quarterback turned all-purpose threat compiled 165 total yards between rushing, receiving and passing, including a huge 56-yard reception in the second quarter that set up the Hens first touchdown.
Tight end Brandon Whaley caught his first career touchdown pass at 5:42 of the second quarter to give the Hens their first points of the day while safety Tim the made his first career interception in the third quarter. Linebacker Troy Reeder made a career-high 17 tackles in the victory and also blocked a punt while his brother, Colby, also recorded a sack in the final quarter and finished with seven tackles.
Junior Kani Kane also for 99 yards and his seventh rushing touchdown of the season, a one-yard burst with 21 seconds left in the second quarter that give Delaware a 14-10 advantage at the break. Kane just missed surpassing the 100-yard mark for the third straight game.
Adderley, one of the nation's leaders with five interceptions, recorded a career-high 14 tackles while Bilal Nichols had seven tackles, a sack, a pass breakup, and a blocked field goal. Delaware kicker Frank Raggo added a 48-yard field goal three minutes into the second half to give Delaware a 17-10 lead.
The win was Delaware’s fourth victory in its last five games and snapped a personal four-game losing streak against Maine. The Hens also snapped Maine’s season-best three-game winning streak.
Maine held a 451-346 advantage in total yards thanks to the play of running back Josh Mack, who ran for 173 yards and caught six passes for 38 yards. He entered the game leading all NCAA FCS runners with 139.9 yards rushing per game.
The Blue Hens return home next Saturday, hosting Albany for Senior Day. Kickoff from Delaware Stadium is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Head Coach Danny Rocco:
“Our special teams kept us in the game today, and then we got going on offense. We did a lot today with Joe Walker. We knew that Jamie Jarmon (out with an injury) was most likely not going to play, so we put a plan together for Joe to do some of the things that Jamie has been doing. That gave us the explosive plays that we needed to have in the game. Joe did a great job. I thought our ability to run the ball and get some first downs bleeding the clock down, was as significant as anything. Maine is very talented defensively and physical. Offensively they know what they’re doing with the ball. Their running back is very special. So we’re fortunate to get out of here with a win. I’m certainly excited to secure a winning season and to get a win in November. We’re excited to go home this week and continue our quest this season. We’re finding ways to remain relevant. Today was a great team win. The offense did things when they had to, and the defense made stops when they had to. Ultimately the special teams and kicking game made a lot of big plays.”
On play of Joe Walker:
“I have supported Joe since I arrived here. I have made comments about his athleticism. He is one of our guys that can take the ball the length of the field on a run, a pass or a scramble. He’s that athletic. He’s going to give us some energy here and some explosive production as we continue. Hopefully, we’ll have Jamie (Jarmon) back next week because that will give us a few more options.”
Junior Joe Walker:
“Today felt great being a guy who made plays and gave a spark when we needed. I always knew I could catch the ball, I just never played wide receiver. Today was the first time playing it. I was just trying to play my role and do as much as I could. We planned to have Jamie in the game with me, we didn’t know until yesterday that he wasn’t going to play. I think today was about building a routine so that when we both play teams don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Defensive Tackle Bilal Nichols:
“Today we did a great job of staying together as a team. That’s one thing we’ve done very well this season. We’ve stayed together and created unity. Coach Rocco always says our strength is in the unity of this group. We really believe that. Whenever times get rough we count on each other. We never give up. This team is so resilient and that’s what I’m most proud of. We come each day and work hard and count on each other. We played our best when it mattered the most today. When we really needed stops, we got them. When we really needed to control the line of scrimmage, we did. When we needed to get to the QB, we did. I feel that we made plays at the biggest moments of the game.”
HEN SCRATCHINGS:
• By winning their sixth game of the season, Delaware secured its first winning season since going 7-5 in 2013. Delaware head coach Rocco has now posted a winning campaign in all 12 of seasons as a college head coach
• Delaware played Maine in Portland for the first time in school history. The game marked the first time since 2005 that Maine played a game in the state's largest city
• Delaware downed Maine for the first time since 2010 and won in the state of Maine for the first time since 2009 after two straight setbacks
• Rocco is now 26-12 (.684) during his head coaching career in games following a loss, including a 3-0 mark at Delaware
• Troy Reeder blocked a punt for the second straight season after also posting one at Richmond in 2016
• Delaware has now forced 22 turnovers this season, the fourth highest total in the nation and No. 2 in the CAA
• The Hens lost two fumbles in the first half, marking the first time Delaware had lost a fumble since the James Madison game on Sept. 30. Delaware had gone 265:43 minutes of playing time since its last lost fumble
• Raggo now has three field goals over 48 yards this season, has hit on 9 of 13 field goal attempts overall, and has converted 59 straight extra points
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Nov 12, 2017

SUBJECT: Defense Dominates, Spruill Scores Twice as Delaware Football Shuts Down Albany, 22-3
DATE: November 11, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware defense was dominating once again and freshman running back Khory Spruill enjoyed the finest day of his young career with two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Blue Hens ran past Albany in a 22-3 Colonial Athletic Association Football victory at festive Delaware Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Delaware (7-3, 5-2 CAA) won for the fifth time in the last six games and kept its postseason playoff hopes strong heading into the regular season finale next Saturday at longtime rival Villanova.
The Blue Hen defense was fierce as usual on Saturday afternoon, holding Albany to just six first downs - five of them on one first quarter drive - and 120 total yards while forcing four turnovers. The Great Danes (3-7, 1-6 CAA), who could muster only a first-quarter field goal to take a brief 3-0 lead, lost for the sixth straight game. Albany managed just 31 yards rushing on 21 carries and quarterback Will Brunson was 12 of 25 for 83 yards and was intercepted three times and sacked once.
Spruill, pressed into action when starter Kani Kane went down with an injury early in the second half, carried 20 times for a game and career-high 86 yards and scored on touchdowns of six and one-yard over in the final quarter as Delaware pulled away.
On one drive, Spruill carried seven straight times and ran the final 43 yards to cap off a scoring drive. He had entered the game having carried the ball just 22 times this season and just nine times over the last six games.
Delaware junior quarterback Joe Walker (#3 at bottom), who has moved into an all-purpose role as a runner, receiver, and passer, also ran for 85 yards on 11 carries. He went over the 1,000 career-yard mark in the process and became just the fifth quarterback in Delaware history to accumulate both 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a career.
Defensively, junior safety Ray Jones, senior defensive tackle Blaine Woodson (seven tackles), and senior linebacker Anthony Jackson (#11 below) each intercepted a pass, sophomore linebacker Christian Lohin blocked a punt out of bounds for a safety, and senior linebacker Jalen Kindle recorded a team-high nine tackles.
Sophomore punter Nick Pritchard punted five times and twice pinned Albany inside its own two-yard line with pinpoint accuracy as Jones settled under both punts to down the ball. In additon, junior kicker Frank Raggo converted field goals of 29 yards to end the first and 36 yards late in the third quarter to give Delaware a 6-3 lead.
A special ceremony took place at halftime as Delaware announced the launching of Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware, the new university-wide fundraising and engagement campaign.
Athletics facilities are a top priority for the campaign with a $60 million goal to renovate Delaware Stadium and build a new state-of-the-art Athletic Center for student-athletes. Additionally, Delaware golf alum Ken Whitney, ’80, and his wife, Liz Whitney, have made a transformational lead gift of $10 million to name the Whitney Athletic Center, pushing the total individual commitments towards this campaign to $23 million and marking the largest individual gift in Delaware Athletics history.
HEAD COACH DANNY ROCCO
"Our defense was really extraordinary today. They (Albany) had only one real drive (first quarter field goal) that they were able to put together. We really played to our strengths. I was comfortable with the 3-3 tie at halftime because we were playing so well defensively, we had finally scored, and we were getting the ball first in the second half. We really responded in the second half, which is something we have done a lot of this season. Our kids really have a lot of talent and resolve. We wore Albany down and that was our objective. On offense, we were at our best when it mattered the most."
"Our senior class has been extraordinary with how they have been receptive to our message, the themes, and our goals. They have responded and they have led. We really need each other and everybody in our program as we move to make November meaningful. We have to have everyone on board. We have a lot of guys on this team that just want to win and sacrifice for the good of the team."
KHORY SPRUILL
"Coach (Rocco) always tells me to be ready every game. It's really about being ready when your number gets called and today I was ready. It really felt good (to get my first touchdown)."
RAY JONES
"We made a few changes today at halftime that really made a difference in the second half. You hold a team to three points and 120 yards, you can't do a lot better than that. We have a chip on our shoulder. We are going to go up there (next week at Villanova) with confidence and effort and give it our all and keep this thing going."
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Delaware's seven wins is the most since the 2013 team went 7-4 but did not make the postseason
• Spruill's previous career-high rushing game was 39 yards vs. Cornell on Sept. 14
• Delaware's defensive effort of holding Albany to six first downs and 120 yards was its best performance since holding Delaware State to four first downs and 112 yards as part of a 45-0 win in 2011
• Junior WR Jamie Jarmon returned from a one-game layoff due to an injury and caught a pass to extend his pass-catching streak to 15 straight games
• Raggo, who is now 11 of 14 on field goals this season, also converted two extra points to extend his consecutive made streak to 64 straight, just three shy of the school record
• The Blue Hens went 5-1 at home this season and outscored opponents 154-75
• Delaware blocked a punt for the second straight game and the Hens have now intercepted 10 passes over the last five games while forcing 13 total turnovers
• Delaware heads to Villanova next Saturday, Nov. 18, for the regular season finale. The Hens will be looking for revenge after losing five straight and 10 of the last 11 meetings vs. the Wildcats
• Delaware honored its 18 seniors and their families in a pregame ceremony as part of Senior Day
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

7nonstop3 · Nov 12, 2017

dawrestling · Nov 18, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Sat, Nov 18, 2017 at 3:32 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Slow Start Trips Up Delaware Football in 28-7 Loss to Villanova in Battle of the Blue
To:

SUBJECT: Slow Start Trips Up Delaware Football in 28-7 Loss to Villanova in Battle of the Blue
DATE: November 18, 2017
VILLANOVA, Pa. -- This time, a slow start was just way too much to overcome for the University of Delaware football team.
Delaware, playing longtime rival Villanova in its annual Battle of the Blue rivalry, fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and could never recover in falling to the Wildcats by a 28-7 verdict at soggy Villanova Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Hens (7-4, 5-3 Colonial Athletic Association) fell to Villanova for the sixth straight time and for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. Still, Delaware will hold out slim hopes of earning an at-large spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. The 24-team field will be announced live at 11 a.m. on ESPNU.
If Saturday was indeed the final game of the 2017 campaign, it was a year in which the Blue Hens made great strides under first-year head coach Danny Rocco. Delaware nearly equaled the win total from the previous two years and won seven games for the first time since the 2014 season. The five wins in conference play marked the best season for the Hens since 2011 when the team also went 7-4 overall and 5-3 in league play.
The Blue Hens, who finished the regular season having won five of the final seven games, could not generate enough offense to keep up with Villanova, which had struggled offensively itself for most of the season. The Wildcats (5-6, 3-5 CAA) snapped a four-game losing streak.
Delaware fell behind 14-0 after the first quarter and was down 28-0 after Villanova scored twice in the third stanza. Earlier this season, the Hens came back from a 20-7 halftime deficit to Stony Brook, 10-0 to Maine, and 3-0 to Albany before mounting comebacks. This time, the comeback never materialized.
Delaware finished with more first downs (18 to 16) and total yardage (336 to 322) than Villanova but managed just 44 yards in the first quarter and just 116 in the opening half. The Hens were also hurt by two interceptions, including one in the first quarter when Villanova linebacker Jeff Steeb picked off a pass by J.P. Caruso and sprinted into the end zone untouched from 38 yards out to give VU a 14-0 lead six minutes into the game.
Curuso (above left) hit on 21 of 33 passes for a career-high 197 yards and an 11-yard touchdown strike to Jamie Jarmon with 59 seconds left in the game to avoid the shutout. Jarmon caught five passes for 26 yards while Vinny Papale had three catches for 70 yards and Joe Walker hauled in three passes for 79 yards. Walker also had a team-high 37 yards rushing and threw an 18-yard pass.
Defensively, Delaware allowed a season-high 261 yards rushing as Villanova running back Aaron Forbes ran for 140 yards. Quarterback Jack Schetelich threw two touchdown passes to Taurus Phillips and ran for another score.
Blue Hen safety Nasir Adderley led the Hens with 12 tackles and forced a fumble while senior defensive tackle Blaine Woodson made 11 stops, including sack.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Rocco, now in his 12th season as a college head coach, has never had a losing season and has won seven or more games 10 times
• Jarmon extended his pass-catching streak to 16 games and secured his team-leading sixth touchdown reception of the year. The six touchdowns is the most by a UD receiver since Michael Johnson had nine and current Baltimore Ravens tight end Nick Boyle had seven in 2013
• Jake Roth is tied for the UD single season record with 23 kickoff touchbacks this season
• Punter Nick Pritchard averaged 40.0 yards on five punts and had three land inside the Villanova 20-yard line. His 25 punts inside the 20-yard line breaks the UD single season record of 24 by All-American Eric Enderson in 2015
• Delaware did not force a turnover for the first time this season. The Hens had intercepted 10 passes over the last five games.
• All four Delaware ball carries had nine rushes on the day. Walker finished with a team-high 37 yards, Caruso added 34 yards, Khory Spruill (above right) had 29, and Kani Kane added 21.
HEAD COACH DANNY ROCCO
"We didn't start well today, which has happened several times this season, but we've always found a way to respond, which has been extraordinary But today it just didn't happen. Nothing really seemed to go our way and we didn't make the plays when we needed to. I am disappointed and surprised that we didn't rise to the occasion. Villanova may have played one its best games of the season. Give them credit. They beat us to the punch in most phases of the game today."
On the future of Delaware Football
"Winning today really would have put us way ahead of schedule in terms of our rebuilding process. Seven wins is a solid season and we realize that. We won some tight games and beat some good football teams. I am excited about our future. We will learn from this experience and be a better football team next year."
SENIOR CO-CAPTAIN/CENTER BRODY KERN
"All season long we have been able to fight back and keep it close and rely on the defense to keep us in the game. We've used that energy to keep it going. It just didn't happen today. You just can't play all season like that. I thought both teams had a lot of energy today but they had more. It's disappointing."
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Nov 21, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W.<selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 10:21 AM
Subject: SUBJECT: Delaware Places 11 on All-CAA Football Squads; Colby Reeder Named Defensive Rookie of the Year
To:

SUBJECT: Delaware Places 11 on All-CAA Football Squads; Colby Reeder Named Defensive Rookie of the Year
DATE: November 21, 2018
RICHMOND, Va. -- Led by four first team selections, the University of Delaware football squad was well represented on the All-Colonial Athletic Association football teams announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon.
Delaware, which recently completed an outstanding season under first-year head coach Danny Rocco, had 11 players recognized overall, including redshirt freshman linebacker Colby Reeder, who was selected as the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The Blue Hens registered a 7-4 overall record during the 2017 campaign, the most wins for Delaware since the 2013 season.
Delaware also went 5-3 in league play to finish tied for fourth overall in the 12-team league. The five league wins was Delaware’s best mark since 2011 and its fourth place finish was the highest since the 2010 team tied for the top spot in the league standings and moved on to the NCAA national championship game.
Earning first team notice for the Blue Hens were senior center Brody Kern, senior defensive tackle Bilal Nichols, junior linebacker Troy Reeder, and junior safety Nasir Adderley.
Kern and Nichols both earned All-CAA honors for the third time in their careers while Reeder and Adderley were repeat selections to the team from 2016.
Named to the second team for Delaware were junior tight end Charles Scarff, senior offensive tackle Jake Trump, junior kicker Frank Raggo, and senior defensive tackles Blaine Woodson.
Third team picks representing Delaware were junior running back Kani Kane and junior punter Nick Pritchard. Woodson was also honored on the All-CAA team for the third time after earning second team honors in both 2015 and 2016.
Colby Reeder becomes the eighth Delaware player to earn conference Rookie of the Year honors and the third in the last four seasons, joining Woodson in 2014 and running back Thomas Jefferson in 2015. Reeder is the fourth Blue Hen to be recognized on the defensive side of the ball.
A native of nearby Hockessin, Del. (Salesianum School), Reeder started all 11 games at outside linebacker and recorded 49 tackles in 2017, the seventh highest total on the team. He led the team with eight tackles for loss and also had two sacks, two interceptions, two pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries. He was also one of the team’s top special teams contributors.
Kern, a co-captain from York, Pa. (West York HS), also earned second team honors in 2016 and third team honors in 2017. He was a four-year standout at center who starter each of his final 39 career games for the Blue Hens. He was the anchor for an offensive line that helped Delaware rank No. 2 in the CAA in fewest sacks allowed (20) and rushing offense (192.5 yards per game).
Nichols, a co-captain from Newark, Del. (Hodgson HS), also earned All-CAA honors in 2015 (third team) and 2016 (second team). He ranked fourth on the team and was first among down linemen with 56 tackles (24 solo) this season. He also recorded 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and one interception, and paced a unit that ranked No. 3 in the CAA in scoring defense (16.8 points per game) and total defense (305.5 yards per game).
Reeder, a co-captain from Hockessin, Del. (Salesianum HS) and a second team pick in 2016, guided the middle of the UD defense at inside linebacker and led the team with 89 stops (34 solo) to rank No. 10 in the CAA. A three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Week in his two-year career, Reeder recorded 10 or more tackles three times in 2017 and had a career-high 17 stops in a road win at Maine late in the season. He also had seven tackles for loss and was in on two sacks.
Adderley, a native of Philadelphia, Pa. (Great Valley HS) and a third team selection in 2016, led a defensive secondary that ranked among the best in the CAA, ranking No. 2 in the league in passing efficiency defense and No. 3 in pass defense.
He was the team’s second leading tackler with 78 stops, including a team-high 42 solo tackles, and ranked No. 2 in the CAA with five interceptions. He had 10 or more tackles three times, including a career-high 14 vs. Maine. He also contributed four tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and two forced fumbles, and was one of the team’s mainstays on special teams.
Among the second team selections, Scarff (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) caught 12 passes for 71 yards and ranked second on the team with three touchdown receptions; Trump (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg, Pa.) was a three-year starter at tackle; Raggo (Randolph/Randolph, N.J.) connected on all 28 PATs to extend his three-year streak to 64 straight, was 11 of 15 field goals (making seven of his final nine attempts), and booted two fields goals over 50 yards, including a school-record 55-yarder vs. James Madison; and Woodson (Stroudsburg/ Stroudsburg, Pa.) was No. 5 on the team with 55 tackles and also added three sacks and an interception while starting each of his final 44 games at Delaware.
Among the third team selections, first-year walk-on and transfer Kane (Sussex Tech/Bridgeville, Del.) was Delaware’s leading rusher and ranked No. 4 in the CAA with 594 yards on 142 carries (4.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns; and first-year transfer Pritchard (New Egypt/New Egypt, N.J.) averaged 40.7 yards (No. 4 in the CAA) on 60 punts, had 11 go for 50 or more yards, did not have a kick blocked all season, and tied a UD single season record by having 25 punts land inside the opponent 20-yard line.
Regular season champion and No. 1 ranked James Madison led the way with 15 all-conference selections but Delaware was second and tied with Stony Brook with 11 players honored.
Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta was named Offensive Player of the Year; James Madison linebacker Andrew Ankrah was selected as Defensive Player of the Year; James Madison kick returner John Miller was named Special Teams Player of the Year; Elon quarterback Davis Cheek was named Offensive Rookie of the Year; and first-year Elon head coach Curt Cignetti earned the nod as Coach of the Year.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Dec 15, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Fri, Dec 15, 2017 at 1:16 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Delaware Football's Bilal Nichols Earns Third Team All-American Honors by Phil Steele Publications
To:

SUBJECT: Delaware Football's Bilal Nichols Earns Phil Steele Publications Third Team All-American Honors

DATE: December 15, 2017

CLEVELAND – Add All-American honors to list of impressive awards earned by University of Delaware football standout nose tackle Bilal Nichols this season.

Nichols, a four-year standout on the defensive line for the Blue Hens, was honored as a third team Phil Steele FCS All-American on Friday.

A native of Newark, Del. (Hodgson Vo-Tech High School), Nichols is the first Blue Hen to earn All-American honors since linebacker Troy Reeder was named a Sophomore All-American by HERO Sports last season and offensive tackle Ben Curtis was a second team Associated Press All-American in 2015.

The 6-4, 290 lb. Nichols is also the first UD defensive lineman to earn All-American honors since 2013 when current Denver Broncos lineman Zach Kerr was a first team All-American pick by both the College Sporting News and Phil Steele.

Earlier this fall, Nichols earned first team All-Colonial Athletic Association and third team All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (All-East) honors and also earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game to be played Jan. 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A four-year standout, Nichols played in 44 career games with 21 starts and recorded 104 tackles (50 solo), 10.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, and 10 pass breakups.

After earning third team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors as a sophomore in 2015, he earned second team honors in 2016, and first team recognition this season when he recorded 56 tackles, including 5.5 sacks, and intercepted a pass.

Nichols was one of 16 CAA players honored on the four teams, including first team picks, WR Neil O’Connor of New Hampshire, OL Timon Parris and FB Cal Daniels of Stony Brook, and OL Jamil Demby and RB Josh Mack of Maine.

South Dakota quarterback Chris Streveler was named the Offensive Player of the Year while Western Illinois linebacker Brett Taylor was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year.

MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Dec 19, 2017

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W.<selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 9:36 AM
Subject: SUBJECT: University of Delaware Center Brody Kern Earns STATS FCS Football All-American Honors
To:

SUBJECT: University of Delaware Center Brody Kern Earns STATS FCS Football All-American Honors
DATE: December 19, 2017
NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware football squad was honored with another postseason award Tuesday as senior center Brody Kern earned a spot on the STATS NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-American team.
Kern, a 6-2, 285 lb. senior from York, Pa. (West York High School) and a four-year starter for the Blue Hens, was selected as a third team All-American.
He becomes the second Blue Hen to earn All-American honors this month after senior nose tackle Bilal Nichols was a third team pick by Phil Steele Publications last week.
Kern, a co-captain, is the first UD player to earn All-American notice by STATS (formerly The Sports Network) since Nick Boyle was honored in 2014. He is the first true center from Delaware honored since Kheon Hendricks earned All-American recognition by two different organizations following the 2008 campaign.
Kern, who earned first team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors back in November, second team All-CAA mention in 2016, and third team All-CAA laurels in 2017.
A management information systems major who will graduate in May, Kern was a four-year standout at center who started each of his final 39 career games for the Blue Hens.
He was the anchor for an offensive line that helped Delaware rank No. 2 in the CAA in fewest sacks allowed (20) and rushing offense (192.5 yards per game) this past season when the Hens went 7-4 and narrowly missed a postseason playoff berth for first-year head coach Danny Rocco.
Kern was one of 13 CAA players honored Tuesday by STATS. Joining Kern were first team picks Josh Mack of Maine (RB), Cal Daniels of Stony Brook (FB), Aaron Stinnie (OL) and Andrew Ankrah (DL) of James Madison; second team selections Neil O’Connor (WR) of New Hampshire, Jamil Demby of Maine (OL), Timon Parris (OL) of Stony Brook, Warren Messer (LB) of Elon, Raven Greene (DB) of James Madision; and third team selections Kyle Lauletta (QB) and Andrew Clyde (DL) of Richmond, and Rashad Robinson (DB) of James Madison.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Jan 8, 2018

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Selheimer, Scott W. <selheime@udel.edu>
Date: Mon, Jan 8, 2018 at 1:04 PM
Subject: SUBJECT: Chicago Bears Name Former University of Delaware Football All-American Matt Nagy Head Coach
To:

SUBJECT: Chicago Bears Name Former University of Delaware Football All-American Matt Nagy Head Coach
DATE: January 8, 2018
CHICAGO -- A former University of Delaware Blue Hen is now ready to fly in the Windy City.
Matt Nagy, an All-American quarterback for Delaware during a record-breaking career in 1997-2000 and most recently the offensive coordinator for the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, was named head coach of the Chicago Bears on Monday. He replaces John Fox, who served as the Bears' head coach the last three seasons.
Nagy, a native of Manheim, Pa., becomes the first former Blue Hen to earn a head coaching position in the National Football League. His general manager at Kansas City, Brett Veach, is also a former UD football teammate and standout.
Both played for legendary Delaware head coach Tubby Raymond, who served as head coach of the Blue Hens for 36 seasons in 1966-2001. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Raymond passed away last month at the age of 92.
Nagy, who has served on Andy Reid's staff with both the Philadelphia Eagles (2008-12) and the Chiefs (2013-17), was promoted to the Chiefs' offensive coordinator position prior to the 2016 season. He led Kansas City to the NFL playoffs four times over the last five years under Reid, including each of the last three seasons.
A strong-armed quarterback, Nagy led Delaware to the 2000 NCAA FCS semifinals when he earned third team The Sports Network All-American honors and was a first team All-Atlantic 10 selection.
He rewrote the Delaware record books, setting marks for career completions (502), yards (8,214), and touchdowns (58), season yards (3,426) and touchdowns (29), and yardage in a game (556). He broke several records held by former NFL Most Valuable Player Rich Gannon and also had a few of his marks broken by current Baltimore Ravens veteran quarterback Joe Flacco.
Nagy continued his career in the Arena Football League and played six seasons for four different organizations and led two of them to the Arena Bowl Championship. He earned second team All-Arena honors in 2005 with the Georgia Force.
In addition to Nagy and Veach, Delaware has five current players in the NFL, including Flacco (Baltimore); safety Mike Adams (Carolina); linebacker Paul Worrilow (Detroit), tight end Nick Boyle (Baltimore); and defensive tackle Zach Kerr (Denver).
Among the NFL coaching ranks, former UD head coach Dave Brock is an offensive assistant coach and former UD assistant Kyle Flood is assistant offensive line coach with Atlanta; former assistant John Perry is the wide receivers coach with Houston; former assistant Devin Fitzsimmons is a special teams assistant with Detroit; former assistant Nick Rapone is defensive backs coach at Arizona; and former Delaware wide receiver Joey Bleymaier is an offensive quality control coach with Kansas City.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Jan 14, 2018

SUBJECT: University of Delaware Football Standout Blaine Woodson to Play in Dream Bowl All-Star Game Monday
DATE: January 14, 2018
SALEM, Va. -- Blaine Woodson, a starter on the defensive line for the University of Delaware football squad the past four years and a three-time all-conference selection, will extend his playing career for at least one more game Monday when he takes part in Dream Bowl VI at Salem Stadium.
Kickoff is set off for 12 noon. The game will be live streamed at www.dreambowl.net/news/dream-bowl-vi-livestream.
The Dream Bowl is a college football All-Star Showcase of the best NCAA FCS, Division II, and Division III players from across the country. The game and the series of events held over Martin Luther King Weekend are a celebration of the excellence, commitment, and sacrifice made by the players and their families.
Woodson becomes the fourth Blue Hen football alum to play in the all-star game, joining defensive end Derrick Saulsberry (2014), offensive tackle Ben Curtis (2015), and offensive lineman Connor Bozick (2016).
"It's a privilege to be selected and to play another game," said Woodson, a hotel, restaurant, and institutional management major at Delaware. "The opportunity to play in front of scouts is a blessing and I hope to showcase my ability. It will be an honor to put the winged helmet on one more time to represent the University of Delaware."
Another Blue Hens will take part in college all-star game action this Saturday, Jan. 20, when defensive tackle Bilal Nichols competes in the East-West Shrine game. That game will be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. at 3 p.m. and will be televised live on NFL Network.
Woodson, a 6-2, 280 lb. native of Stroudsburg, Pa. (Stroudsburg HS), earned second team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors in 2017 after ranking fifth on the team with 55 tackles while adding three sacks and an interception. He started each of his final 44 games at Delaware and finished his career with 14.5 sacks for 75 yards and 21.5 tackles for loss for 89 yards.
He also earned second team All-CAA honors and was named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year as a redshirt freshman in 2014 and was a second team All-CAA selection as a sophomore in 2015.
Delaware posted a 7-4 record in 2017 under first-year head coach Danny Rocco and narrowly missed a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
MEDIA INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129

Scott Selheimer

Assistant AD/Media Relations

University of Delaware, BCC

Newark, DE 19716

(302) 831-8007 office

(302) 562-5129 cell

selheime@udel.edu

BlueHens.com

dawrestling · Mar 1, 2018

Rocco Finalizes Coaching Staff For 2018

NEWARK, Del. – With spring football right around the corner, University of Delaware football head coach Danny Rocco has finalized his coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Joining Rocco’s staff will be a familiar face to Blue Hens fans as Nick Rapone will take over the cornerback coaching duties, along with Kevin Reihner (Offensive Assistant/Tight Ends Coach) and Greg Meyer (Recruiting Assistant/Offensive Quality Control).

Recent alum Jalen Kindle will join the coaching staff as the Defensive Assistant and work with the linebackers, while Manny Rojas and Clint Sintim, will serve as Co-Special Teams Coordinators, along with their coaching duties with the inside and outside linebackers.

“I’m really excited to complete our staff as we head into our second season here at Delaware. We’ve really been able to round out our staff with extremely knowledgeable and experienced coaches and it puts us in a good position headed into spring ball in a few weeks,” Rocco said.

Rapone returns to Delaware after spending five seasons working with the Arizona Cardinals defensive backs. He coached five Pro-Bowl selections and two All-Pro selections during his time in Phoenix. This is Rapone’s second stint with the Blue Hens, after he served as the defensive coordinator from 2006-12, where he was a part of two National Championship game appearances (2007, 2010). He also had stints on the defensive staffs at Temple, UConn, Pittsburgh and ETSU.

“A lot of our fans and supporters are familiar with Nick as he spent numerous years here with a lot of success working with K.C. [Keeler]. I’ve known him for quite some time and was certainly excited to here about his interest in the job and the knowledge and experience he will bring to our staff,” Rocco said.

Reihner joins the staff after spending last year as an offensive assistant at Wake Forest and the 2016-17 campaign as the Offensive Quality Control Specialist at Fordham. He played collegiately at Stanford University and Penn State, where he was a member of the offensive line and a part of three consecutive BCS bowl games.

Meyer is a familiar face to Offensive Coordinator Matt Simon and new QBs Coach Alex Wood, having worked alongside both of them at the University of Buffalo. Meyer spent the past five seasons with the Bulls, where he was served on the offensive staff in various capacities, including player development, wide receivers and offensive quality control. Prior to coaching at Buffalo, Meyer worked with the wide receivers and DBs and Lycoming College. Meyer’s collegiate playing career was also at Buffalo, where he was a three-time All-Conference selection.

Kindle remains in Newark and transitions into the coaching role, after playing the past five years with the linebacking core. He was a four-time CAA All-Academic Conference honoree and this past year was a finalist for the Campbell Trophy Award, the academic Heisman for FCS and FBS programs.

The Blue Hens take to the field for the first time this spring on Tuesday, March 13. A full practice schedule can be found at BlueHens.com.

dawrestling · Mar 14, 2018

with close to 100 families making major commitments.

And the Delaware football alumni network has stepped up in a big way. In addition to Flacco, over 20 other UD football alumni and their families have made individual major contributions in support of UD’s Athletic Facilities, including a recent gift from UD alumnus and former NFL star Rich Gannon. They include:

Robert E. Ashby '77 and Sandra Keene Ashby '77

Paul F. '83 and Lisa Brown

Lawrence R. '58 '66M and Barbara V. Catuzzi

Joe ’08 and Dana Flacco and Family

Vance A. Funk III '65 and Elaine Trzcinski Funk '69

Richard J. '87 and Michelle D. Gannon

Geoffrey C. Gardner '96 and Karen Kolar Gardner '96

Thomas L. '60 and Kipp T. Gutshall

Thomas E. Hall '78 and Patricia Kilbane Hall '78M

Richard H. '71 and Gail D. Keller '71

Alfred L. Minite '80 and Susan Gilman Minite '80

David W. Price '90 and Kristin Shannon Price '88

Michael S. '67 and Elizabeth R. Purzycki

Joseph J. Purzycki '71 '77M and Sharon Kirk Purzycki '71

Daniel R. '86 and Cheryl K. Reeder

Kenneth L. '53 and Theodora F. Rieth

Gregory T. '91 and Kristi Rogerson

Fred P. Jr. '63 and Madeleine T. Rullo

Michael S. '96 and Melissa Ryan

Rick S. Scheetz '87 and Michele Jacecko Scheetz '87

Ethan A. Jr. '57 and Patricia A. Stenger

Thomas W. Van Grofski '66 '68M and Jacqueline Harding Van Grofski '63

William E. Jr. '92 and Melissa G. Vergantino

John E. Jr. '64 and Barbara C. Wallace

ABOUT JOE FLACCO

A native of Audubon, N.J., Flacco earned All-American honors in 2007 when he led Delaware to an 11-4 record and a berth in the NCAA FCS title game after passing for 23 touchdowns and a school-record 4,263 yards for head coach K.C. Keeler.

He set 20 school records, including completions in a game (40) and season (331), consecutive passes without an interception (174), passing yards in a season (4,263), 300-yard passing games (11), and career completion percentage (.634). He also ranks No. 2 all-time at Delaware with 7,046 career passing yards.

He earned third team Sports Network All-American honors in 2007 when he was the Colonial Athletic Association and ECAC Eastern Player of the Year and was named the UD Co-Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year with teammate and 2015 UD Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Omar Cuff.

He was a first round NFL draft pick (18th overall) by Baltimore in 2008 - the highest pick ever for a Delaware player - and was named the 2008 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year. A starter since he entered the league, he has led the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC playoffs six times, including berths in the AFC championship game twice. He led the Ravens to the Super Bowl XLVII title in 2012 and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-31 win over San Francisco. He has thrown for nearly 30,000 yards during his career.

Flacco was inducted into the Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.

DELAWARE FIRST CAMPAIGN

Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware was publicly launched on Nov. 10, 2017. The comprehensive engagement and fundraising campaign will unite Blue Hens across the nation to accelerate UD’s mission of cultivating tomorrow’s leaders, creating solutions to grand challenges, inspiring innovations and transforming lives. The united effort will help create an extraordinary student experience at UD and extend its impact on the region and the world.

2017 University of Delaware Football News and Notes

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Recruited by College

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Special teams standout

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Top 100 Prospect

Similar threads