Blue Hens hit practice field ready for 2010 season

Delaware plays in one of the toughest conferences in the region: The Colonial Athletic Conference.

The University of Delaware Blue Hens took to the practice field for the first time Friday as they get ready for the 2010 football season in the Colonial Atheletic Association.

The Blue Hens are picked to finish 5th in the 10-team conference behind last year’s league and national champion Villanova.  Coach K.C. Keeler will run two-hour daily drills for the next couple of weeks.  Today’s workout was done in shorts and helmets.  On Saturday August 14th, there will be a full pad scrimmage as the team gets ready for the September 2nd season opener versus West Chester.

Keeler says his philospophy for this year is to play “1-0 football”.  He says the team can’t be thinking about bowl games they have to play one game at a time.  Defensive back Tyrone Grant isn’t talking about bowl games either, but he was on the 2007 team with Joe Flacco.  He says the 17 returning seniors know what it is like to play at a championship level.  Quarterback Pat Devlin returns for his second year as quarterback.  He says he has matured with a year under his belt as the team leader.  He says the key to the season is simple, “we have to finish.  We can’t settle for punts and field goals.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo7oaaFq-mQ[/youtube]

First will report on the upcoming University of Delaware football season on August 27th.  Our scout this year is a familiar face for First viewers.  Dave Baylor who is also a part of state of play is an assistant coach on the team.