Dover, Del. (Mar. 20, 2023) --- Delaware State's first spring football camp under new head coach Lee Hull gets underway this week. The drills, which start at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday (Mar. 21), will include a total of 15 on-field practice sessions, concluding with the Red-White scrimmage on April 22 at Alumni Stadium. Hull expects about 75 players to participate in this year's spring camp. "I'm impressed with the attitude and dedication of our student-athletes during off-season conditioning," said Hull. "At the same time, my staff and I are looking forward to evaluating the team during on-field football activities. We're excited to see who steps up in the competition for all positions this spring as we prepare for the upcoming season."
The Hornets expect to have four quarterbacks in camp this spring, each with at least one start under his belt. Veteran signal-caller Jared Lewis (sr.) was limited to just four games last season due to injury,  completing 24-of-54 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Lewis played in 10 games in 2021, connecting on 105-of-204 throws (51.5%) for 1364 yards and 20 touchdowns, with just four INTs. Tylik Bethea (jr.) also returns after sitting out the 2022 season. As a true freshman in 2019, Bethea threw for a Delaware State freshman record 1286 yards and nine touchdowns on 114 completions (235 attempts).
Former Delaware High School Player of the Year C.J. Henry (r-so.) took the majority of snaps at quarterback for the Hornets last season. Henry was selected to the 2022 All-MEAC Third Team after completing 92-of-148 passes (62.2%) for 1028 yards and nine touchdowns in eight games. He also led the Hornets to MEAC road wins over Norfolk State and South Carolina State last year.
Quarterback Marqui Adams (so.) started the 2022 finale against Campbell, completing eight-of-19 passes for 74 yards in the game.
Delaware State also returns the reigning MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year in running back Marquis Gillis (r-so.). The former Milford (Del.) High School star was fifth in the MEAC in rushing at 49.5 yards per game (545 total) in 2022. He also rushed for five touchdowns to tie for fifth in the league. Gillis ran for a career-high 123 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the Hornets' 28-7 win over Norfolk State, and  tallied 94 yards and a TD on 12 attempts at Howard last season. Two other veteran running backs, Wade Inge (jr.) and Michael Chris-Ike (r-sr.), also return. Inge was second on the Hornets with 337 rushing yards and also hauled in 12 passes for 94 yards, in addition to leading the Hornets with 385 kickoff return yards (19.3 ypr) in the 2022 season. Chris-Ike rushed for 135 yards on 29 attempts (4.7 ypc) last season.
The Hornets' 2023 spring wide receiver corps is led by Rahkeem Smith (so.), who tied for the team lead with four touchdown catches, and was third on the club with 18 receptions for 272 yards (15.1 avg.) in 2022. Smith was selected as the MEAC Rookie of the Week after scoring three touchdowns and combining for 102 total offensive yards vs. eventual MEAC and Celebration Bowl champ North Carolina Central last season. He scored all three Delaware State touchdowns, two by the pass and the other on a run play, while catching three passes for 55 yards and rushing for 47 yards on two attempts in the game.
Along the offensive line, tackle Sam Pearson (sr.) was a 2022 All-MEAC Second Team selection, while '22 All-MEAC Third Team honoree Isaiah Cook (r-so.) and Diu Dau (r-so.) gained valuable experience as first-year starters last season.  
Defensively, back Romell Harris-Freeman emerged as one of the league's top safeties last season, earning All-MEAC First Team honors. Harris-Freeman collected 38 total tackles (27 solo) and two interceptions, while ranking among the conference leaders with seven pass break-ups last season.
Inside linebacker Maurio Going )r-jr.), a 2022 All-MEAC Third Team selection, also returns after finishing second on the Hornets with 47 total tackles (28 unassisted), including 10 behind the line-of-scrimmage last season.
Jayden Estes (jr.) also returns to the secondary after a solid 2022 season. He was third on the team with 44 tackles (28 solo), in addition to recording two interceptions and two fumble recoveries a year ago.
Veteran linebacker Ronald Holmes, a 2021 All-MEAC honoree, recorded 38 tackles, including 4.5 in the opponents' backfield, during the 2022 season.
Along the defensive front, Omakus Langley II (r-so.) is the top returner after finishing second among Hornet linemen with 27 tackles (16 unassisted), 8.5 tackles-for-loss and four sacks during the 2022 season. Eric Montes (jr.) is also expected to play a bigger role up front after performing primarily as a reserve last season.
Delaware State boasts two frontline placekickers in Nathan Wilson (so.) and Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas. Wilson was six-for-nine on field goal attempts, while Cardoza-Chicas was three-for-five for field goal tries, including a school record-tying 54-yarder and a 50-yard boot.        
The Hornets, 5-6 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC in 2022, will kick-off their 11-game 2023 schedule at home against Bowie State on Sep. 2.
2023 Delaware State football spring practice schedule (*all sessions open to the public)
#1        Mar. 21                                                 6:00 am
#2        Mar. 23                                                 6:00 am
#3        Mar. 25                                                 10:00 am
#4        Mar. 28                                                 6:00 am
#5        Mar. 30                                                 6:00 am
#6        Apr. 1                                                    6:00 am
#7        Apr. 3                                                    6:00 am
# 8       Apr. 4                                                    6:00 am
#9        Apr. 6  (scrimmage)                              6:00 am
#10       Apr. 11                                                 6:00 am
#11       Apr. 13                                                 6:00 am
#12       Apr. 15 (scrimmage)                            6:00 pm
#13       Apr. 18                                                 6:00 am
#14       Apr. 20                                                 6:00 am
#15       Apr. 22  (Red-White scrimmage)         1:00 pm
 
2023 Delaware State Football Schedule link:
https://dsuhornets.com/sports/football/schedule