University of Delaware Athletics
Football Position Previews: Safeties, Bandits, Linebackers, and Specialists
8/10/2026 6:00:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team is preparing for the 2026 season which kicks off at home against Merrimack on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. Throughout fall camp, positional previews will be posted online to spotlight the different units that make up the 2026 Fightin' Blue Hens.
SAFETIES
Assistant Head Coach, Defense / Defensive Coordinator / Safeties Coach Manny Rojas leads the unit in his seventh season with the Blue Hens. It is his first year in charge of the safeties after only serving as the defensive coordinator the last six seasons.
"Our recruiting class last year and then this year has gotten some bigger, longer guys, obviously some faster guys as well," Rojas said. "So, as we have taken the step, and now we're FBS, we're getting a lot more of that attention nationwide."
The safeties room is full of youth behind two returning seniors, KT Seay, a 2025 First Team All-CUSA selection and HERO Sports Group of Five Third Team All-American, and Kahlil Ali, who played in all 13 games last season.
Also returning in the Hens safety room are sophomores Nasir Eatmon, AJ Graham, and Noah Jefferson who appeared in 12, 12, and 13 games, respectively, as true freshmen last season.
Joining the unit this season are Michigan State transfer George Mullins (Webster, Fla. / South Sumter) as well as freshmen Dannell Jester Jr. (Meigs, Ga. / Thomas County Central), Kevin Moore (Coram, N.Y. / St. Anthony's), and Dorian Rutledge (Chester, Pa. / Middletown [Del.]).
BANDITS
Bandits Coach Jarred Holley heads the room in his first season with UD after coming over from Marshall where he spent the 2025 season in charge of its defensive backs.
"With the bandit position, you have to be able to do a lot of different things," Holley said. "You gotta be able to support the run, you have to be able to blitz, and you have to be able to cover."
The newly-minted position group for the Blue & Gold consists of three players: fifth year Blake Matthews, LIU transfer Jalen Bell (Kissimmee, Fla. / Osceola), and sophomore Dillon Griffith.
Matthews is the leader of the room, appearing in 23 games over the past two seasons with the program. Bell was an FCS AP All-American safety last season at LIU, leading the team with 72 tackles, while Griffith is looking to make his collegiate debut.
LINEBACKERS
Co-Defensive Coordinator / Special Teams Coordinator / Linebackers Coach Rocco DiMeco leads both the special teams corp. and linebacker unit in his fourth season with the Blue Hens. He picked up the title of co-defensive coordinator heading into this season, where he will assist Rojas with the third down packages.
"We got a good group of kids who love football," DiMeco said about the linebacking corp. "They're physical, they're running to the ball, and they're attacking the ball. Those three things in particular are going to make us much better on defense this year."
Senior Gavin Moul and junior Colin Gallagher lead the way for the unit. Moul has played in 36 career games with 24 starts at UD over the past three seasons, while Gallagher earned a role last season, appearing in all 13 games.
Jawarren Corbin, Gevaris Lassiter, and Julius Puryear provide depth as returnees, while a trio of freshmen recruits join the squad this year in Wayne Cunningham Jr. (Clearwater, Fla. / Clearwater), Demarco Daniels (Hawthorne, Fla. / Eastside), and Joseph Zamot (Millville, N.J. / The Lawrenceville School). In addition, Stevenson transfer Tysean Milligan Jr. (Dover, Del. / Dover) and freshman Gehret Gentzyel (York, Pa. / York Suburban) walked on.
SPECIALISTS
"These guys are promising and they're talented," DiMeco said of the specialists. "Tucker Smack, who we brought in from Salisbury, comes from a kicking family. His brother (Tre Smack) is in the NFL right now. He has the right mindset, he has the tools, and he's a tireless worker. Kason Mullis is a true freshman with some of the best leg potential that I've been around as a young kid. Josh (Cupitt) looks great right now, He's got experience and wisdom, and he was booming punts out there today, so I'm really excited for Josh."
Smack and Mullis are competing to replace Nate Reed who holds numerous kicking records at UD. Smack has appeared in 29 career games at Salisbury, going 6-for-7 on field goal attempts and 79-of-84 on PATs. Mullis (Bartow, Fla. / Jones) was a five-star rated kicker according to Kohl's Camp coming out of high school.
Josh Cupitt will serve as the primary punter for UD. Cupitt, who missed all of last season due to injury, was Delaware's primary punter in 2024 after transferring from Towson. In his first season in Newark, the Reading, Pa. native punted 27 times for 1,160 yards, averaging 43.0 yards per punt, including 10 punts of 50+ yards. Freshman Austin LaBellman (Maitland, Fla. / Winter Park), a five-star rated punter and four-star rated kicker according to Kohl's, will serve as the backup.
Maddox Sills will be the long snapper after appearing in 10 games for the Hens last season. Freshman Luke Epstein (St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles North) is the backup.
TICKET INFORMATION
Get your 2026 Delaware Football season tickets now by visiting bluehens.com/fbtickets.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware football, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
SAFETIES
Assistant Head Coach, Defense / Defensive Coordinator / Safeties Coach Manny Rojas leads the unit in his seventh season with the Blue Hens. It is his first year in charge of the safeties after only serving as the defensive coordinator the last six seasons.
"Our recruiting class last year and then this year has gotten some bigger, longer guys, obviously some faster guys as well," Rojas said. "So, as we have taken the step, and now we're FBS, we're getting a lot more of that attention nationwide."
The safeties room is full of youth behind two returning seniors, KT Seay, a 2025 First Team All-CUSA selection and HERO Sports Group of Five Third Team All-American, and Kahlil Ali, who played in all 13 games last season.
Also returning in the Hens safety room are sophomores Nasir Eatmon, AJ Graham, and Noah Jefferson who appeared in 12, 12, and 13 games, respectively, as true freshmen last season.
Joining the unit this season are Michigan State transfer George Mullins (Webster, Fla. / South Sumter) as well as freshmen Dannell Jester Jr. (Meigs, Ga. / Thomas County Central), Kevin Moore (Coram, N.Y. / St. Anthony's), and Dorian Rutledge (Chester, Pa. / Middletown [Del.]).
BANDITS
Bandits Coach Jarred Holley heads the room in his first season with UD after coming over from Marshall where he spent the 2025 season in charge of its defensive backs.
"With the bandit position, you have to be able to do a lot of different things," Holley said. "You gotta be able to support the run, you have to be able to blitz, and you have to be able to cover."
The newly-minted position group for the Blue & Gold consists of three players: fifth year Blake Matthews, LIU transfer Jalen Bell (Kissimmee, Fla. / Osceola), and sophomore Dillon Griffith.
Matthews is the leader of the room, appearing in 23 games over the past two seasons with the program. Bell was an FCS AP All-American safety last season at LIU, leading the team with 72 tackles, while Griffith is looking to make his collegiate debut.
LINEBACKERS
Co-Defensive Coordinator / Special Teams Coordinator / Linebackers Coach Rocco DiMeco leads both the special teams corp. and linebacker unit in his fourth season with the Blue Hens. He picked up the title of co-defensive coordinator heading into this season, where he will assist Rojas with the third down packages.
"We got a good group of kids who love football," DiMeco said about the linebacking corp. "They're physical, they're running to the ball, and they're attacking the ball. Those three things in particular are going to make us much better on defense this year."
Senior Gavin Moul and junior Colin Gallagher lead the way for the unit. Moul has played in 36 career games with 24 starts at UD over the past three seasons, while Gallagher earned a role last season, appearing in all 13 games.
Jawarren Corbin, Gevaris Lassiter, and Julius Puryear provide depth as returnees, while a trio of freshmen recruits join the squad this year in Wayne Cunningham Jr. (Clearwater, Fla. / Clearwater), Demarco Daniels (Hawthorne, Fla. / Eastside), and Joseph Zamot (Millville, N.J. / The Lawrenceville School). In addition, Stevenson transfer Tysean Milligan Jr. (Dover, Del. / Dover) and freshman Gehret Gentzyel (York, Pa. / York Suburban) walked on.
SPECIALISTS
"These guys are promising and they're talented," DiMeco said of the specialists. "Tucker Smack, who we brought in from Salisbury, comes from a kicking family. His brother (Tre Smack) is in the NFL right now. He has the right mindset, he has the tools, and he's a tireless worker. Kason Mullis is a true freshman with some of the best leg potential that I've been around as a young kid. Josh (Cupitt) looks great right now, He's got experience and wisdom, and he was booming punts out there today, so I'm really excited for Josh."
Smack and Mullis are competing to replace Nate Reed who holds numerous kicking records at UD. Smack has appeared in 29 career games at Salisbury, going 6-for-7 on field goal attempts and 79-of-84 on PATs. Mullis (Bartow, Fla. / Jones) was a five-star rated kicker according to Kohl's Camp coming out of high school.
Josh Cupitt will serve as the primary punter for UD. Cupitt, who missed all of last season due to injury, was Delaware's primary punter in 2024 after transferring from Towson. In his first season in Newark, the Reading, Pa. native punted 27 times for 1,160 yards, averaging 43.0 yards per punt, including 10 punts of 50+ yards. Freshman Austin LaBellman (Maitland, Fla. / Winter Park), a five-star rated punter and four-star rated kicker according to Kohl's, will serve as the backup.
Maddox Sills will be the long snapper after appearing in 10 games for the Hens last season. Freshman Luke Epstein (St. Charles, Ill. / St. Charles North) is the backup.
TICKET INFORMATION
Get your 2026 Delaware Football season tickets now by visiting bluehens.com/fbtickets.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware football, follow the Fightin' Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
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