Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football

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Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2023 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
Delaware Football wordmark.svg
First season 1889
Athletic director Christine Rawak
Head coach Ryan Carty
2nd season, 17–9 (.654)
Stadium Delaware Stadium
(capacity: 23,000)
Field Tubby Raymond Field
Year built1952
Field surfaceFieldTurf
Location Newark, Delaware, U.S.
NCAA divisionI FCS
(FBS in 2025)
Conference CAA Football
(CUSA in 2025)
All-time record730–483–44 (.598)
Bowl record8–3 (.727)
Playoff appearances24
Playoff record26–18 (Div. I FCS)
7–4 (Div. II)
Claimed national titles6
(Div. II): 1946, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1979
(Div. I FCS): 2003
Conference titles17
Rivalries Villanova (rivalry)
Delaware State (rivalry)
James Madison (rivalry)
William & Mary (rivalry)
ColorsRoyal blue and gold [1]
   
Fight song"The Delaware Fight Song"
Mascot YoUDee
Marching band Fightin' Blue Hen Marching Band
Outfitter Adidas
Website BlueHens.com

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represents the University of Delaware (UD) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) college football as a member of CAA Football, the technically separate football arm of UD's full-time home of the Coastal Athletic Association. The team is currently led by head coach Ryan Carty and plays on Tubby Raymond Field at 18,500-seat Delaware Stadium located in Newark, Delaware. The Fightin' Blue Hens have won six national titles in their 117-year history – 1946 (AP College Division), 1963 (UPI College Division), 1971 (AP/UPI College Division), 1972 (AP/UPI College Division), 1979 (Division II), and 2003 (Division I-AA). They returned to the FCS National Championship game in 2007 and 2010.

Contents

The program has produced five NFL quarterbacks: Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco, Jeff Komlo, Pat Devlin, and Scott Brunner. The Blue Hens are recognized as a perennial power in FCS football [2] [3] [4] and Delaware was the only FCS program to average more than 20,000 fans per regular-season home game for each season from 1999 to 2010. [5] In 2023, the program announced it will move into Conference USA and the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) prior to the 2025 season.

History

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens are an NCAA FCS (formerly Div I-AA) football program in CAA Football, the football arm of the Coastal Athletic Association. BluehensEntrance.jpg
The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens are an NCAA FCS (formerly Div I-AA) football program in CAA Football, the football arm of the Coastal Athletic Association.

19th century

The program began in the late 1800s, but its tradition did not truly develop until the arrival of Bill Murray in 1940. During his 11 seasons at the helm, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled a record of 49–16–2 with one National Championship in 1946, which culminated in a win over Rollins in the now-defunct Cigar Bowl. That was good for an impressive .747 winning percentage. After Murray departed to take over at Duke University in 1950, David M. Nelson came on board as head coach.

20th century

During his time at Delaware, Nelson developed the Delaware Wing-T offensive system. This system, strongly rooted in running the football and deceptive fake hand-offs, became the identity of Delaware football for nearly 50 years. Nelson also brought with him another icon of Delaware football: the "winged" helmet. The iconic Michigan-style helmet was developed by Nelson's coach at Michigan, Fritz Crisler, who first used the helmet design when he was head coach at Princeton, though in black and orange. Nelson played for Crisler when Crisler was head coach at Michigan, and Nelson brought the helmet design with him to every team he coached (Hillsdale College, Harvard, Maine and Delaware). [6] Nelson stepped down as football coach in 1965, and in his 15 years (1951–1965), the Hens compiled an 84–42–2 (.664) record with one National Championship in 1963 and a bowl win over Kent State in the now-defunct Refrigerator Bowl.

In 1966, an assistant football and baseball coach named Harold "Tubby" Raymond took over, and after a rocky start (the team recorded a 2–7 record in his second season) became the face of Delaware football for 36 seasons. While Nelson developed the Delaware Wing-T, Raymond perfected it. When he retired in 2001, Raymond had racked up 300 wins against 119 losses and three ties, good for a .714 win percentage. His teams earned 14 Lambert Cup Trophies (as the best team in the east in a particular division), four national semi-finals, and three National Championships in 1971, 1972, and 1979. His 300 wins account for nearly half of the football victories in school history. These three men (Murray, Nelson and Raymond) are all enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Georgia Tech is the only other school to place three consecutive coaches into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Notable program victories include multiple wins over Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools Navy (including a win at Navy's Homecoming game during a year when they went to a bowl game), Maryland, Rutgers, and Temple. Speculation regularly exists regarding whether the Blue Hens will "move up" to the FBS level at some point. The University of Delaware has more than 60 wins against opponents playing at the highest level, whether that was FBS (since 2006), I-A, or the University level (prior to 1978). However, whereas most I-AA schools move up because of the perception of increased money and prestige, UD has an extremely profitable football program, and it is already well-regarded academically and athletically.

"We're the LSU; we're the Georgia, the Florida of Division I-AA", Delaware coach K. C. Keeler said in American Football Monthly in September 2004. "We have every resource. There's some people who have better resources than we do, but in general, the college campus we have is in one of the greatest college towns in America, and the academics ... we led the nation last year in out-of-state applications, more than Michigan or Texas. But that's what this school has become – everybody wants to come to school here." [7]

While most schools at the FCS level can expect 8,000–10,000 fans for a football game on a good day, the Fightin' Blue Hens can expect sellout crowds of over 22,000 at every home contest; Delaware was the only FCS program to average more than 20,000 fans per regular-season home game for each season from 1999 to 2010. [5] Since Delaware Stadium opened in 1952, it has undergone four major expansions to come to its current capacity of 22,000 (in the 1970s it actually seated over 23,000, but subsequent modifications have reduced the capacity to the current number).

In 1973, a home attendance record was set on October 27 against Temple University with 23,619 fans, and attendance has exceeded 22,000 fans frequently. When the Fightin' Blue Hens have a home game, the stadium population becomes the fourth largest city in Delaware behind Wilmington, Dover, and Newark. Maine head coach Jack Cosgrove told Keeler that playing Delaware at Delaware Stadium is the highlight of many of his players' collegiate careers because of their large fan support. [7]

21st century

In June 2008, Keeler was granted a 10-year contract extension that was intended to keep him on as head coach of the Blue Hens through the 2017 season. The Homecoming Game versus William & Mary on October 18, 2008, marked the first time in 18 years that the Fightin' Blue Hens did not score a touchdown in a home game. The final score of 27–3 also made Delaware's third straight loss scoring ten points or fewer for the first time since the end of the 1983 season. [8] Delaware's eighth loss, to Villanova University in the final game of the season, ended a season with eight losses for the first time in 117 seasons. The Fightin' Blue Hens were one of only four teams in the NCAA to never lose eight games in a season; the others are Michigan, which lost its eighth game a week before the Hens the same season, Tennessee, and Ohio State.

On January 7, 2014, Keeler was fired following the 2012 season in which his team posted a 5−6 record. [9] Delaware hired Rutgers offensive coordinator Dave Brock as the team's head coach on January 18, 2013. [10]

Brock was unable to maintain any of the success or momentum of his predecessors, could not recruit as successfully as his predecessors, and oversaw a precipitous decline in the program's on and off field fortunes. He became the first head coach in the 90+ year history of Delaware football to be fired in-season, on October 17, 2016. [11] He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Dennis Dottin-Carter, who completed the 2016 season. The team never made the FCS playoffs under his tenure. The team hired Richmond head coach Danny Rocco on December 13, 2016. [12] Rocco was fired at the end of the 2021 season. [13]

With a September 7, 2019 victory over the Rhode Island Rams, Delaware became the 39th team in the NCAA with 700 wins. [14]

On December 10, 2021, Delaware named former UD quarterback Ryan Carty as their new head coach. Carty spent 11 years on the New Hampshire coaching staff, and spent 4 years as offensive coordinator at Sam Houston State under Keeler. [15]

On November 28, 2023, Delaware and Conference USA (CUSA) announced that the Blue Hens would start a transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision after the 2023 season and join CUSA in 2025. UD will play in CAA Football in 2024 but will not be eligible for the FCS playoffs due to NCAA rules for transitioning programs. [16] [17]

Head coaches

YearCoachOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Rank#
Gus Ziegler (Independent)(1929–1930)
1929 Gus Ziegler0–7–1
1930Gus Ziegler6–3–1
Gus Ziegler:6–10–2
Charles Rogers (Independent)(1931–1933)
1931Charles Rogers5–1–2Class B Eastern Co–Champions
1932Charles Rogers5–4
1933Charles Rogers2–4–2
Charles Rogers:12–9–4
J. Neil Stahley (Independent)(1934)
1934J. Neil Stahley4–3–1
J. Neil Stahley:4–3–1
Lyal Clark (Independent)(1935–1937)
1935Lyal Clark2–5–1
1936Lyal Clark2–6
1937Lyal Clark1–7
Lyal Clark:5–18–1
Stephen Grenda (Independent)(1938–1939)
1938Stephen Grenda3–5
1939Stephen Grenda1–7
Stephen Grenda:4–12
William D. Murray (Independent)(1940–1942)
1940William D. Murray5–3
1941William D. Murray7–0–1
1942William D. Murray8–0
William D. Murray(Mason-Dixon Conference)(1946)
1946 William D. Murray10–01stW Rollins Cigar Bowl 19
William D. Murray(Independent)(1947–1950)
1947 William D. Murray4–4
1948William D. Murray5–3
1949William D. Murray8–1
1950William D. Murray2–5–1
William D. Murray:49–16–2
David M. Nelson (Independent)(1951–1957)
1951David Nelson5–3
1952David Nelson4–4
1953David Nelson7–1
1954David Nelson8–2W Kent State Refrigerator Bowl
1955David Nelson8–1
1956David Nelson5–3–1
1957David Nelson4–3
David Nelson(MAC)(1958–1965)
1958David Nelson5–32–35th
1959David Nelson8–15–01st
1960David Nelson2–6–11–46th
1961David Nelson4–43–23rd
1962David Nelson7–25–01st9
1963David Nelson8–04–01st12
1964David Nelson4–53–34th
1965David Nelson5–43–34th
David Nelson:84–42–2
Tubby Raymond (MAC)(1966–1969)
1966Tubby Raymond6–36–01st
1967Tubby Raymond2–72–34th
1968Tubby Raymond8–35–01stW Indiana (PA) Boardwalk Bowl
1969Tubby Raymond9–26–01stW North Carolina Central Boardwalk Bowl 1010
Tubby Raymond(D–II Independent)(1970–1979)
1970Tubby Raymond9–2W Morgan State Boardwalk Bowl 811
1971 Tubby Raymond10–1W C.W. Post Boardwalk Bowl 11
1972 Tubby Raymond10–011
1973 Tubby Raymond8–4L Grambling State II First Round 103
1974 Tubby Raymond12–2L Central Michigan II Championship Game 34
1975 Tubby Raymond8–3
1976 Tubby Raymond8–3–1L Northern Michigan II First Round 41
1977 Tubby Raymond6–3–1
1978 Tubby Raymond10–4L Eastern Illinois II Championship Game 3
1979 Tubby Raymond13–1W Youngstown State II National Champions 1
Tubby Raymond(I-AA Independent)(1980–1985)
1980 Tubby Raymond9–26
1981Tubby Raymond9–3L Eastern Kentucky I–AA First Round 7
1982Tubby Raymond12–2L Eastern Kentucky I–AA Championship Game 3
1983 Tubby Raymond4–7
1984 Tubby Raymond8–319
1985 Tubby Raymond7–4
Tubby Raymond(Yankee Conference)(1986–1996)
1986 Tubby Raymond9–45–21stL Arkansas State I-AA Quarterfinal 13
1987 Tubby Raymond5–62–55th
1988 Tubby Raymond7–56–21stL Furman I-AA First Round 15
1989 Tubby Raymond7–45–34th
1990 Tubby Raymond6–55–32nd
1991 Tubby Raymond10–27–11stL James Madison I-AA First Round 6
1992 Tubby Raymond11–37–11stL Marshall I-AA Semifinal 8
1993 Tubby Raymond9–46–22ndL Marshall I-AA Quarterfinal 18
1994 Tubby Raymond7–3–15–33rd
1995 Tubby Raymond11–28–01stL McNeese State I-AA Quarterfinal 6
1996 Tubby Raymond8–46–22ndL Marshall I-AA First Round 10
Tubby Raymond(A10)(1997–2001)
1997 Tubby Raymond12–27–11stL McNeese State I-AA Semifinal 33
1998 Tubby Raymond7–44–42nd2324
1999 Tubby Raymond7–45–32nd
2000 Tubby Raymond12–27–11stL Georgia Southern I-AA Semifinal 33
2001 Tubby Raymond4–64–56th
Tubby Raymond:300–119–3
K. C. Keeler (A10)(2002–2006)
2002 K. C. Keeler6–64–56th
2003 K. C. Keeler15–18–11stW Colgate I–AA Championship Game 11
2004 K. C. Keeler9–47–11stL William & Mary I-AA Quarterfinal 78
2005 K.C. Keeler6–53–53rd
2006 K. C. Keeler5–63–54th
K.C. Keeler(CAA South)(2007–2009)
2007 K. C. Keeler11–45–33rdL Appalachian State FCS Championship Game 22
2008 K. C. Keeler4–82–65th
2009 K. C. Keeler6–54–44th
K.C. Keeler(CAA)(2010–2012)
2010 K. C. Keeler12–36–21stL Eastern Washington FCS Championship Game 22
2011 K. C. Keeler7–45–35th2017
2012 K. C. Keeler5–62–68th
K. C. Keeler:86–52
Dave Brock (CAA)(2013–2016)
2013 Dave Brock7−54−45th
2014 Dave Brock6−64−46th
2015 Dave Brock4−73−5T−8th
2016 Dave Brock*2−40−3T−12th* Fired after six games in 2016
Dave Brock:19−23
Dennis Dottin-Carter (interim coach)(CAA)(2016)
2016 Dennis Dottin-Carter (interim coach)2−3
Dennis Dottin-Carter:2−3
Danny Rocco (CAA)(2017–2021)
2017 Danny Rocco7−45−3T–4th
2018 Danny Rocco7–55–4T–3rdL James Madison FCS First Round
2019 Danny Rocco5−73−5T–9th
2020 Danny Rocco7–14–01st (North)L South Dakota State NCAA Division I Semifinal 44
2021 Danny Rocco5–63–5T–9th
Danny Rocco:31−23
Ryan Carty (CAA)(2022–present)
2022 Ryan Carty8−54−46thL South Dakota State NCAA Division I Second Round 1924 (tie)
2023 Ryan Carty9−46−2T-4thL Montana NCAA Division I Second Round
Total:732–483–44
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Conference affiliations

Postseason results

Championships

National championships

YearCoachSelectorsRecordBowl
1946 Bill Murray AP (small college)10–0Won Cigar Bowl
1963 David Nelson UPI (College Division)8–0
1971 Tubby Raymond AP & UPI (College Division)10–1Won Boardwalk Bowl
1972 AP & UPI (College Division)10–0
1979 NCAA Division II Playoffs13–1Won NCAA Division II Championship
2003 K. C. Keeler NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs15–1Won NCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game

Conference championships

YearCoachConferenceOverall recordConference record
1946 Bill Murray Mason-Dixon Conference 10–03–0
1959 David Nelson Middle Atlantic Conference 8–15–0
1962 7–25–0
1963 8–04–0
1966 Tubby Raymond 6–36–0
1968 8–35–0
1969 9–26–0
1986† Yankee Conference 9–45–2
1988†7–56–2
1991†10–27–1
1992 11–37–1
1995 11–28–0
2000† Atlantic 10 Conference 12–27–1
2003† K. C. Keeler 15–18–1
2004†9–47–1
2010† CAA Football 12–36–2
2020 Danny Rocco 7–14−0

† Co-champions

Bowl games

Delaware has appeared in 11 bowl games and have a 8–3 bowl record.

YearBowlCoachOpponentResult
1946 Cigar Bowl William D. Murray Rollins W 21–7
1954 Refrigerator Bowl David M. Nelson Kent State W 19–7
1968 Refrigerator Bowl Tubby Raymond IUP W 31–24
1969 Boardwalk Bowl Tubby Raymond North Carolina Central W 31–13
1970 Boardwalk BowlTubby Raymond Morgan State W 38–23
1971 Boardwalk BowlTubby Raymond LIU Post W 72–22
1973 Boardwalk BowlTubby Raymond Grambling State L 8–17
1974 Grantland Rice Bowl Tubby Raymond UNLV W 49–11
1974 Camellia Bowl Tubby Raymond Central Michigan L 14–54
1979 Zia Bowl Tubby Raymond Youngstown State W 38–21
1982 Pioneer Bowl Tubby Raymond Eastern Kentucky L 14–17

Division I-AA/FCS playoffs

The Fightin' Blue Hens have appeared in the Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs nineteen times. Their combined record is 25–18. They were I-AA National Champions in 2003.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1981 QuarterfinalsEastern KentuckyL 28–35
1982 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Colgate
Louisiana Tech
Eastern Kentucky		W 20–13
W 17–0
L 14–17
1986 First Round
Quarterfinals		William & Mary
Arkansas State		W 51–17
L 14–55
1988 First RoundFurmanL 7–21
1991 First RoundJames MadisonL 35–42
1992 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Samford
Louisiana–Monroe
Marshall		W 56–21
W 41–18
L 7–28
1993 First Round
Quarterfinals		Montana
Marshall		W 49–48
L 31–34
1995 First Round
Quarterfinals		Hofstra
McNeese State		W 38–17
L 18–52
1996 First RoundMarshallL 14–59
1997 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Hofstra
Georgia Southern
McNeese State		W 24–14
W 16–7
L 21–23
2000 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Portland State
Lehigh
Georgia Southern		W 49–14
W 47–22
L 27–18
2003 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Southern Illinois
Northern Iowa
Wofford
Colgate		W 48–7
W 37–7
W 24–9
W 40–0
2004 First Round
Quarterfinals		Lafayette
William & Mary		W 28–14
L 38–44
2007 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Delaware State
Northern Iowa
Southern Illinois
Appalachian State		W 44–7
W 39–27
W 20–17
L 21–49
2010 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Lehigh
New Hampshire
Georgia Southern
Eastern Washington		W 42–20
W 16–3
W 27–10
L 19–20
2018 First RoundJames MadisonL 6–20
2020 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Sacred Heart
Jacksonville State
South Dakota State		W 19–10
W 20–14
L 3–33
2022 First Round
Second Round		St. Francis
South Dakota State		W 56–17
L 6–42
2023 First Round
Second Round		Lafayette
Montana		W 36–34
L 19–49

Division II playoffs results

The Fightin' Blue Hens have appeared in the Division II playoffs five times with an overall record of 7–4. They were Division II National Champions in 1979.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1973 QuarterfinalsGrambling StateL 8–17
1974 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Youngstown State
UNLV
Central Michigan		W 35–14
W 49–11
L 14–54
1976 QuarterfinalsNorthern MichiganL 17–28
1978 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Jacksonville State
Winston-Salem State
Eastern Illinois		W 42–21
W 41–0
L 9–10
1979 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		Virginia Union
Mississippi College
Youngstown State		W 58–28
W 60–10
W 38–21

Rivalries

Villanova

Delaware State

Delaware and Delaware State first played against each other on November 23, 2007, in Newark, Delaware, in the first round of the NCAA Division I National Championship Tournament. The Blue Hens defeated the Hornets 44–7 in front of 19,765 people, the largest playoff crowd in Delaware Stadium history. [18]

Prior to the 2009 season, the University of Delaware had not scheduled a regular season game versus Delaware State University, the state's other Football Championship Subdivision team. A 2007 guest editorial at ESPN.com's Page 2 claimed that this has to do with the fact that Delaware State is a Historically Black College. [19] However, Delaware has scheduled and played regular season games against several other Historically Black Colleges and Universities such as Morgan State University and North Carolina A&T.

On February 25, 2009, coach K.C. Keeler joined Delaware State University coach Al Lavan along with school officials and state politicians in Dover, Delaware, to announce that their schools had signed on to play the first regular season game in their history. Additionally, a three-game series was scheduled for September 2012, 2013, and 2014. All games in the series were held at Delaware Stadium in Newark, because its seating capacity of 22,000 is much larger than that of Delaware State's Alumni Stadium. The schools had been engaged in talks to play a game as early as 2009, but Furman University, which had previously signed a contract to play a home-and-away series with UD, backed out of game two which was scheduled to be played at UD in order to play University of Missouri and garner a larger payday. This left the University of Delaware with an open date to fill with only a few months before the season started and the two sides quickly completed the deal.

The first game was played on September 19, 2009, at Delaware Stadium, with the winning Blue Hens receiving the new traveling trophy, the First State Cup, following a 27–17 victory. Delaware has been victorious in each of their nine subsequent match-ups (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017,2019, 2021, 2022).

James Madison

William & Mary

West Chester University

Blue Hens in the pros

Active

Former

Notes
  1. ↑ Hills played for Delaware from 2013–2016 before being declared academically ineligible for the 2017 season. He played for Slippery Rock in 2018. [23]
  2. ↑ Tatum played for Delaware from 2013–2014 before being dismissed from the university before the 2015 season. [28] He played for Southern Illinois from 2016–2017. [29]

Draft picks

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of February 10, 2024. [31]

202420252026202720282029203020312032
Bryant (8/29) Delaware State (8/28)at Virginia (9/26)at Penn State (9/11)at James Madison (9/9) Buffalo (9/15)at Buffalo (9/14) James Madison (9/13)at James Madison (9/18)
Penn (9/21)at Colorado (9/6) Delaware State (TBD) James Madison (9/18) Delaware State (TBD)
Sacred Heart (9/28)at Wake Forest (9/27) Delaware State (TBD)
UConn at UConn

College Football Hall of Fame inductees

NameInducted
Bill Murray 1974 [32]
David Nelson 1987 [32]
Tubby Raymond 2003 [33]

Related Research Articles

Kurt Charles Keeler is an American football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Sam Houston State University, a position he had held since 2014. Previously, Keeler was the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Delaware, from 2002 to 2012, and at Rowan University from 1993 to 2001.

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The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens are the athletic teams of the University of Delaware (UD) of Newark, Delaware, in the United States. The Blue Hens compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of the Coastal Athletic Association and its technically separate football league, CAA Football.

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The 2009 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the South Division of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the CAA's South Division. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by ninth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 12–3 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, sharing the CAA title with William & Mary. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens received a first round bye. They beat Lehigh in the second round, New Hampshire in the quarterfinals, and Georgia Southern in the semifinals before losing to Eastern Washington in the NCAA Division I Championship Game, after leading by 19 points late in the third quarter. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the South Division of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by sixth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the CAA's South Division. Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat Delaware State in the first round, Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals, and Southern Illinois in the semifinals before losing to Appalachian State in the NCAA Division I Championship Game. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens men's basketball</span> Basketball team that represents University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware

The Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. The school's team currently competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as a member of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) since 2001. Home games are played at the Acierno Arena at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The 2012 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by K. C. Keeler in his 11th and final season as head coach, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing eighth in the CAA. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2013 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Dave Brock, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fifth in the CAA. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2014 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Dave Brock, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 6–6 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a four-way tie for fifth in the CAA. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

The 2006 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the South Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 2006 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by fifth-year head coach K. C. Keeler, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the A-10's South Division. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team</span> American college football season

The 2017 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) during the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Danny Rocco, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the CAA. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware.

Kirk Ciarrocca is an American college football coach. He is the offensive coordinator at Rutgers University. He has previously served as the offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota and Penn State University.

Ryan Carty is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Delaware, a position he had held since the 2022 season.

Nolan Michael Henderson is an American football quarterback for the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Delaware.

References

  1. ↑ "Delaware Blue Hens Logo Usage". August 28, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  2. ↑ Huber, Bill (May 16, 2012). "Getting to Know: Shea Allard". Scout.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  3. ↑ Feldman, Bruce (May 4, 2011). "A new measurement for physical play". ESPN.com . Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  4. ↑ Hansen, Eric (December 14, 2011). "Notre Dame Football notebook: Weis returns, visits Crist and Dieter". South Bend Tribune . Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium". University of Delaware Athletics. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Blue Hen Helmet Design" (PDF). 2010 Football Media Guide. University of Delaware: 127. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 12, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  7. 1 2 Purdum, David (September 2004). "His Own Man". American Football Monthly. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  8. ↑ "End zone a foreign land for Delaware". The News Journal. delawareonline.com. October 19, 2008. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  9. ↑ Tresolini, Kevin (January 7, 2013). "UD fires football coach K.C. Keeler". The News Journal. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  10. ↑ McMurphy, Brett (January 18, 2013). "Delaware names Dave Brock coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  11. ↑ "University of Delaware fires football coach Dave Brock". FoxSports.com. Associated Press. October 16, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Delaware hires Danny Rocco as its new football coach". USA Today . December 13, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  13. ↑ Tresolini, Kevin (November 29, 2021). "Danny Rocco fired as University of Delaware football coach". Delaware News-Journal.
  14. ↑ "Blue Hens Win 3OT Thriller At URI, 44-36 For Program's 700th Win - University of Delaware Athletics".
  15. ↑ Tresolini, Kevin (December 10, 2021). "Ex-Blue Hens QB Carty named University of Delaware football coach". Delaware News-Journal.
  16. ↑ "CUSA Adds Delaware, Blue Hens to Join in 2025" (Press release). Conference USA. November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Delaware Accepts Invitation to Join Conference USA as Full Member" (Press release). Delaware Blue Hens. November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Delaware Football History" (PDF). University of Delaware Athletics. p. 130. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  19. ↑ Pearlman, Jeff (September 24, 2007). "Is race the reason Delaware won't play Delaware State?". Page 2. ESPN.com. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Hill, Adewusi Selected in XFL Draft". BlueHens.com. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  21. ↑ "UFL Player Transactions, Monday February 19, 2024". UFLBoard.com. February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Buchanan Drafted by St. Louis Battlehawks in 2023 XFL Rookie Draft". BlueHens.com. June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  23. ↑ Weinberg, Dave (April 23, 2019). "Ryquell Armstead, Wes Hills waiting for next opportunity as NFL draft nears". Pressofatlanticcity.com. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  24. 1 2 Frank, Martin (February 13, 2022). "Troy Reeder is a Super Bowl champion with Rams in matchup of University of Delaware stars". DelawareOnline.com. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  25. ↑ "UFL Player Transactions, Tuesday March 5, 2024". UFLBoard.com. March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Vipers vs. Defenders". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  27. ↑ @XFL_PR (January 6, 2023). "Houston Roughnecks" (Tweet). Retrieved January 7, 2023– via Twitter.
  28. ↑ "Roman Tatum". BlueHens.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Roman Tatum". SIUSalukis.com. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  30. ↑ Murschel, Matt (November 16, 2022). "Orlando Guardians find plenty of Florida connections during XFL draft". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  32. 1 2 "College Football Hall of Fame Inductees".
  33. ↑ "Tubby Raymond named to College Football Hall of Fame". UDaily Archive. University of Delaware. 2003. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
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