The Delaware State football team will need to have a very short memory following last Saturday’s difficult loss at Howard University, as a likely angry and embarrassed group of North Carolina Central Eagles invade Alumni Stadium for homecoming at 2 pm this Saturday.
The Hornets (4-3 overall, 1-1 MEAC) will look to keep slim conference title hopes and a winning season alive against one of the top-ranked offenses in all of FCS.
The Eagles (5-2 overall, 2-1 MEAC) are coming off a crushing 26-24 loss at defending conference champion South Carolina State, which threw a huge wrench into their Celebration Bowl plans.
A successful homecoming for DelState requires great effort on both sides of the ball against a very good NCCU squad. Here’s what to watch for in between the festivities this weekend.
1. Davius Richard is a bad man
The runaway favorite for MEAC offensive player of the year (and recent addition to the Walter Payton Award watch list) is North Carolina Central quarterback Davius Richard, a 6-3, 215-pound junior whose ability to stand and fire in the pocket and run over defenders if he chooses calls to mind former Minnesota Vikings All-Pro quarterback Daunte Culpepper.
Richard leads the MEAC in passing yards (1,443) and touchdown passes (15), while also ranking fourth overall in rushing yards (432) and leading the conference in rushing scores (eight). The Hornet defense will have to make him uncomfortable in the pocket, then keep him boxed in to slow down the Eagle offense.
2. Solving an identity crisis on offense
The Hornets have shown the capability to be either a running team or a passing team on alternate Saturdays, but never deciding on a consistent theme week to week.
This of course goes back to the injuries along the offensive line, but DelState must choose whether its best chance is as a chew-up-the-clock, grind-it-out type of offense, or using an up-tempo, airborne style of attack. Against an NCCU defense that is second only to their own in points allowed (21.1 per contest), setting an offensive identity will be key, especially in hopes of keeping Richard off the field.
3. DSU’s front seven will be tested by Eagle runners
The Eagles boast the MEAC’s top-rated rushing attack (205 yards per game) while Delaware State is the league’s top team against the run (121 yards per game). The Hornets will not only have to be aware of Richard but the lethal blend of power and quickness from running back Latrell Collier, the conference’s second-leading ground gainer (84 carries, 516 yards, five touchdowns). If Central can control the clock before going to the air, it could be a long day for the DelState defense.
4. Win the turnover battle
Against a high-powered offense such as NCCU, not only is taking advantage of any mistakes they make vital, but you also must limit your own errors. Delaware State has turned the ball over just seven times this year compared to nine for the Eagles, so neither team is in a giving mood. The Hornet defense will likely have to be at their aggressive best to stall Central drives while the offense must hold on to the ball to sustain drives.
5. Homecoming hope springs eternal
It’s been a good while since the DSU football team has come into its annual homecoming contest with an above-.500 record and as fate and the schedule makers would have it, that record gets put to the test against a potential FCS at-large team.
The Hornets need two wins in their last four games to earn that long-awaited winning season, not impossible, but still a tough task with Central, South Carolina State, Morgan State and Big South co-leader Campbell on the horizon. The Eagles won’t make it easy, but if the desire to put on a show for the homecoming crowd motivates the Hornets, an upset over NCCU is possible.
