University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Pittsburgh
A Tough Season Opener for Delaware as Blue Hens Drop 62-0 Verdict at Pittsburgh
8/30/2014 3:38:00 PM | Football
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- It was a tough day for the University of Delaware in its football season opener Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field as host Pittsburgh jumped out to big halftime lead and never looked back in dropping the Hens by a 62-0 verdict.
Delaware (0-1), beginning Year 2 of the Dave Brock era, had its troubles all day on both sides of the ball and suffered its first shutout loss since the 1996 season.
Pitt, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and the winner of last year's Little Ceasear's Pizza 
Bowl, piled up 501 yards of total offense and took advantage of three turnovers on the way to setting a team record for most points scored in a game at Heinz Field.
The Blue Hens will look to get back to winning ways next Saturday when the Hens host in-state foe Delaware State at Delaware Stadium at 6 p.m.
"We were certainly disappointed in the way we played today," said Brock. "We were outmatched, we played poorly offensively, and we struggled to tackle bigger and stronger people. It is frustrating, but in reality its just one game. We just have to move on, take a look at what we did, work hard, and put ourselves in a position to win a football game next week against Delaware State."
Delaware, coming off a 7-5 mark a year ago, was able to manage just 64 total yards as senior quarterback Trent Hurley, who grew up just about an hour away from Pittsburgh, completed 6 of 13 passes for 19 yards and was intercepted three times and sacked twice.
On the ground, the Hens managed just 26 net yards with Wes Hills and Jalen Randolph each picking up 27 yards. The Hens converted just 1 of 11 third down opportunities, recorded five first downs, and were hurt by seven penalties for 40 yards.
Blue Hen All-American sophomore punter Eric Enderson (above left), who ranked No. 3 in the nation last year with a school-record 45.0 yards average, was a bright spot again as he punted eight times for a 46.6 yard average.
Defensively, first-year transfer safety C.J. Jones led the Hens with a team-high seven tackles while senior linebacker David Mackall made six stops and safety Simba Gwashavanhu had four stops, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in his collegiate debut.
In all, 21 Delaware players were making their collegiate debut, including eight true freshmen.
Running back James Conner led Pitt as he carried 14 times for 153 yards and scored four touchdowns with all four scores coming in the first half as the Panthers built a 42-0 lead. Quarterback Chad Voytik hit on 10 of 13 passes for 84 yards and two scores.
Pitt wasted little time getting on the board. After Delaware gained just four yards on opening drive, the Panthers responded with 35 yards punt return by All-American Tyler Boyd to the Delaware 41-yard line. After a 12-yard pass from Voytik to Boyd, Conner carried three straight times, taking the final run seven yards into the end zone for a score.
Boyd followed with a 12-yard scoring pass from Voytik with 2:05 left in the first quarter and Conner followed with three straight scoring runs of 8, 1, and 19 yards to put Pitt up 35-0 midway through the second quarter. A one-yard scoring run by Chris James gave Pitt a 42-0 lead at the break.
The Hens didn't fare much better in the second half as Pitt scored twice in the third quarter and capped the day's offensive show with an 18-yard scoring run by James with 4:11 left to play.
Delaware did have its chances but could never capitalize. Andrew Opoku recovered a fumble on a Pitt punt return at the Panther 42-yard line early in the second quarter, but on Delaware's first play, Hurley was intercepted by Todd Thomas at the one-yard line.
"It's a long season and this isn't going to define us," said Delaware senior safety and co-captain Jake Giusti. "We just have to come back and work hard this week and be ready for Delaware State on Saturday."
Hen Scratchings: Delaware was held without a point for the first time since a 27-0 loss to Villanova in 1996, a span of 220 games that was the longest active streak among Colonial Athletic Association teams...the 62-point losing margin was the highest for Delaware since a school-record 89-0 setback to Penn in 1921...Hurley had a streak of 10 straight games with a touchdown pass snapped...Michael Johnson extended his pass-catching streak to 24 games as he caught a team-high four passes for 16 yards...TE Nick Boyle had an 11-game pass-catching streak snapped....the 57 total yards of offense by Delaware was the lowest since a school-record 56-yard effort vs. Richmond in 2008....the game was the first-ever between the two schools in football.
