The afternoon began with a jolt when Monmouth’s Jaden Shirden, the nation’s leading rusher, sped 69 yards for a touchdown on the game’s second snap.
It turned out to be a rather singular scare.
Delaware countered with a scoring sequence that became a 42-point first-half bombardment, setting the stage for a 49-17 victory over Monmouth in front of 16,385 sun-splashed spectators at Delaware Stadium.
GAME STATS: Delaware 49, Monmouth 17
It was another bitter welcome to Colonial Athletic Association football for the visiting Hawks, playing their first season in the league and putting up its worst defensive numbers.
The Blue Hens seized the opportunity. Quarterback Nolan Henderson completed 22 of 28 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns, tying the school record he already shares. Thyrick Pitts caught two of those.
Delaware also got the type of balance it has sometimes lacked, as rushing yards comprised 183 of Delaware’s 506 total. Kyron Cumby’s 50 yards on just four carries led the way.
After Shirden delivered that early punch, Delaware’s defense, the CAA’s stingiest on the stat sheet, rebounded against a Monmouth offense that arrived No. 1 in the CAA in yards (480.9) and points (39.9) per game.
Shirden, averaging an FCS-best 151.7 ground yards per game before Saturday, finished with 202 mostly harmless yards on 26 carries. After his big jaunt, the Hawks were limited to a first-quarter field goal and scored their only other touchdown with 3:43 left in the game.
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Preseason CAA Offensive Player of the Year Tony Muskett, the Monmouth quarterback, missed his second game with a knee injury. Freshman Enzo Arjona stepped in, and he was sacked six times and completed just 8 of 19 throws for 90 yards. Monmouth finished with 332 total yards
Delaware, ranked 18th nationally in FCS in the Stats Perform media poll, improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the CAA while rebounding from last week’s humbling 27-7 defeat at Elon.
Richmond (6-2, 4-1), which was hosting league leader New Hampshire later Saturday afternoon, visits Delaware Stadium for the regular-season home finale next week. That outcome will hold considerable weight when NCAA FCS playoff bids are doled out Nov. 20.
Monmouth, a 7-time champion in the Northeast Conference and Big South, fell to 4-6, 2-5. Before this year, the Hawks had enjoyed five straight winning seasons in which they made three FCS playoff appearances.
But they were no match for the Blue Hens, which was evident early.
Delaware’s 42 points before halftime were tied for third most in a half in school history, equaling the 42 the Hens scored in the first half of their only previous meeting with Monmouth, in 2007.
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First-half touchdowns came on Henderson’s passes of 13 yards to Pitts, 49 to Jourdan Townsend, 8 to Chandler Harvin and 18 to Pitts, who made the catch despite being interfered with. Henderson ran 2 yards and Cumby 34 for the other two first-half TDs.
The TD pass to Harvin on the last play of the first quarter followed Johnny Buchanan recovering a fumbled punt return at the Monmouth 8 as the Hens went up 21-10. Ben Dinklel had boomed a 56-yard kick aided by a slight tailwind that seemed to fool Monmouth returnman Dymere Miller.
Delaware continued its barrage as the second half began, needing just six plays to cover 75 yards. Henderson passed 23 yards Marcus Yarns for the TD as the Hens went ahead 49-10.
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