University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Jordan Burgess
Pressure Brings Out Blue Hens’ Toughness and Togetherness
11/3/2018 10:46:00 PM | Football
212 degrees. It's the boiling point of water. The same boiling water hardens an egg, but softens pasta.
Pressure is much like that boiling point. For some, it proves to be too much and mistakes are made and goals aren't accomplished. For others, it can bring out a togetherness and toughness that ultimately proves to be the difference.
On a cold, windy, gloomy day in Albany, N.Y., the Fightin' Blue Hens proved to be just that. Fightin'.
"I told our guys in the locker room that pressure can bring out all your weaknesses, but ultimately it's how you handle that pressure that determines if you're going to take the next step," head coach Danny Rocco said.
On Saturday, with nothing seeming to go right and the Blue Hens unable to move the ball offensively, Delaware's defense picked up the intensity and gave the offense one more chance to march down the field.
"We knew we had to come up big and make the stops in order to get our offense the ball," senior Charles Bell said. "This team is about having each other's back and playing for each other. The offense has had our back when we needed it, we've had their back. It's all about doing whatever it takes to come away with the win."
And as redshirt junior QB Pat Kehoe has done multiple times already this year, he walked into the huddle with one message.
"I told those guys that I love them and let's go win the ball game," Kehoe said.
Kehoe, who was 10-for-24 entering the final drive, connected on six of his eight passes to set up Kani Kane's winning touchdown from 14 yards out.
"We're a family. There's going to be good days and there's going to be bad days, but ultimately, it's how we respond when the pressure is on us," Kehoe said. "I think this team, more than any other team that I've ever been on, does a great job of staying together when our backs are against the wall and I think that ultimately comes down to the fact that we love each other and love playing with and for each other."
From spring camp until now, the focus and goal for this team has been the FCS Playoffs. No current Blue Hens player has ever reached that destination. Rocco and the team know that in order to reach that goal, it's about continuing to take steps.
"We all, including myself and our coaches, need to continue to get better," Rocco said. "It's incredibly tough to win in this league, especially on the road, but our team was able to take another step in the journey and finish the job today. We got better today. And now, we have to continue to focus on getting better every day in order to fully take the next step as a program."
The next step? Stony Brook. Saturday, November 10. 1 p.m.
Pressure is much like that boiling point. For some, it proves to be too much and mistakes are made and goals aren't accomplished. For others, it can bring out a togetherness and toughness that ultimately proves to be the difference.
On a cold, windy, gloomy day in Albany, N.Y., the Fightin' Blue Hens proved to be just that. Fightin'.
"I told our guys in the locker room that pressure can bring out all your weaknesses, but ultimately it's how you handle that pressure that determines if you're going to take the next step," head coach Danny Rocco said.
On Saturday, with nothing seeming to go right and the Blue Hens unable to move the ball offensively, Delaware's defense picked up the intensity and gave the offense one more chance to march down the field. "We knew we had to come up big and make the stops in order to get our offense the ball," senior Charles Bell said. "This team is about having each other's back and playing for each other. The offense has had our back when we needed it, we've had their back. It's all about doing whatever it takes to come away with the win."
And as redshirt junior QB Pat Kehoe has done multiple times already this year, he walked into the huddle with one message.
"I told those guys that I love them and let's go win the ball game," Kehoe said.
Kehoe, who was 10-for-24 entering the final drive, connected on six of his eight passes to set up Kani Kane's winning touchdown from 14 yards out.
"We're a family. There's going to be good days and there's going to be bad days, but ultimately, it's how we respond when the pressure is on us," Kehoe said. "I think this team, more than any other team that I've ever been on, does a great job of staying together when our backs are against the wall and I think that ultimately comes down to the fact that we love each other and love playing with and for each other."
From spring camp until now, the focus and goal for this team has been the FCS Playoffs. No current Blue Hens player has ever reached that destination. Rocco and the team know that in order to reach that goal, it's about continuing to take steps.
"We all, including myself and our coaches, need to continue to get better," Rocco said. "It's incredibly tough to win in this league, especially on the road, but our team was able to take another step in the journey and finish the job today. We got better today. And now, we have to continue to focus on getting better every day in order to fully take the next step as a program."
The next step? Stony Brook. Saturday, November 10. 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
LB
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