{"id":972,"date":"2010-06-30T14:45:16","date_gmt":"2010-06-30T18:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=972"},"modified":"2010-06-30T14:45:16","modified_gmt":"2010-06-30T18:45:16","slug":"2010-caa-football-preview-5-delaware-blue-hens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=972","title":{"rendered":"2010 CAA Football Preview #5: Delaware Blue Hens"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dirty Woodpeckers<\/p><\/div>\n

The Basics<\/strong>: Delaware returns 8 starters on both offense and defense including standout (some might say overhyped) Penn St. transfer QB Pat Devlin.\u00a0 They are also sure to trot out their usual stable of shady transfers who made their way to “beautiful” Newark after failing in the classroom or having ego\/playing time disagreements with their former coaches at FBS schools.\u00a0 These factors combined with a strong following, seven home games,\u00a0a creampuff non-conference schedule devoid of\u00a0an FBS game,\u00a0and assuming they can produce in spite of being coached by K.C. Keeler should lead to a real return to prominence for the Blue Hens in 2010 CAA Football.<\/p>\n

How hot is that seat?<\/strong> Coach KC Keeler is entering his 9th season running this tradition-rich (Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco, etc.) program and despite a ton of early success, the last few years have left Delaware’s enormous (by FCS standards) fanbase wondering what the hell is going on.\u00a0 The rise of the Virginia CAA programs (JMU, W&M, UR) has begun to stand in stark contrast to the mediocre product in Newark and watching long-time and most hated rival Villanova hoist the Championship trophy had to be especially painful in the Toll Booth State.\u00a0 This year Keeler has a ton of talent returning and only four road games (although they travel to the Commonwealth for all three of those games including October 2nd in the ‘Burg) so it could be make-or-break time for the HC.<\/p>\n

Blue Hens, really? <\/strong>According to that bastion of accuracy and reliability, Wikipedia, the Blue Hen is actually a variety of chicken that was adopted as the official state bird of Delaware in 1939.\u00a0 Thankfully, UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources maintains a breeding group of the Blue Hen Chickens on the campus farm.\u00a0 JMUSB tee to anyone that brings a live Blue Hen to the official JMUSB D2 tailgate on October 2nd.<\/p>\n

Early omen: <\/strong>Despite not playing an FBS game this year, the Blue Hens are bringing in South Dakota State on September 11th.\u00a0 Not exactly the measuring stick the Dukes will be dealing with in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg that day, but the Jackrabbits are a real up-and-coming FCS program and this should be a solid indicator of whether UD is really back.\u00a0 This is the only non-conference game that will count at all when the playoff committee gets together and a loss here is probably more damaging than a win would be helpful.\u00a0 HUGE game for Delaware.<\/p>\n

Things ruined by Delaware students and alumni: <\/strong>The Preakness – every year these are the idiots winging full\u00a0cheap domestic beers\u00a0across the infield and\u00a0ruining the day for\u00a0your WAGS (wives and girlfriends), who were previously letting you crush beers, bet on port-a-potty races and actually enjoying themselves in the sunshine\u00a0and now are one slip in the mud away from leaving early.\u00a0 Seriously, it may be the Maryland Terps and Towson Tigers taking heat for questionable behavior, but at the core of any malfeasance you’ll always find a Blue Hen.<\/p>\n

Your trip anywhere on 95 – This state exists for only one reason: making money by taking advantage of normal people.\u00a0 They accomplish this noble goal through only two means: 1) Turning their little 10 mile stretch of I-95 into a giant toll booth and raping you coming and going to the tune of around ten bucks and 2) Creating tax loopholes and favorable status for U.S. corporations.\u00a0 Stay classy Delaware!<\/p>\n

Parting Shot: <\/strong>Delaware’s\u00a0stadium has always seemed massive in my mind for an FCS school.\u00a0 They’ve been consistently drawing 20,000 a game for a while now and travel decently.\u00a0 Stadium holds 22,000 and is very outdated from a facilities standpoint.\u00a0 Now take a look at THIS!<\/a><\/p>\n

2010 JMUSB Prediction: <\/strong>8-3, 5-3 CAA – with no FBS game, they could end up the very definition of a bubble team.\u00a0 No more divisioins in the CAA should help though because they might be fourth overall and might have been fourth in the old CAA South.<\/p>\n