DOVER — It was cold on Friday morning.

Really cold. And windy. Since it was 7 a.m. when they started, the sun didn’t provide much warmth, either.

But Delaware State’s football players was out on the field, practicing for a spring season that starts in less than a month.

“Today was a brutal day,” admitted Hornet coach Rod Milstead. “But this may happen February 20th. We may have to play in this.

“The message to our guys is, in life, you’re going to have obstacles in front of you. But you’ve got to be mentally tough to overcome those obstacles … and get to your destination.”

Of course, it was easy to picture there would be days like this when many of the country’s college football teams opted to play the season in the spring, rather than the fall due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Delaware State opens its five-game regular season at Morgan State on Feb. 20.

While some programs are using the spring season mostly to get ready for the fall — and some are opting not to play a spring season at all — Milstead said the Hornets are taking these games as seriously as they would any other.

“This is a season for us,” he said. “It’s competition against someone else. I’m not thinking about the fall. … We are 1,000-percent committed to this spring football season and taking that next step in improving our football program.”

With only six MEAC schools playing football this spring, the Hornets will face Morgan State and Howard, home and away, before hosting Delaware for the first time.

Even in a short season, though, there’s things that Delaware State can accomplish. The Hornets haven’t had a winning season since 2012, have never beaten the Blue Hens and have reached the NCAA playoffs only once, in 2007.

“It starts with our mindset and it starts with our work ethic,” said Milstead. “Our kids have bought in. So I’m anxious to see, the kids who have been with me for the past three years, how well they perform.”

As things stand now, Delaware State’s regular season will end on April 10. But it could go longer if the Hornets make the MEAC championship game on April 17 or the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs that start the following weekend.

So Milstead knows there’s warmer days ahead for his football team.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m truly excited. The weather’s going to change at some point. It won’t be frigid like it is. Hopefully we’ll be blessed to play in a little warmer climate down the road.”

Back to the court

All four in-state college basketball teams will be in action this weekend.

The DSU men (0-5 MEAC, 0-10 overall) play at Norfolk State (3-3, 8-6) at 4:30 p.m. both today and Sunday, after falling to the Spartans twice two weeks ago.

Delaware’s men (3-4 CAA, 5-7 overall) host Elon (0-2, 3-3) at 2 p.m. both days. The Blue Hens are fifth in the 10-team Colonial Athletic Association standings with the next three teams all just one league win behind them.

The Blue Hen women (8-0 CAA, 11-1 overall) take an eight-game winning streak with them for a pair of 1 p.m. games at Elon (2-2, 6-4). Delaware is ranked No. 22 by College Insider’s Mid-Major Top 25.

The Hornet women (1-3 MEAC, 2-7 overall) face two 2 p.m. contests at Howard (3-1, 7-2) looking to beat the Bison for the first time since 2016.

Hens adjusting to Rojas

The extended football off-season has given Delaware more time to adjust to first-year defensive coordinator Manny Rojas.

Rojas was the captain for UD head coach Danny Rocco’s first team at Liberty in 2006 and has been with him ever since as a staff member except for the 2019 season.

“Manny really does know the ins and outs of our defense,” said Rocco. “It’s allowed us to become more versatile defensively and do more things. We have more ways to address and solve problems. And he’s doing it with an awful lot of enthusiasm.

“I think that’s the most consistent thing you’re seeing on that defensive field. There’s just a lot of energy, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of excitement.”

Notes

Indian River High softball shortstop Brandi Mitchell has signed with Fairleigh-Dickinson. “Brandi is a big, strong, athletic shortstop who plays great defense,” said FDU coach Chris Foye. “She has the potential to hit for both a high average and power on the offensive side.” … Former UD basketball players Justyn Mutts (Virginia Tech), Ithiel Horton (Pitt) and Ryan Daly (St. Joe’s) are all starters with their transfer programs. Daly is averaging a team-best 17.2 ppg but has played in just five games because of a hand injury. … Delaware quarterback Nolan Henderson has switched from No. 14 to the No. 2 he wore at Smyrna High. … Dover High grad Elijah Allen is averaging 9.1 ppg as a freshman on the Wagner men’s basketball team.