2018 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL — GAME 1
DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY “HORNETS” (0-0)
vs.
BUFFALO “BULLS” (0-0)
SAT., SEP. 1, 2018 (6 p.m.)
UB STADIUM (29,013) - BUFFALO, NY
Live Video - ESPN3
Live Audio - HSRN.com (DSU Broadcast)
THE GAME
The era of new head coach Rod Milstead begins for Delaware State with a tough challenge against Buffalo of the FBS Mid-America Conference. Milstead was an All-America offensive lineman for the Hornets from 1988-to-91 before an eight-year National Football League career. This is his first college head coach position. Milstead is looking to turn around a Delaware State program that's won just five games in the last four years (5-40). The Hornets won two of their last five games to finish the 2017 season with a 2-9 overall record and 2-6 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Among the reasons for optimism heading into the 2018 season is the return of a host of key players on both sides of the ball, and on special teams. On offense, the Hornets return two thousand-yard quarterbacks from last season. Keenan Black (jr.), the starter in the last five games, was ninth in the MEAC in passing average (129.9 ypg) and pass efficiency (116.2 rating) after completing 82-of-173 passes (47.4%) for 1169 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2017. Jack McDaniels (so.), the starter in the first six games, connected on 95-of-175 throws (54.3%) for 1139 yards and three TDs as a true freshman a year ago. The DSU running game should be bolstered by the return of Mike Waters (r-so.), who sat out the last seven games due to a knee injury in 2017. Waters was an All-MEAC Third Team pick after rushing for a team freshman record 820 yards and five touchdowns in 2016. Brycen Alleyne (sr.), a 2018 Preseason All-MEAC Second Team selection with more than a thousand career rushing yards, will team with Waters to give the Hornets a formidable backfield duo. Taronn Selby (sr.) is the returning team leader with 35 receptions for 521 yards in 2017, while Trey Gross (so.) hauled in 27 passes for 428 yards and seven touchdowns after being inserted into the starting line-up in week six last season. Kwannah Kollie (so.) averaged 20.1 yards on 16 catches last season. The Hornet defense is led by 2018 Preseason All-MEAC players Keyjuan Selby (sr.) at cornerback and inside linebacker Brian Cavicante (jr.) Selby was second in the MEAC in passes defended (1.18 pg) and the team leader with two interceptions last season. Brian Cavicante (jr.) was second on the Hornets with 74 tackles stops (32 unassisted) a year ago. Safety Jahad Niebauer (jr.) was the team leader with 78 tackles (45 solo), while inside linebacker Alexander Lozano (so.) emerged as a leader on the defense after recording 34 tackles, including a team-high three sacks in 2017. The 2018 Hornets also feature one of the nation's top punters. Fidel Romo-Martinez (jr.), a 2018 All-MEAC First Team and HERO Sports Preseason Third Team All-America selection, was tops in the league and fourth among all FCS punters with a 44.8 yard average in 2017. He had 24 kicks of 50-or-more yards and 17 that landed inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
Buffalo enters the season with high hopes after battling through key injuries to post a 6-6 overall record (4-4 MAC East) in 2017, its best finish since 2013. The Bulls are expected to return eight starters from an offense that racked up a school-record 5,183 total yards last season. Quarterback Tyree Jackson is back after missing four games due to injury in 2017. He threw for 2,096 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games last season. Receiver Anthony Johnson is a pro prospect. Last season, he had 1,356 receiving yards and a school record with 14 touchdown catches. The Buffalo defense is led by linebacker Khalil Hodge, who posted a MAC-best 154 tackles in 2017. Fellow linebacker Jordan Collier had 66 tackles, including five backfield stops for the Bills last season.
THE SERIES
(Buffalo leads 1-0) This is the second game between the teams, which first met in 1997 in Buffalo, N.Y. The Bulls won the contest 40-30. The highlight for the Hornets was the play of redshirt-freshman receiver Darnerian McCants, who had six receptions (two touchdowns) for a Delaware State freshman-record 170 yards in the contest. Following his Hornet career, McCants played professionally for NFL's Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, along with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
