Pitts answers with big TD when the Hens needed it

By Andy Walter

NEWARK — Nolan Henderson had tried to get the ball to Thyrick Pitts on the play before.

But Maine was called for pass interference against the Delaware receiver on the play.

“I was pretty upset about that,” said Pitts.

So when the lanky wideout got his hands on the ball just a play later, he was pretty determined not to be brought down.

“There was a defender all over me,” Pitts said about his catch on a slant over the middle. “I kind of got to a point where I’m at the 50 yard line and I’m like, ‘I might be able to break this thing.’

“He (the Maine defender) was trying to arm tackle me so I just kind of stiff-armed him off of me. Once I got him off of me, it was just green grass. I just ran as fast as I could.”

Pitts ended up in the end zone on what turned into a 66-yard touchdown reception in the Blue Hens’ 34-24 season-opening win at Maine on Thursday night.

The big pass play gave Delaware a huge momentum swing after it had given up 24 second-quarter points to the Black Bears in a span of only nine minutes. Pitts’ touchdown put the Hens ahead to stay at 27-24.

For sixth-ranked Delaware (1-0), which hosts St. Francis, Pa. (0-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m., Thursday’s victory was more evidence that it has a really dynamic receiving duo in Pitts and Gene Coleman.

Coleman (five catches-120 yards) and Pitts (five catches-116 yards) were the first pair of Hens to have 100 yards in the same contest since 2009. Coleman had a 55-yard scoring catch to give Delaware a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Blue Hens’ coach Danny Rocco wasn’t surprised that it was the two veteran receivers that accomplished the feat.

“They’re great competitors, they’re good friends and they’re great teammates,” said Rocco. “They’re really unselfish. They practice hard every day.

“They block for each other, they celebrate the other guy’s achievements. And they were both really key components to our win.”

Pitts, who got his undergraduate degree last fall, has been in the program since 2017. Because he redshirted one season, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is still eligible to return next season.

Rocco said Pitts has grown a great deal since he first got to Delaware. He now has 77 receptions for 1,235 yards in his career.

“He’s a really hard worker,” said Rocco. “I think it really starts with his desire to be his best. He holds himself to a really, really high standard.

“I’ve seen him really grow into his body and become more confident in his ability to be physical, play fast, play explosive and be more aggressive to the ball. The one play he had on Thursday night (at Maine) I thought was extraordinary.”

Pitts said he was just happy to help get Thursday’s game turned back around.

“It was definitely a much-needed play,” he said. “I knew somebody was going to step up and make a play. It happened to be me this time but we have a lot of talented guys on this team.

“I’m just glad I was able to make that play in that moment when we really needed it to help us get the win.”

Plack sidelined

Standout safety Noah Plack is expected to be sidelined again this week — and perhaps longer — from unknown injuries reportedly suffered in a car accident.

A second-team All-CAA pick in the spring, Plack didn’t play against Maine.

“Noah Plack’s probably not going to be back for a little while,” Rocco said on Monday.

Plack was one of a handful of Hens who didn’t play in the opener. Rocco said center Mickey Henry and defensive lineman Artis Hemingway are both expected back soon.

Linebacker Drew Nickles, on the other hand, might still be out for a while. Some other players’ injuries were minor.

“It’s a never-changing, ongoing, daily conversation,” said Rocco. “I think what we experienced a year ago with the COVID kind of allows you to have a better perspective as you go through the day in planning moving forward.

“But we do have good depth, we do have good options and good combinations to be able to put together.”

Turning it around

Rocco thought the Hens’ second-half turnaround at Maine showed how mature this group is.

The Black Bears’ 24-point scoring spree seemed to come out of nowhere.

“I think my most specific message was, we’re going to really find out who we are now in the second half,” said Rocco. “We’re going to find out how important this is to us — and how important this is to our season.”

Extra points

Despite the win, Delaware dropped a spot in Monday's STATS FCS poll to No. 6. That was because No. 9 Montana shot up to No. 2 after knocking off FBS No. 20 team Washington on Saturday. ... It was one of six FCS wins over FBS programs in the opening weekend. ... The blocked punt Delaware gave up against Maine was the fourth it’s surrendered since the spring season. ... The Black Bear who recovered the block for a TD, Montigo Moss, is the son of former NFL great Randy Moss. ... Former Blue Hen Debo Williams, the Smyrna High grad, blocked a punt in his debut with South Carolina on Saturday. ... Andrew Pawlowski and Colby Reeder both had a team-high seven tackles for the Hens on Thursday.