The University of Delaware and Delaware State University get their respective 2016 seasons underway when they face-off Thursday night.
UD is looking to bounce back from a 4-7 season in 2015, their worst record since a 4-8 finish in 2008.
And the Blue Hens haven’t made the NCAA playoffs since 2010 – a drought fourth year head coach Dave Brock believes they are capable of ending in 2016. He says he has a playoff caliber squad.
“Really excited about this team – the group of players we’ve put together, how hard they’ve worked, all the things they’ve done to put themselves in a position to be successful, to have a great year, said Brock. "[I’m] just really looking forward to getting out there on Thursday night and going to play.”
Junior running back Wes Hills – one of the teams’ four captains – says Brock's confidence has motivated the Blue Hens - who have 18 players with starting experience to lean on as they get the 2016 campaign started.
“Any team is going to love the fact that the head coach has so much faith in them. Now, all we have to do is make him right," said Hills. "We trained hard this camp, day in and day out – the way we’re watching film or practicing or whatever the case may be. Him saying that means a lot to us. I know personally it means a lot to me that he put this much faith in us. I don’t want to make him wrong.”
Hills and the Hens will also be trying to prove their rivals in the Colonial Athletic Association wrong. The team was picked to finish 7th in preseason league poll.
Kick-off between Delaware and Delaware State is 7 pm Thursday night at Delaware Stadium in Newark.
