With the college football season beginning in earnest this weekend, both the University of Delaware and Delaware State University open their seasons.
The Blue Hens kick off the Ryan Carty era in Annapolis, MD at Navy. UD and its new head coach bring back 15 starters, seven on offense and eight on defense.
The Hens were picked second in the CAA Preseason poll, and their opener provides a test against a FBS team that is always among the top teams in the country in rushing offense.
Carty is pumped for his first game as head coach after a good training camp.
"I feel like it's been a really good camp. I think the kids did everything we asked of them (they) bought in pretty hard to our new schedule, and I think we were pretty efficient with it. I think we got a lot in," said Carty.
Carty says stepping up in competition is nice, but UD is traveling with a clear focus, win.
"Any time you get a chance to play at a pretty cool stadium usually and in a place for some history, and we enjoy those things but it's also not what we're going to do,” said Carty. “We're going to have a business trip, and go compete and win. And so there shouldn't be much of a difference between this game and playing any conference game or out of conference game that's on the road. To us it's a road trip that we're going in with a focus of getting it done."
That game kicks off at noon Saturday. Meanwhile, Delaware State hosts Division Two Lincoln in Dover. The Hornets return all 11 starters on defense, and quarterback Jared Lewis
The 2 pm contest is the first of seven home games this season for DSU.
