Ryan Carty said on the first day of Delaware football practice July 31 that “it’ll take two, three, maybe even four weeks” to determine a starting quarterback.
Apparently it will take a fifth.
Carty, the second-year Delaware football coach, said Thursday that it has not been determined yet if Ryan O’Connor or Zach Marker will start in the 2023 football opener at CAA rival Stony Brook next Thursday.
The Blue Hens and Seawolves kick off at 7 p.m. at LaValle Stadium on Long Island.
“Both of them have done things that would warrant being the starting quarterback,” Carty said.
He added that no matter who eventually emerges as the starter, “you’ll see a little bit of both of them at some point during the game.”
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Delaware closed preseason camp Wednesday night with a session in Delaware Stadium. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound O’Connor has been regularly taking first-team snaps in the limited portions of two practices per week open to the media.
His ability to be “really accurate” throwing the football, as Carty said the first day of practice, was apparent. Carty, the former UD quarterback, had also praised O’Connor’s smarts, knowledge of and ability to execute the offense and composure.
A third-year sophomore, O’Connor played most of Delaware’s FCS tournament loss at South Dakota State last year after starter Nolan Henderson was hurt. He completed 10 of 21 passes for 104 yards, had 13 yards on 11 runs and was sacked three times before his concussion forced a premature end to the game.
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In mop-up duty during three lopsided wins before that, O’Connor completed 5 of 6 passes for 66 yards and with a touchdown. O’Connor threw for 5,563 career yards and 65 touchdowns at Easton (Maryland) High.
Marker passed for 1,342 yards and ran for 411, which ranked second at Iowa Central, last year. He was third in NJCAA Division I with 23 TD passes, No. 2 in pass efficiency (161.8) and eighth in completion percentage (61.8).
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Carty had said at the start of camp that Marker’s athleticism and play-making ability enhanced his opportunities.
“Ryan’s advantage would be that he has been in the offense a little longer,” Carty said.
“But Zach’s played a little bit more college football, too. So I think both of them give us a chance to go out there and be successful as an offense.”
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Hen scratch
Center Brock Gingrich, linebacker Dillon Trainer and defensive linemen Ethan Saunders and Chase McGowan were named team captains Thursday . . . Highly regarded former Harvard standout Khali Dawsey is practicing and seeing time at cornerback for Delaware now that his graduate transfer is finalized . . . Wide receiver Chandler Harvin and defensive linemen McGowan and Jack Hall, who’ve been sidelined during preseason camp, are expected to play at Stony Brook . . . Freshman safety K.T. Seay has seen first-team duty in preseason. Seay, who finished high school early and was here in the spring, “has a nose for the ball and can tackle in open space,” safeties coach Art Link said. “When we’ve done scrimmages and it’s time to go tackle someone and get into some high-intensity situations, his eyes get big, he gets excited.” . . . Other freshmen pushing for playing time include linebacker Gavin Moul and defensive backs Hasson Manning and Anthony Crenshaw . . . The Blue Hen Touchdown Club‘s first weekly luncheon is Tuesday at the Carpenter Center with athletic director Chrissi Rawak speaking. Doors open at 11 a.m. for the noon program.
Have an idea for a compelling local sports story or is there an issue that needs public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com.
