College football season is officially upon us and the Univ. of Delaware hosts Delaware State Univ. in a game of firsts for both programs.
When the Blue Hens and Hornets hit the field in Newark tonight it will be a new era for both programs.
DSU has a new coach, a high profile one at that, as former Philadelphia Eagles WR DeSean Jackson will be roaming the sidelines for the Hornets.
As for UD, the Blue Hens enter a whole new world as it’s their first season in the FBS level and Conference USA.
Head Coach Ryan Carty says the players understand the significance of the move.
"I know that they're excited that the community has kind of embraced this move that the university made it in the first place, and that we get a chance to go kind of showcase who we are, and what we believe in, and how we play to places that maybe haven't seen it yet, and I think that's pretty exciting," said Carty.
UD’s first FBS game against another FBS level team is next week, when UD travels to Colorado in a nationally televised game.
The Hens open their Conference USA schedule Saturday September 20 at Florida International - and their first home conference game is Friday, October 3 against Western Kentucky.
Meanwhile, Jackson takes over a struggling Hornets program that has won only two games the previous two seasons.
Despite that, Jackson says shortly after he was hired that DSU has a great energy.
"This place is special as soon as I stepped foot on this campus, the people around, the morale, the energy, its winners," said Jackson.
Jackson comes to Dover after spending one season as an assistant coach at Woodrow Wilson High School in California.
He’s also not the only former NFL star on the staff, as former Denver and Washington Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis is the running backs coach.
Thursday night’s game against DSU kicks off at 7pm at Delaware Stadium.
