University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Elon (Parents & Family Weekend/Twirler Day)
Blue Hens Get Back on Track With 34-24 CAA Football Victory Over Elon
10/11/2014 6:56:00 PM | Football
Elon (1-5, 0-2 CAA), a first-year member of the CAA after years in the Southern Conference, suffered its third straight loss but didn't go down easy as the Phoenix pulled to within 10 points with nine minutes left to play but never could get closer. Quarterback Mike Quinn threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns and hit Tre Lennon on scoring plays of 10 and 35 yards in the second half to keep Elon in range.
Hurley completed 16 of 28 passes for 178 yards, Hills ran for a game-high 111 yards, and Michael Johnson (at right) caught nine passes for 134 yards to lead the offense, which posted a season-high 34 points.
Defensively, senior defensive end Derrick Saulsberry registered two of Delaware's five sacks as the Blue Hens pressured Quinn throughout the day. “We knew they had some good skill players on the outside,” said Saulsberry, whose pressure on Quinn forced the interception return by Brown. “We knew we had to put pressure on them and get in the quarterback's face. I thought we were in his face for most of the game.”
The Hens took control late in the first half, building on a 6-3 lead - thanks to Boyle's touchdown catch - and taking a 24-point advantage into halftime powered by a quick 21-point scoring spree. Hills capped an 84-yard drive with a one-yard dive with 5:00 left in the first half to give Delaware a 13-3 lead.
After Delaware held Elon to a three-and-out, the Hens got the ball back and moved 71 yards on just four plays, capping the drive with a one-yard burst by Randolph with 2:25 remaining to go up 20-3. The big play in the drive was Hurley's 59-yard pass to Johnson down to the Elon seven-yard line.
On Elon's next play from scrimmage after the touchdown, Brown stepped in front of a Quinn pass in the flat and sprinted 20 yards untouched into the end zone to give UD a 27-3 lead at the break.
Quinn's scoring tosses of five yards to Justin Osborne and 10 yards to Lennon in the third quarter
helped Elon narrow the lead to 27-17 with 24 seconds left in the third quarter, but the Hens got one back as Hurley (above) capped a 67-yard drive by moving out of the pocket, breaking a tackle, and diving into the end zone for a six-yard touchdown run with 10:56 remaining.
Lennon's 35-yard scoring pass from Quinn with 8:58 left to play pulled the Phoenix to within 10 points again at 34-24 but it was too little too late.
Delaware will look to continue its winning ways next Saturday when the Blue Hens host CAA rival Towson for Homecoming at 12:30 p.m. The Hens have downed the Tigers six times in the last seven years, including last season when Delaware rallied for a late 32-31 victory against a Towson team 
that advanced to the NCAA FCS national championship game.
Hen Scratchings:
• The game was played in front a season-high crowd of 19,476 for Parents & Family Weekend
• The game marked the first meeting ever between the two schools in football
• Delaware has now scored a point in 208 straight home games since 1983
• Michael Johnson has now caught 19 passes for 262 yards over the last two games and extended his pass-catching streak to 29 straight games. He also went over 4,000 career all-purpose yards during the game
• Nick Boyle caught four passes for 27 yards and became Delaware's all-time leader for pass receptions by a tight end with 81, surpassing the mark of 78 by John Yergey in 1987-89
• Malcolm Brown's interception for a touchdown (at right) was the first by a UD freshman since Kenny Bailey in 1993 vs. Lehigh
• Delaware, Elon, and fellow CAA member Albany remain the only three teams at the NCAA FCS level who have not lost a fumble this season
