University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
Blue Hens Rewind: Five Reasons Why The 2017 Win Over Richmond Was An Instant Classic
10/24/2020 4:00:00 PM | Football
Homecoming is always a special time at the University of Delaware, but in 2017 homecoming was the stage for an instant-classic Delaware football game. In a two-overtime thriller, the Blue Hens beat No. 11 Richmond 42-35 for their third consecutive win. Here are five reasons why this signature win should be one Delaware fans remember for years to come:
1. The dramatic overtime ending
Before we even got to overtime, the game almost ended in dramatic fashion at the end of regulation. Back-to-back sacks from Blaine Woodson and John Nassib plus an incompletion on 3rd and long put Richmond into a punting situation on their side of the field with under a minute on the clock. A bad snap forced Spiders punter DJ Helkowski to dive on the ball, giving Delaware possession on the Richmond 27 with the score tied at 28-28. Frank Raggo's game-winning field goal attempt was blocked at the line, sending the battle of Colonial Athletic Association teams to overtime.
Richmond struck quickly in the first extra period, with Kyle Lauletta (a fourth round draft pick by the New York Giants the following spring) finding Dejon Brissett for a 20-yard touchdown to go up 35-28. On the first play of Delaware's possession, quarterback J.P. Caruso pulled off an impressive throw, rolling to his right and with a defender dragging him down by the leg, slinging an 11-yard pass across his body to the chest of Brandon Whaley for a first down. After three straight rushes for 11 yards, two incompletions, including a trick play with Diante Cherry throwing to Caruso, set up 3rd and goal from the 3. Caruso, with plenty of protection from his offensive line, found tight end Charles Scarff in the corner of the end zone to tie the game back up at 35-35.
Getting the ball first to start the second overtime, the Blue Hens fed their workhorse back Kani Kane. After converting on third down with a Caruso throw to Vinny Papale, a determined 11-yard run from Kane to the outside got Delaware to the doorstep of the end zone, where on the next play he took the hand-off and vaulted himself over the offensive line to put Delaware up 42-35. Having to respond with a touchdown and facing 3rd and goal from the 5, Lauletta was chased backwards for 19 yards and sacked by senior defensive tackle Bilal Nichols. Malcolm Brown swatted away the ensuing desperation heave on 4th down and the Blue Hens had secured a signature win over a ranked opponent.
2. Coach Rocco facing his former team
This matchup was already good on paper, with both teams entering at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in CAA play. But there was an additional layer of motivation for Delaware, as head coach Danny Rocco, in his first year at the helm of the Blue Hens, faced his old team for the first time. Rocco was the head coach of Richmond from 2012-16, compiling a 43-22 record, making three playoff appearances and winning two CAA championships.
"It was great to win this one because we know Coach Rocco really wanted this game, even though he never made it about him," Nichols said after the game.
3. Jamie Jarmon's incredible performance
Junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon led the Blue Hens with 144 all-purpose yards and accounted for three of Delaware's four touchdowns in regulation. Delaware used a lot of misdirection against the Spiders, and it paid off in spades late in the first quarter when Jarmon took a jet sweep 74 yards to the house to put the Blue Hens up 14-7. Jarmon again put Delaware ahead, this time 21-14 right before halftime, getting behind the Richmond secondary as he cut across the field and catching a 19-yard touchdown from Caruso.
In a game full of memorable plays, arguably the most memorable one came early in the fourth quarter. Down 28-21, Delaware faced a 3rd and 3 from the Richmond 5. Jarmon took the handoff on another jet sweep, cutting towards the end zone along the left sideline. A Richmond defender dove for Jarmon's legs as he attempted to hurdle him, sending the receiver flipping through the air. As his momentum carried him to the end zone, another Richmond defender came in to hit him from the side, but only aided Jarmon in landing a full front flip with two feet in the end zone to tie the game at 28-28.
Jarmon's unbelievable play landed him on the Sportscenter Top 10, and his impressive offensive performance helped Delaware secure the win.
4. Future NFL stars making plays on defense
Nichols, who has started every game for the Chicago Bears this year in his third NFL season, made arguably the biggest defensive play of the game in overtime, sacking Lauletta to force a fourth and long. But earlier in the game, another Blue Hen currently in the NFL came up big. Nasir Adderley, now a starting safety for the Los Angeles Chargers, intercepted Lauletta twice on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter.
The first came on a deep ball over the middle, as Adderley drifted over to help the covering corner and made a diving catch as he fell backward to the ground, floating in the air for several seconds as he reeled in the ball. The second came just five minutes later on another Lauletta deep ball, this time intended for the corner of the end zone but way short. Adderley made a basket catch over his shoulder, then turned and brought the ball back 35 yards.
5. Delaware's two 100-yard rushers
Jarmon's two rushing touchdowns weren't his only carries of the game. The speedy receiver ended the contest with four rushes for 103 yards, boosted by his 74-yard run in the first quarter. However, he was outdone on the ground by his teammate Kani Kane. Kane, a bruising tailback, took 26 carries for 109 yards in an effort that saw Delaware gain 288 total rushing yards as a team.
While the ground game carried the torch for the Blue Hens, Caruso made key throws in crucial moments, completing 13 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
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1. The dramatic overtime ending
Before we even got to overtime, the game almost ended in dramatic fashion at the end of regulation. Back-to-back sacks from Blaine Woodson and John Nassib plus an incompletion on 3rd and long put Richmond into a punting situation on their side of the field with under a minute on the clock. A bad snap forced Spiders punter DJ Helkowski to dive on the ball, giving Delaware possession on the Richmond 27 with the score tied at 28-28. Frank Raggo's game-winning field goal attempt was blocked at the line, sending the battle of Colonial Athletic Association teams to overtime.
Richmond struck quickly in the first extra period, with Kyle Lauletta (a fourth round draft pick by the New York Giants the following spring) finding Dejon Brissett for a 20-yard touchdown to go up 35-28. On the first play of Delaware's possession, quarterback J.P. Caruso pulled off an impressive throw, rolling to his right and with a defender dragging him down by the leg, slinging an 11-yard pass across his body to the chest of Brandon Whaley for a first down. After three straight rushes for 11 yards, two incompletions, including a trick play with Diante Cherry throwing to Caruso, set up 3rd and goal from the 3. Caruso, with plenty of protection from his offensive line, found tight end Charles Scarff in the corner of the end zone to tie the game back up at 35-35.
Getting the ball first to start the second overtime, the Blue Hens fed their workhorse back Kani Kane. After converting on third down with a Caruso throw to Vinny Papale, a determined 11-yard run from Kane to the outside got Delaware to the doorstep of the end zone, where on the next play he took the hand-off and vaulted himself over the offensive line to put Delaware up 42-35. Having to respond with a touchdown and facing 3rd and goal from the 5, Lauletta was chased backwards for 19 yards and sacked by senior defensive tackle Bilal Nichols. Malcolm Brown swatted away the ensuing desperation heave on 4th down and the Blue Hens had secured a signature win over a ranked opponent.
2. Coach Rocco facing his former team
This matchup was already good on paper, with both teams entering at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in CAA play. But there was an additional layer of motivation for Delaware, as head coach Danny Rocco, in his first year at the helm of the Blue Hens, faced his old team for the first time. Rocco was the head coach of Richmond from 2012-16, compiling a 43-22 record, making three playoff appearances and winning two CAA championships.
"It was great to win this one because we know Coach Rocco really wanted this game, even though he never made it about him," Nichols said after the game.
3. Jamie Jarmon's incredible performance
Junior wide receiver Jamie Jarmon led the Blue Hens with 144 all-purpose yards and accounted for three of Delaware's four touchdowns in regulation. Delaware used a lot of misdirection against the Spiders, and it paid off in spades late in the first quarter when Jarmon took a jet sweep 74 yards to the house to put the Blue Hens up 14-7. Jarmon again put Delaware ahead, this time 21-14 right before halftime, getting behind the Richmond secondary as he cut across the field and catching a 19-yard touchdown from Caruso.
In a game full of memorable plays, arguably the most memorable one came early in the fourth quarter. Down 28-21, Delaware faced a 3rd and 3 from the Richmond 5. Jarmon took the handoff on another jet sweep, cutting towards the end zone along the left sideline. A Richmond defender dove for Jarmon's legs as he attempted to hurdle him, sending the receiver flipping through the air. As his momentum carried him to the end zone, another Richmond defender came in to hit him from the side, but only aided Jarmon in landing a full front flip with two feet in the end zone to tie the game at 28-28.
Jarmon's unbelievable play landed him on the Sportscenter Top 10, and his impressive offensive performance helped Delaware secure the win.
4. Future NFL stars making plays on defense
Nichols, who has started every game for the Chicago Bears this year in his third NFL season, made arguably the biggest defensive play of the game in overtime, sacking Lauletta to force a fourth and long. But earlier in the game, another Blue Hen currently in the NFL came up big. Nasir Adderley, now a starting safety for the Los Angeles Chargers, intercepted Lauletta twice on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter.
The first came on a deep ball over the middle, as Adderley drifted over to help the covering corner and made a diving catch as he fell backward to the ground, floating in the air for several seconds as he reeled in the ball. The second came just five minutes later on another Lauletta deep ball, this time intended for the corner of the end zone but way short. Adderley made a basket catch over his shoulder, then turned and brought the ball back 35 yards.
5. Delaware's two 100-yard rushers
Jarmon's two rushing touchdowns weren't his only carries of the game. The speedy receiver ended the contest with four rushes for 103 yards, boosted by his 74-yard run in the first quarter. However, he was outdone on the ground by his teammate Kani Kane. Kane, a bruising tailback, took 26 carries for 109 yards in an effort that saw Delaware gain 288 total rushing yards as a team.
While the ground game carried the torch for the Blue Hens, Caruso made key throws in crucial moments, completing 13 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
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Players Mentioned
DB
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DB
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QB
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WR
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WR
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RB
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DL
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DL (Capt.)
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WR
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TE
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TE
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DL
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