University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
Blue Hens Sit #22 In STATS FCS Preseason Poll
8/5/2019 3:00:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. - Since his arrival at Delaware, head coach Danny Rocco has spoken about returning Blue Hens football to the national stage that it belongs.
For the second straight season, Rocco and his program will start at that exact stage with Delaware earning its second straight top-25 preseason ranking, sitting at #22 in the STATS FCS poll, released on Monday afternoon.
"It's nice to have respect, but we know as a football team that we have a lot of work to do to earn that ranking," senior captain Pat Kehoe said. "We have to continue to attack each day and do the little things to improve each time we take the field. In order to accomplish our goals, we have to embrace day and make sure we are doing everything we can to get better as a team."
Delaware returns 14 starters from last year's team that earned the program's first FCS playoff berth in eight years last fall. Kehoe returns as the Blue Hens incumbent at the quarterback position, joined by preseason All-CAA honoree DeJoun Lee in the backfield and both will work behind a veteran offensive line group that returns four of five starters from a year ago.
Defensively, Cam Kitchen, a third-team All-CAA selection in 2018, returns to lead an experienced line, with co-captain Nijuel Hill leading a young, but talented defensive backfield.
The Blue Hens are coming off back-to-back seven-win seasons, an accomplishment that hadn't been done in nearly 10 years.
Delaware opens up the 2019 season on Thursday, August 29thwhen they host in-state rival Delaware State at 7 p.m.
For the second straight season, Rocco and his program will start at that exact stage with Delaware earning its second straight top-25 preseason ranking, sitting at #22 in the STATS FCS poll, released on Monday afternoon.
"It's nice to have respect, but we know as a football team that we have a lot of work to do to earn that ranking," senior captain Pat Kehoe said. "We have to continue to attack each day and do the little things to improve each time we take the field. In order to accomplish our goals, we have to embrace day and make sure we are doing everything we can to get better as a team."
Delaware returns 14 starters from last year's team that earned the program's first FCS playoff berth in eight years last fall. Kehoe returns as the Blue Hens incumbent at the quarterback position, joined by preseason All-CAA honoree DeJoun Lee in the backfield and both will work behind a veteran offensive line group that returns four of five starters from a year ago.
Defensively, Cam Kitchen, a third-team All-CAA selection in 2018, returns to lead an experienced line, with co-captain Nijuel Hill leading a young, but talented defensive backfield.
The Blue Hens are coming off back-to-back seven-win seasons, an accomplishment that hadn't been done in nearly 10 years.
Delaware opens up the 2019 season on Thursday, August 29thwhen they host in-state rival Delaware State at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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