Delaware State University’s quest to regain football relevancy in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is now in the hands of someone with a championship background in the league.
Lee Hull, offensive coordinator at 2022 MEAC co-champion Howard, has been named DSU head football coach, athletic director Alecia Shields-Gadson announced Monday.
Hull, 56, also spent two years as head coach at Morgan State, including steering the Bears to the NCAA playoffs after winning a share of the MEAC title in 2014, when he was MEAC coach of the year.
“Lee stood out because of his experience and achievements at all levels of football, in addition to his character and demeanor,” Shields-Gadson said in DSU’s announcement. “He understands what it takes to build a winning football program both in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and nationally, in addition to developing student-athletes of high character and skill.”
Hull takes over for Rod Milstead, dismissed as Delaware State coach last month after five years on the job. Under Milstead, a former DelState All-American offensive lineman and Super Bowl winner with the 49ers, the Hornets were 17-33 overall and 7-18 in the MEAC.
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DSU’s 5-6 records in the last two years equal its best since going 5-6 in 2013. But the Hornets haven’t had a winning season since going 6-5 in 2012. They won their last MEAC title in 2007.
“I have longed to return to the MEAC as a head coach, and I’m extremely grateful to Delaware State for giving me the opportunity,” Hull said in the DSU announcement.
Hull is a former Holy Cross wide receiver who played in the Canadian Football League. The Vineland, New Jersey, native coached high school football for several years before joining the staff at his alma mater in 1998.
He coached wide receivers there and at Oregon State and Maryland before his two-year stint at Morgan State, where the Bears went 12-12. Hull joined the Indianapolis Colts staff for one season in 2016.
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Hull was out of coaching before returning in 2019 as offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach at Wagner. He moved to Howard in 2020 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Nine Howard offensive players were All-MEAC picks in 2022.
His hiring comes two days before the first of college football’s two National Letter of Intent signing days for recruits. The other is in February.
“The amazing growth and achievements of the university present an opportunity to take the football program to new levels of success,” Hull said in the DSU statement. “Given the school’s location in the heavily populated Mid-Atlantic region and growing status as a university, I’m excited to share its story in search of student-athletes who are champions in the classroom, the campus and community and on the field.”
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