UD football returns: Hens start fast, don’t look back in cruising past Maine 37-0

By Andy Walter
Posted 3/6/21

NEWARK — Delaware’s football players had waited 469 days to play a real game again.

It took Dejoun Lee just 13 seconds to give them a lead.

The senior running back returned the …

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UD football returns: Hens start fast, don’t look back in cruising past Maine 37-0

Posted

NEWARK — Delaware’s football players had waited 469 days to play a real game again.

It took Dejoun Lee just 13 seconds to give them a lead.

The senior running back returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown and it was all smooth sailing from there as the Blue Hens breezed to a 37-0 CAA victory over Maine in the first game of their unique spring season at almost-empty Delaware Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

For whatever reason, Delaware — wearing all-black uniforms for the first time — looked like it was ready to play and the Black Bears didn’t in the first game for both squads in the pandemic era.

After Lee’s opening TD, the Hens scored 10 points in each of the last three quarters to win going away.

“It’s been a long, long journey,” said coach Danny Rocco. “Our players have made a lot of sacrifices — their families have, our coaches have.

“I talked to the team before the game about, ‘Let’s honor everybody. Let’s honor these people (the trainers and other UD staff) with our performance today. And then honor your teammates, who have also sacrificed in a big way.’”

“It was just truly a great feeling to get back on the field, all of us just wanting to play football,” said linebacker Johnny Buchanan. “It was a great time. We had a lot of fun out there. It’s always great to start a season on a high note.

“It’s been about 470 days since we got to play the game that we love. You just go out there and you’re kind of overwhelmed.”

Delaware out-gained Maine, 370-112, in total yards and 21-6 in first downs.

Veteran quarterback Nolan Henderson mostly looked sharp, completing 16-of-24 for 146 yards and a touchdown. The Smyrna High grad also dove one yard for a touchdown but did throw a red-zone interception to kill a long drive.

Lee scored twice, finishing with 85 yards on 14 carries, to go along with his kickoff return.

As for that touchdown on the first play of the day, Delaware’s players took the field well before Maine’s, who had to walk over from the Fieldhouse.

Rocco, whose team got dressed in nine different locker rooms, actually thought maybe he got his players out there too soon.

“I’m not going to screw this up and be late,” joked Rocco. “I was going to err on the side of being early. So I was sitting out there going, ‘My gosh, did I come out here too early?’ Sure enough, they were late.

“So we had a little edge right there. There was a little bit of a mental awareness. Our kids were a little more in the moment. And then Dejoun, obviously made a good run.

“It helped me relax a little bit,” Rocco said about the quick TD. “Sometimes that actually matters.”

“When you can start a game like that — start a season — that’s just the spark that any team needs,” said Buchanan. “We fed off that and just kept rolling.”

Defensively, there wasn’t much to complain about as the Hens posted the shutout in Manny Rojas’ debut as defensive coordinator.

The Black Bears converted just 2-of-14 third-down opportunities and held the ball for only 21:46. Maine QB Joey Fagnano, who had a standout freshman season in 2019, completed only 10-of-23 for 61 yards.

“Our defense really never felt threatened,” said Rocco.

“We were very disciplined and coordinated. And we tackled well. Those are three things right there that go a long way. We’ve done more leverage drills here than we’ve ever done.”

The Hens were even better than Maine on special teams, with Ryan Coe good on three of four field attempts on the brisk, windy March afternoon. Delaware even recovered a pair of fumbled punt returns, one at the one-yard line to set up a quick touchdown.
Center Mickey Henry said, if the Hens played with a sense of urgency, it’s because they felt they had to. This is only a seven-game schedule for Delaware in the spring with a chance to make the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs at the end.

“Every game is pretty much a playoff game,” said Henry. “One game could be an elimination game.

“Today we wanted to make a statement — that we’re here to play football and we’re to play physical, we’re here to play fast. We’re here to jump on people.

“The special thing with this team is that everyone just hunkered down and we all stayed together,” he said about dealing with the pandemic. “That makes us want to play for each other even more. I think what this team has that’s different from everyone else is that we’re just so close to each other.”

And the all-black uniforms? Henry thought they made the Hens look good — especially the offensive linemen.

“It’s just a little style statement,” Henry quipped. “For offensive linemen, I think we looked good out there. We looked a little skinnier, a little faster, so I can’t complain.”

Extra points

Seven different players caught passes for Delaware, led by Gene Coleman, who had five catches for 48 yards, including a 21-yard TD reception from Henderson. ... Besides Lee, Khoury Spruill ran for 47 yards on 10 carries. ... Buchanan and fellow linebacker Liam Trainer both had a team-high five tackles. ... Delaware is at home again next Saturday with a noon game against Stony Brook, which lost to Villanova, 16-13, on Saturday in its opener.

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