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 For the first time since the 1966 season, someone other than Tubby Raymond will blow the whistle to start spring football practice at the University of Delaware Wednesday afternoon, April 10.
New Blue Hen head coach K.C. Keeler, who succeeded Raymond as head coach of the Delaware football team last month, will lead his team into a month of pre-season drills beginning Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. on the Delaware practice fields.
Per NCAA rules, Delaware will take part in 15 practice days beginning April 10 and finishing with the annual Blue-White Spring Game May 4 at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium.
All practice sessions as well as scrimmages scheduled for April 20 and April 27 at Delaware Stadium are free and open to the public. There will be an admission charge for the Blue-White Game May 4.
The Blue Hens are scheduled to practice each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m. Nearly 100 candidates are expected to be on hand.
This year’s spring drills promise to have plenty of surprises as Keeler, a former Blue Hen starting linebacker and a 1981 graduate, takes over the helm for his former coach. Raymond retired in February following a legendary 36-year career as head coach of the Blue Hens in which he became just the ninth coach in college football history to amass 300 wins. He also led the Blue Hens to three national titles and 16 NCAA playoff appearances.
Keeler, who formed an NCAA Division III dynasty at Rowan College over the past nine seasons, leading the Profs to five national championship games and 88 victories, inherits a team that returns seven starters on defense and two on offense. The Blue Hens posted a 4-6 record a year ago, the first losing campaign for the Blue Hens since 1987.
Keeler plans to institute a no-huddle, spread offense, and with just two starters returning on offense, junior fullback and leading rusher Antawn Jenkins and junior offensive guard Jason Nerys, there will plenty of battles for playing time during the spring.
Among other top returning offense players are sophomore quarterback Mike Connor and junior center Matt Graviet. Among the newcomers to watch are redshirt freshmen Brian Ingram and Justin Long who will battle for the two starting wide receiver spots.
Jenkins led the team with 131 carries for 570 yards and five touchdowns last season while Connor became the starter midway through the season and threw for 580 yards and one touchdown in four games. He was the first true freshman to play quarterback for the Blue Hens since 1951.
Defensively the Blue Hens will be among the top units not only in the Atlantic 10 but also in the nation. A total of seven starters return, including all four defensive backs and two linebackers.
Leading the unit will be senior linebacker Dan Mulhern, a two-time All-Atlantic 10 selection and a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in NCAA I-AA football. Mulhern, who earned first team All-East honors in 2001, led the team in tackles with 83 a year ago to go with 11 tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks.
Also returning are two-time All-Atlantic 10 defensive end Femi Ayi, who has 11 career sacks, and an outstanding secondary that includes veterans Mike Adams and Ricardo Walker and sophomore cornerback Sidney Haugabrook, the 2001Atlantic 10 and ECAC Rookie of the Year who intercepted six passes a year ago.
April 10, 2002
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