By Andy Walter

NEWARK — The Delaware football team that takes the field for its season opener next Aug. 31, will look a lot different than the one that left the field in December.

After losing a huge senior class of over 30 players, that’s clear. And who lines up as starters in 2023 for the Blue Hens is a long way from being decided.

But as least now Delaware has a lot better idea of what its new roster will look like.

On Wednesday, coach Ryan Carty announced a signing class of 12 more players. That brings to a total 28 players that Delaware has signed since December.

Of those 28 newcomers, 13 are transfers.

While the COVID pandemic and the extended eligibility it brought makes this a unique situation, Carty said the NCAA Transfer Portal means that large fluctuations in college rosters are going to become more commonplace.

“I think that culture of transformation is something that’s going to have to be accepted,” said Carty, who is starting his second year as UD’s head coach.

“Fourteen of these guys are probably not coming until the summer. And there’s probably guys who are not on this list that are on our team come summer. At this point it’s just such a different way to build a team.

“You do have to continue to have a through line of culture and keep working on your leadership,” he added, “so that you can handle whatever transition comes.

Whoever’s on your team needs to buy into that team aspect.”

Of the dozen players that Delaware added on Wednesday, 10 are transfers. They come from Division I, Division II and junior-college programs.

Of the 28-man total, 14 are defensive players, nine play on offense and five are on specials teams.

The Hens worked especially hard on fixing the kicking issues that hurt them last year. They signed two transfer kickers — Alex Schmoke from St. Francis, Pa. and Nate Reed, who kicked at East Stroudsburg two seasons ago.
Delaware also picked up Ryan Kost, who was the first-team all-conference punter at fellow CAA member Monmouth.

“I think the competition side of it is really going to elevate everything,” Carty said about the kicking game.

Among the more noteworthy signings is Keeno Arrington, the son of former Penn State/NFL standout LaVar Arrington. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive back, the younger Arrington spent the last two years at Lackawana JC after not playing football in high school.

The Hens also signed Todd Williams, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound defensive lineman from Wakulla (Fla.). His father, also named Todd, played at Florida State and then in the NFL with the Titans, Buccaneers and Packers.

Another defensive line addition, Kion Wright, had verbally committed to Georgia Tech before they had a coaching change. The Cheltanham High, Pa. product reportedly had 21 Division I offers.

Carty said he won’t be surprised if Williams and Wright make an immediate impact.

“I mean, they’re different, as far the talent level of a freshman at the defensive end position,” said Carty.

The Hens’ signing class was almost evenly split between high school seniors and transfers. While that wasn’t necessarily by design, Carty said that might end up being typical of signing classes in the future.

“It used to be where high school recruiting was kind of your lifeblood,” said Carty. “You might supplement here and there. I don’t know, every year might be different, but it does seem like there’s going be two parallel lifebloods.

“At this point you’re trying to navigate the waters as best is possible and try to continue to find the right people, the right fit and the right talent level wherever they come from.”

Extra points

While they weren’t announced as part of the Hens’ official signing class, Salesianum defensive end Nate Ray — the Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year — and standout kicker James Collins also announced they were signing with Delaware. Presumably they’re coming as walk-ons. ... Delaware’s spring practice is slated to start on March 11. ... Delaware’s signing class includes 10 players that were labeled two or three-star recruits out of high school by major recruiting outlets. ... The class combined to win four state championships and 13 other championships during their high school careers. ... Of the 28 signees, 15 served as team captains in high school.

Sports editor Andy Walter can be reached at walter@iniusa.org. Follow on Twitter at @DSNSports.

Delaware signing class

(Includes players from December and February signing days)

DB-Keeno Arrington, Pittsburgh, Pa./Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Lackawanna)

WR-JoJo Bermudez, Egg Harbor City, N.J./Cedar Creek (Cincinnati)

OL-Anthony Caccese, Reading, Pa./Exeter Township

DB-Kshawn Cox, Bridgeville, Del. / Wise [Md.]

DB-Anthony Crenshaw, Arlington, Texas / James Martin

DB-Nyair Domnie, Jersey City, N.J. / DePaul Catholic

DB-Tyron Herring, Delray Beach, Fla. / Deerfield Beach (Dartmouth)

DL-Keyshawn Hunter, Washington, D.C. / H.D. Woodson (Old Dominion)

WR-Ja’Carree Kelly, Gainesville, Fla. / Buchholz

P-Ryan Kost, Newtown, Conn. / Newtown (Monmouth)

QB-Daniel Lipovski, Burke, Va. / Lake Braddock

DB-Hasson Manning, Newark, N.J. / Hudson Catholic

QB-Zach Marker, Norwalk, Iowa / Norwalk (Iowa Central)

DL-Amin Mimouni, Bayonne, N.J. / Bayonne (Independence)

QB-Nick Minicucci, Midland Park, N.J. / Don Bosco

LB-Gavin Moul, Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park

OL-Anwar O’Neal, Philadelphia, Pa. / Middletown [Del.]

K-Nate Reed, Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central (East Stroudsburg)

PK-Alex Schmoke, Bellwood, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis (Saint Francis)

DB-KT Seay, Norfolk, Va. / Maury

RB-Saeed St. Fleur, Parlin, N.J. / Bergen Catholic

LB-Jackson Taylor, Glenside, Pa. / Abington Senior (West Chester)

LS-Zack Taylor, Parsippany, N.J. / Parsippany Hills (Rutgers)

DL-Damarcus Thompson, Corcoran, Calif. / Corcoran (Reedley)

LS-Noah Vitko, Dunkirk, Md. / Dematha Catholic

DL-Todd Williams, Crawfordville, Fla. / Wakulla

WR-Kym Wimberly, Slidell, La. / Holy Cross HS (Harvard)

DL-Kion Wright, West Philadelphia, Pa. / Cheltenham