Blue Hens looking forward to kickoff
SPORTS | The UD football team has earned a top-20 national preseason ranking from the Sporting News College Football Preview, and with the Blue Hens returning 14 starters and 26 players with starting experience from last year's team, they are expected to be a force to be reckoned with in the 2010 season.
The Hens, ranked No. 18 in the nation and No. 6 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), are one of six teams in the conference to earn a preseason ranking.
The road to a championship season will not be easy, however, as Delaware faces a daunting test, going against five teams ranked in the Sporting News' preseason top 13. This gauntlet includes games vs. No. 1 Villanova on Nov. 20 at Delaware Stadium, No. 5 Richmond on the road Sept. 25, No. 7 South Dakota State at home Sept. 11, No. 8 James Madison on the road Oct. 2 and No. 13 William & Mary on the road Oct. 23. All five teams advanced to the NCAA tournament a year ago.
Among the top returning starters for the Blue Hens is senior quarterback Pat Devlin, a Walter Payton Award Player of the Year candidate who led the CAA in passing last season when he completed 220 of 344 passes for 2,664 yards. Also returning are top rusher David Hayes (409 yards) and receiver Mark Mackey (33 receptions for 374 yards), as well as a trio of All-American candidates on defense, led by senior safeties Anthony Walters and Anthony Bratton and linebacker Matt Marcorelle.
The Blue Hens, who went 6-5 last season under head coach K.C. Keeler, are looking forward to the 2010 season and look to finish once again as one of the top teams in the nation.
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