University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
#24/22 Stony Brook (Band/Twirler Day)
Costly Fumbles Upend Blue Hens as Delaware Drops 28-3 Decision to Stony Brook
10/22/2016 4:18:00 PM | Football
• Boxscore
Dennis Dottin-Carter, who took over the reigns of the Blue Hens on Sunday when fourth-year head coach Dave Brock was relieved of his duties.Dottin-Carter commended his Blue Hens following the game for their togetherness and focus during a tough week, but acknowledged that none of was able to help the Hens counter the mishaps on the field.
“I am extremely proud of the way these guys came together and reacted all week in practice,” said Dottin-Carter, Delaware's co-defensive coordinator the last three seasons. “They did a tremendous job, they stayed focus, and they were locked in. Certainly the result was not what we wanted or expected considering how well we practiced. We need to do a better job of holding on to the football, do a better job on fundamentals, and execute better on offense and defense. We will work hard on that in practice.”
Stony Brook (5-2, 4-0 CAA), tied atop the CAA standings with James Madison, won its third straight game as Stacey Bedell ran for 120 yards and two fourth quarter touchdowns, quarterback Joe Carbone threw for 75 yards and ran for a 24-yard score, and linebacker John Haggart posted 11 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, and forced three fumbles. The Seawolves had 13 tackles for loss, including five sacks, for the game.
Delaware lost despite holding Stony Brook to just 10 first downs and 285 total yards, holding a nearly
seven-minute advantage in time of possession, and stopping them on 9 of 13 third down attempts. Junior linebacker Charles Bell led the UD defensive effort with 11 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and returned a fumble 33 yards in the first half. Fellow linebacker Troy Reeder added eight stops. Offensively for the Hens, quarterback Joe Walker (top left) threw for a career-high 134 yards with junior wide receiver Charles Scarff hauling in a season-high four catches for 71 yards.
Wes Hills (at left), still hobbled by a lower body injury that forced him to miss last week's 24-17 loss at William & Mary, led the UD running attack with 53 yards. Delaware managed just 238 yards for the game, including 78 in the second half.
After a scoreless first quarter, Stony Brook got on the board early in the second quarter when Walker was hit hard by Haggart as he was about to throw and fumbled. Stony Brook's Raheem Woods picked up the loose ball and rambled 55 yards to give the Seawolves the lead for good.
Delaware came right back and put together their longest drive of the season. The Hens went 60 yards on 18 plays and used up 10:28 of the clock before settling for a 23-yard field goal by Frank Raggo into the wind with 3:15 left in the half to cut the lead to 7-3. The drive was the longest of the season for plays and time and the 18 plays were the most since an 18-play drive vs. New Hampshire last season.
The Hens had the chance to take the lead right before the half when defensive end Armen Ware forced a fumble and Bell picked it up and ran 33 yards down to the Stony Brook 20-yard line. But Delaware managed just eight yards on four plays and Stony Brook took over on downs.
The second half was all Stony Brook as the Seawolves forced four Delaware fumbles, recovered 
three of them, and scored three touchdowns in the final 24 minutes. Stony Brook followed two of the fumble recoveries with touchdowns and sealed the victory on Bedell's two fourth quarter scores.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
• Despite Stony Brook being a fourth-year member of the CAA, the teams met for the first time ever on the football field
• Delaware's seven fumbles were the most since having seven vs. Richmond in 1998 and the five fumbles lost were the most since losing five against Rhode Island in 1995
• Delaware extended its home scoring streak to 220 straight games, a streak that dates all the way back to 1983
• Cornerback Malcolm Brown (#1 at right/photo by Mark Jordan) intercepted his second pass of the season to thwart Stony Brook's opening drive inside UD territory. The pick was Delaware ninth of the season, surpassing the entire season total of the the 2015 squad
• Delaware, which entered the game ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in fewest penalties with 24, committed just 2 penalties for 10 yards for the game
• The Blue Hen will remain at home and host rival Towson for Homecoming next Saturday, Oct. 29, at 3:30 p.m. at Delaware Stadium
• Former Delaware All-American and current NFL Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Gino Gradkowski watched the game from the sidelines
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