By Andy Walter

NEWARK — As far as Nolan Henderson is concerned, it takes a quarterback to truly understand another QB.

So the current Delaware signal caller definitely likes having a pair of former quarterbacks coaching him right now.

Henderson feels like he’s on the same page with Blue Hen head coach Ryan Carty as well as quarterbacks coach Sean Goldrich, who was a four-year starter at New Hampshire.

“They have a level of understanding of things that you can’t really understand unless you’ve played the position,” Henderson said early in spring practice.

“If you make a certain throw and everybody on the field thinks you’re crazy for doing it,” said the Smyrna High grad, “they’ve been there and they know what you saw and know what you felt. It’s cool to have those perspectives in the same room.”

Delaware’s new football coaches and their quarterbacks have spent a lot of time together lately. The instillation of the Hens’ new offense is probably the biggest project going on in spring practice.

After having this week off for spring break, Delaware will get back to work on Monday.

Henderson said there’s been a lot to learn, especially when it comes to the terminology that is new for the Hens’ players.

“It’s definitely exciting but also difficult at times,” said Henderson. “Just using a different language — having to kind of forget everything that you were taught ... you’ve just got to wipe it clean and focus in.

“There’s a difference between learning it in the film room, going over it with your coaches and then actually doing it. ... The coaches have done a great job of helping us in the film room but also having a little patience with us on the field knowing it’s going to take some reps to get going.”

Henderson said Delaware is definitely going to take a more aggressive approach to offense under Carty.

He calls it a “calculated aggressive” approach to moving the ball. The idea is to make the opposing defense have to cover the entire field.

“If the defense takes away one thing, they can’t take away the other,” said Henderson. “It’s hard to defend just because there’s so many options in it.”

Hoop happenings

• The Delaware State men’s basketball team now has six players in the NCAA Transfer Portal. That group includes D’Marco Baucum, Dominik Fragala, Zach Kent, Avery Richardson, Christopher Smith and John Stansbury.

Kent is the 6-foot-10 Magnolia native who transferred to DSU from Tennessee. Players in the portal can still remain at their present school.

•George Washington hired Miami assistant Chris Caputo as its new men’s basketball coach. Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby as well as former Blue Hen Mike Pegues were both reportedly candidates for the job.

Ironically, Caputo was a finalist at Delaware six years ago when Ingelsby was hired.

•Delaware’s Jyare Davis was named a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award, presented annually to the top freshman in Division I men’s college basketball.

He scored in double figures in each of the Blue Hens’ final 14 games.

•Delaware women’s basketball standout Jasmine Dickey was named a WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America honorable mention. Dickey, who averaged 25.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, is only the second player in program history to collect WBCA regional finalist All-America recognition.

•Former Blue Hen women’s coach Natasha Adair was named a finalist for the WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year. Adair, who was recently hired as the head coach at Arizona State, led Delaware to its first CAA Tournament title since 2013.

DelTech softball on a roll

Delaware Tech raised its record to 9-1 with a 13-6, 5-1, sweep of Brookdale in softball on Sunday.

The Roadrunners are being paced this season by shortstop Carlin Quinn (Cape Henlopen), batting .484 with 15 hits and seven RBI; third baseman Macey Myers (Milford), batting .471 with 16 hits, 11 RBI, and two home runs; third/first baseman Kylie Kruger (Sussex Central), batting .429 with 15 hits and 13 RBI; second baseman Logan Walls (Delmar), batting .429 with 12 hits and nine RBI; and pitcher Carly Collins (Sussex Central), who is 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA.

Notes

The Delaware State women’s golf team has signed Mikaela Karnaja, an Oklahoma state champion who received a Presidential Scholarship to attend the university. Karnaja carded rounds of 70 and 73 to win the latest Oklahoma Class 5A individual title by three strokes. ... Delaware State’s Grace Wilson was named to the Ariat All-America Equestrian first team, while Olivia Brown was a second-team selection. -.. DSU athletic director Alecia Shields-Gadson has been appointed to a four-year term as a member of the NCAA Division I Council beginning June 1. ... Dover High grad Dom Valazquez is tied for the Delaware baseball team lead in pitching wins with three (3-1). He has 17 strikeouts in 17 innings.

Follow Andy Walter on Twitter at @DSNSports.