DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL 2013 SEASON PREVIEW Delaware State University looks to build on the progress it made during 2012 season. The Hornets posted their first winning season since 2007 a year ago, registering a three-game overall improvement and a four -win increase in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games from the previous season. DSU head coach Kermit Blount expects to return more than 40 letterwinners and nine starters from his 2012 squad, which posted a 6-5 overall record and was tied for third with a 5-3 mark in the MEAC. The Hornets were picked to finish 10th in the 2012 MEAC race by most pre-season pollsters. Blount’s biggest challenge this season is developing capable replacements for a number of departing seniors from the 2012 squad. OFFENSE Delaware State’s offense must replace four All-MEAC First Team players, including quarterback Nick Elko, the 2012 MEAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year. Elko completed his DSU career as No. 2 in team history in passing yards (5,754) and completions (539); and third in touchdown passes (37). He set Hornet records for completions (259) and passing yards (2,828) last season.
Wide Receivers No. Name 15 “Bo” Ceravolo 80 Morris Frasier 84 Malik Golson 18 Marlon Kelly 7 Aris Soctt 88 Gabriel Sherrod 11 Milton Williams
Exp. Ht. 1L 6-1 6-2 - 5-9 1L 6-2 HS 6-2 6-3 2L 6-3
Wt 185 190 175 180 210 212 200
DSU must also replace All-MEAC wide receivers Travis Tarpley and Justin Wilson.
Malcolm Williams Quarterbacks No. Name CL Exp. 12 Garrison Duncan FR HS 8 Emmett Hunt FR HS 6 Cory Murphy SR JC 16 Esayah Obado r-FR 1L
Ht. 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-2
Wt. 215 215 205 200
Tarpley, also a 2012 Sheridan Broadcast Network Black College AllAmerican, was tops in the MEAC in receptions (7.8 pg) and receiving yards (96.2 pg); and tied for first in the league in touchdown catches (7). He stands third on the Hornets’ all-time list for receptions (181) and receiving yards (2121); and is the school’s career leader with 4,661 all-purpose yards.
Cory Murphy (r-jr.; 6-2, 205), a 2012 junior college transfer, and Esayah Obado (r-fr.; 6-2, 200) are the top candidates to replace Elko as starting quarterback. Each was listed on the 2012 Hornet roster, but did not see any playing time.
Wilson, who signed with the Green Bay Packers this summer, was third in the MEAC in receptions (6.0 pg) and receiving yards (73.3 pg) last season. He led the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions in 2010. Wilson ranks second in team history with 189 catches and 2,416 receiving yards; and is fourth with 23 career touchdown receptions.
“Both of these guys (Murphy and Obado) are familiar with our system and have the ability to lead our team,” said Blount. “Each has worked hard during the offseason; and I’m eager to see how far they’ve come when summer camp begins.”
Milton Williams (jr.; 6-3, 200), Malik Golson (so.; 5-10, 180), Morris Frasier (r-so.; 6-2, 195) and Bo Ceravolo (r-sr.; 6-1, 185) are the leading candidates to replace Tarpley and Wilson as the Hornets’ top wide receivers.
The Hornets brought in former high school standout quarterbacks Emmett Hunt (fr.; Coatesville, Pa./ Coatesville HS) and Garrison Duncan (fr.; Kernersville, N.C./E. Forsyth HS) this season.
Head Coach Kermit Blount
CL r-SO r-SO SO SO FR r-FR JR
Hunt passed for 3,123 yards and 44 touchdowns (each a school record) as a senior at Coatesville Area Senior High School (Pa.) in 2012. Duncan passed for 1,505 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for a school QB record 1,410 yards and 18 scores as a senior at East Forsyth HS (N.C.).
Running Backs No. Name 30 Dae-Hon Cheung 23 Trey Allen Hall 5 Jamaal Jackson 25 Nagee Jackson 22 Lamar Shaw 2 Malcolm Williams
CL SO r-FR SO SO r-JR JR
Exp. Ht. 1L 5-10 - 5-11 - 5-10 1L 6-1 2L 5-9 2L 5-10
“Hunt and Duncan are extremely talented and very teachable,” Blount said. “They will have every opportunity to win the starting job this summer.”
MEAC CHAMPS - 1985,‘87,‘88,‘89,‘91, 07
13
Wt 175 190 175 215 235 175