The Tribe Has Spoken

After 9 months wait it is good to be back blogging football style! I’ll jump right into the first ever CAA football game.

Delaware looks to return another potent offense this season, only losing star TE Ben Patrick. Last year the Hens scored over 20 points in 9 of their 11 games, averaging 357 yards per. Most this was due to Pittsburgh transfer quarterback Joe Flacco, who came close to 3000 yards and had 18 TDs compared to 10 INTs. He completed 63 percent of his passes and averaged 253 yards per game. He is at least the second best QB in the A-10, but may be vulnerable if pressure is applied which will be his big test in the season opener.

The Hens also return a strong RB, in 12th year senior Omar Cuff. Cuff battled injuries last year, only playing in 7 games, rushed for 541 yards, and I think the most impressive stat, in 124 attempts compiled only 6 negative yards. The fact that Cuff hasn’t compiled any wear this season could be a major disadvantage to the Tribe, as this may be one of the only games this year he is 100%.

Aaron Love is the Hens top returning receiver, the only upper classmen of the bunch. He led the team in receiving yards last year with over 700, and was second to only Ben Patrick in catches. He is one of their big-play threats, and should get the majority of the catches. The other 2 starting wideouts look to be Mark Duncan, the biggest in the unit at 5-11, and Kervin Michaud, who was third on the team in catches and receiving yards last year. They have some bigger options for red-zone situations in Tommie Crosby(6′5″) and Ryan Finnegan(6′4″). Robbie Agnone and Josh Baker will take Ben Patrick’s place at TE, and I have heard the KC Keeler likes this combination even more than Patrick.

The offensive line will be an experienced one this year. 3 seniors return, 2 of which are over 290, with a junior and a sophomore. How they play will dictate the game, and if they can get Flacco time he will cut up the defense.

The defensive line returns 3 starters. Jeremy Kametz is the only senior, and will play the tackle position. He had 34 tackles last year and 1 sack, plus 5 TFLs, and started in all 11 games. Right tackle Manny Marshall only started in 5 games last year and because of that only had 10 tackles. He plugs the gaps at 288, and had a half a sack last season. Matt Marcorelle is an interesting player, the only player in UDel history to be captain as a sophomore. Last year he was injured during the first game of the season(Albany), and was granted a medical redshirt. As a freshman he had 5 sacks and 10 TFLs, which have both Keeler and Hens fans excited. Ronald Talley will take up the other DE spot, a transfer who started 5 games at ND last year. They both have some obstacles to overcome, but have a good shot at being all-CAA or maybe even all-americans.

The Hens linebackers are led by MLB Erik Johnson. Johnson started in 10 of the 11 games he played last year, and led the team with 3 sacks and 9.5 TFLs. He was second on the team in tackles, and looks to be the strong point of the D. Tim Prindle will also take a linebacker spot, and while he played in 8 games last year he really didn’t get to show much. Junior Johnathon Smith is a UConn transfer who logged minutes in every game the past 2 years, and as much talent as you will see on this level as he had 15 tackles as a freshman against Rutgers in 2004.

The defensive backs will a key in this game as the Tribe will need to be very successful through the air to win it. Fred Andrew is the top returning DB, starting in 8 of 11 games last year and bringing down 2 interceptions. He was 5th on the team in tackles and will be the leader of the secondary. Delaware is throwing another inexperienced player into the fire with redshirt freshman Anthony Walters. Walters is big at 6-1, 190, but has a junior in Marvin McKinne waiting to snap up PT if he sputters. Sophomore Anthony Bratton will play the strong safety position, and he is also has big-time size at 6-2. He saw the field in 5 games last year but did not get a start. The free safety spot has been given to sophomore Charles Graves, who played in the same 5 games Bratton did but picked up 2 starts. The secondary has very little experience as a whole and will be one of the places the Tribe needs to exploit.

UD has several game changers on special teams. Receivers Kervin Michaud and Aaron Love are both very good returners, with a chance to take one to the house at any moment. The Hens return their punter, Stuart Kenworthy, which should give them the upper hand in the field position battle as David Miller didn’t look the best for the Tribe in the scimmages. They do have a new starting kicker, however, with Jon Striefsky. Whoever steps up between the Hens’ Striefsky and the Tribe’s Brian Pate could very well decide the outcome, similar to the Hens last trip to Williamsburg.

I see the Tribe having a slight advantage on defense, with Derek Cox, Josh Rutter, Michael Pigram, and Adrian Tracy all returning as stars of the D. However, the edge is slim, and the Hens have a well-oiled machine of an offense which I don’t see the Tribe being able to stop. Hens win in a high scoring game.

Hens-34
Tribe-31