The Delaware State Hornets (1-3, 1-1 MEAC) look to rebound after another tough loss at home, traveling to Daytona Beach, Fla., to face the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (4-1, 2-1 MEAC) on Saturday, Oct. 11. DSU is coming off a 17-14 loss to Hampton on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Hornets are currently riding a three-game losing skid and will be looking for the team's first road victory of the 2008 season.
The Hornets are led offensively by quarterback Vashon Winton, who enters Saturday's game with 533 yards through the air on 61-of-103 passing and two touchdowns. Winton also leads the team with six rushing touchdowns. The Chicago, Ill., native currently ranks tied for No. 15 in the nation in scoring (9.00 points-per-game), averaging 197.5 total yards of offense for the season. Winton registered his 32nd-career touchdown pass (a six-yard pass to tight end Jahmel Bashir) last weekend, moving the DSU signal caller into the No. 2 spot all-time in touchdown passes at Delaware State. Winton also recorded his team-leading sixth rushing touchdown of the season on a 51-yard scamper (a career-best) versus the Pirates.
Leading the team in rushing is redshirt senior Chris Strother, who has compiled 265 yards on the ground on 62 carries, averaging 4.3 yards-per-carry. Strother is averaging 66.2 yards-per-game as well as 85.5 all purpose yards-per-game.
Senior Derrick McNeil leads all DSU receivers with 15 catches and 142 yards, averaging 9.5 yards-per-catch. McNeil is looking for his first receiving touchdown of the 2008 season. Junior Larrone Moore is second on the team with 13 receptions for 113 yards. His 13 catches through four games have equaled his season total from a year ago. Senior Eddie Brown averages 11.6 yards-per-catch, grabbing 11 receptions for 128 yards this season, including his first-career touchdown reception (Sept. 4 vs. FAMU). Tight end Bashir notched his first-career touchdown with a six-yard catch versus Hampton last Saturday. The true freshman has caught five passes for 41 yards on the season.
Linebacker Kevin Conner leads the Hornets in tackles with 34 (16 solo, 18 assisted) this season. The Richmond, Va., native recorded eight tackles and two fumble recoveries versus the Pirates on Oct. 4. Senior Jackie Watkins is second on the team with 26 total tackles (12 solo, 14 assisted). The 6-foot-1 linebacker totaled nine tackles in DSU's game last Saturday, including a tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Defensive back Avery Grant led all Hornets with 10 tackles, including a sack for an 11-yard loss versus the Pirates. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native has recorded 24 tackles on the season with three tackles for loss.
Wide receiver Zacharri Charles has become the Hornet's most potent kickoff returner, averaging 22.3 yards-per-kick return. Charles has registered 268 yards on 12 returns and leads the team in all purpose yards with 371 (92.8 per game).
Game Notables
- The Hornets enter Saturday's game riding a three-game losing skid.
- DSU has not lost back-to-back conference games since Al Lavan's first season (2004).
- DSU is looking to win its fourth-straight over the Wildcats.
- Coach Lavan has the highest winning percentage in among active MEAC coaches in conference play (25-8, .757).
- Coach Lavan is looking to improve his record to 4-1 versus Bethune-Cookman
- The last time DSU lost three-straight contests, the Hornets went on to defeat the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats during ensuing contest (17-0 on Oct. 8, 2005).
- Delaware State has not lost four-straight games since Coach Lavan's first season in 2004 (0-4 to start the season).
- During last season, Delaware State outscored its conference opponents 88-40 on the road.
- During the Hornet's four conference road games, no MEAC team put up more than 17 points.
- Saturday marks Coach Lavan's 50th game as DSU head coach.
- Saturday's game will mark Vashon Winton's 38th-career start.
- Winton ranks No. 19 all-time among MEAC quarterbacks (4,807 yards).
A Quick Look at Bethune Cookman
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats enter Saturday's contest, riding a three-game winning streak, including a 31-27 victory at Morgan State on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Hughes Stadium (Baltimore, Md.). B-CU's defense held the Bears on a final minute drive to preserve the victory.
The Wildcats are led by quarterback Maurice Francois, who enters this week's contest with 123 yards on 5-of-13 passing. The freshman from Palm Bay, Fla., also leads Bethune-Cookman in rushing with 325 yards on 55 carries. Jacksonville, Fla., native Brian Sumlar leads both the Wildcats and the MEAC in rushing touchdowns with eight. Sumlar has gained 322 yards on 69 carries this season.
Bethune-Cookman's leading receiver is Joe Singleton, who has grabbed 11 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The 5-foot-11 receiver is averaging 12.6 yards-per-catch.
Defensively, the Wildcats have the No. 19-ranked passing defense in the nation (159.80 yards-per-game). Travis Roland leads the team with 37 total tackles, including six for loss. The Daytona Beach, Fla., product has also recorded three sacks and one of the team's eight total interceptions. Antwuane and Antonio Cox anchor the B-CU defensive backfield. The twin brothers each have two picks on the season.
Delaware State - Bethune-Cookman Series History
- Saturday's contest will mark the 33rd meeting all-time between Delaware State and Bethune-Cookman.
- DSU leads the series history, 19-13.
- Delaware
State won the last meeting with Bethune-Cookman, 24-10 (Oct. 4, 2007).
- The game, broadcast on ESPNU, was the first-ever Thursday night game at Alumni Stadium.
- DSU is 3-1 in the last four meetings with the Wildcats.
- Delaware State is looking to win its fourth-straight over B-CU.
- The Hornet's last trip to Municipal Stadium resulted in a 33-31 (Oct. 7, 2006) win for DSU.
- In that game, DSU scored 12 points in the final four minutes to secure the victory.
- Delaware State's longest winning streak versus the Wildcats took place from 1989-1997. DSU won nine-straight games during that span.
A Delaware State Win Would...
- Snap a three-game losing skid for the Hornets.
- Extend DSU's winning streak over the Wildcats to four games.
- Give Coach Lavan his 32nd-career win at Delaware State.
- Give Coach Lavan his 14th road victory as DSU head coach.
- Give Coach Lavan his 13th road victory versus the MEAC.
- Improve Vashon Winton's record as a starter to 27-11.
- Move DSU to 2-1 in conference action this season.
- Improve DSU's 2008 record to 2-3.
- Give Coach Lavan his 26th-career victory in conference play.
- Pull Delaware State within one victory of first place in the MEAC standings.
- Give DSU its first road victory of the season.
- Give DSU its 20th victory all-time over Bethune-Cookman
.A Good Remedy for a Loss to Hampton
Prior to this season, the last two times Delaware State has lost a contest to the Hampton Pirates, the Hornets have turned around to take it out on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats the following week. DSU's last loss to Hampton (29-14 on Sept. 30, 2006) led to a 33-31 victory at Bethune-Cookman on Oct. 7, 2006. The win snapped a two-game skid for the Hornets.
Prior to that, Delaware State had suffered a 26-8 loss at Hampton on Oct. 1, 2005. The following week, DSU shut out Bethune-Cookman, 17-0, snapping a three-game skid.
The Field General
Senior Vashon Winton enters Saturday's game with a 26-11 record as the Hornets' signal caller and a 21-4 mark in MEAC contests. The Chicago, Ill., native ranks second in the school's record books in completions (446), passing attempts (781) and passing yards (4,807). His 32-career passing touchdowns are second-best on the all-time DSU list. This season, Winton has thrown two touchdowns, completing 59.2 percent of his passes en route to a 97.45 passer rating.
10-or-More
The benchmark of a good tackler is one who is in on every play. There have been four DSU players who have registered 10-or-more tackles in a game. Andre Caroll leads all players with a season-high 12 tackles (vs. Central Connecticut State - Sept. 27). Below is a listing of some of Delaware State's top tackling performances:
Mr. Opportunity
Linebacker Kevin Conner proved to be in the right place at the right time during the Hornet's Oct. 4 matchup with the Hampton Pirates. The 5-foot-11 Conner picked up two fumbles on the day, including one for 17 yards. His second fumble recovery resulted in the Hornet's go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The fumble recoveries were the first of his career. Conner has tallied 34 tackles (one for loss) and two fumble recoveries on the season.
The First of Many
On Saturday, Oct. 4, freshman tight end Jahmel Bashir hauled in his first-career touchdown with a six-yard reception from Vashon Winton with 13:39 left in the game. The touchdown gave the Hornets a 14-9 lead over the Pirates. On the season, Bashir has five catches for 41 yards and one touchdown.
Home Sweet Home
During his five years as Delaware State head coach, Al Lavan has accumulated a record of 17-7 at Alumni Stadium. Lavan has guided the Hornets to perfect home records twice (2005, 2007) and has lost only one home game in the last three years. Lavan's only losing season at home took place during his first season at the helm (2004). The Hornets finished that season with a 2-4 record at home.
Hornets at Home (under Lavan)
| 2004 |
2-4 |
(.333) |
| 2005 |
5-0 |
(1.000) |
| 2006 |
4-1 |
(.800) |
| 2007 |
5-0 |
(1.000) |
| 2008 |
1-2 |
(.333) |
| Total |
17-7 |
(.708) |
Winton in the MEAC Record Books
With Vashon Winton's 15-of-26 passing performance for 145 yards versus the Hampton Pirates, the Chicago, Ill., native has moved closer to No. 18 on the MEAC's career passing leaders list. Winton has compiled 4,807 yards through the air on 446-of-781 passing during his four seasons with DSU. The 6-foot-2 quarterback is 53 yards shy of passing Morgan State's Orlando Persell (?90-'93) for No. 18.
