With Delaware spring football game looming, see which offensive position area looks best
With University of Delaware spring football drills heading into their final week, the offensive line has emerged as a possible strength for the Blue Hens in 2024.
“They’re the heartbeat of our team,” Delaware quarterback Ryan O’Connor said Thursday.
The annual Blue-White intrasquad game is less than a week away at 7 p.m. on April 19 at Delaware Stadium, giving fans a glimpse.
Coach Ryan Carty addressed his offense’s development and these were the highlights:
On the front
Delaware returns its entire starting offensive line from last year of center Brock Gingrich, guards Bradley Anyanwu and Patrick Shupp and tackles Fintan Brose and Blaise Sparks.
In addition, most of the second unit returns, led by promising freshmen Anwar O’Neal, the Middletown grad, and Anthony Caccese, plus Steven Demboski and Cole Snyder.
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That’s the perfect foundation upon which to construct a strong season.
“As far as the whole group is concerned,” Carty said, “it’s probably one of the strengths right now of who we are.’’
Sparks and Anyanwu, the Dover grad, have been limited in spring as they’re coming off injuries but should be fine when preseason camp commences.
“It’s been one of our deeper, healthier positions, one of the ones that has more people in it,” Carty said. “Spring ball sometimes you have the tough job of trying to replace guys because of the numbers that may have graduated or left the program. You know reinforcements are coming once fall comes around.
“But that’s one of those positions that we didn’t lose a ton to graduation as far as numbers and we did have some in the freshman class working their way in and they’re all doing a really nice job.”
Quarterback room grows
Delaware returns 2024 starting quarterback O’Connor plus Nick Minicucci, who stepped in to start the FCS playoff win over Lafayette, and fellow freshman Daniel Lipovski.
Damarcus Creecy, who recently came from the U.S. Military Academy Prep school, adds depth and potential. He’s a 6-foot-2, 176-pound dual-threat quarterback who starred at Daytona Beach’s Mainland High in Florida.
“We had recruited him out of high school,” said Carty, who wouldn’t say if Creecy was on scholarship.
Carty also said that Zach Marker, who stepped in to start two games last fall when O’Connor got hurt, should be ready to play when the season starts, despite suffering a knee injury that required surgery in the Villanova game.
“He’s on track to be ready to go we’re hoping beginning of August,” Carty said.
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That gives the Blue Hens great depth at the position, led by O’Connor, who hopes to build off his first season as a starter by thinking and reacting more efficiently.
"I think the biggest one for me is probably just keep getting better at processing information before the snap," O'Connor said, "and quickly post-snap – that first tick after I snap the ball – so I can get to my spot quicker so we get the best possible play for the offense."
Rebuilding at receiver
“We probably lost the most production out of that room,” said Carty, who must replace his four busiest pass catchers in wideouts Jourdan Townsend, Joshua Youngblood and Chandler Harvin and tight end Braden Brose.
Jojo Bermudez, now wearing jersey No. 1 instead of No. 2 after Kyron Cumby’s departure, heads the group along with Phil Lutz. Rutgers transfer Max Patterson brings great potential.
“We want to do some adding there as well,” Carty said of future possible transfer arrivals.
Among spring standouts, Carty suggested, has been Jalyn Witcher, who transferred to Delaware after a prolific 2021 at Presbyterian but has seen limited duty the last two seasons.
“Jalyn’s one of those kids, coach’s son, who just came in here, put his head down and worked,” Carty said, “and he’s continuing to be great at that. Now it’s starting to pay some dividends. You can see the production get better because his skills have gotten honed.”
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Tight end topics
Brose will be tough to replace at tight end, but Delaware certainly has candidates, led by Dover graduate Elijah Sessoms, who caught five passes last year. New Mexico transfer Connor Witthoft has shown his potential.
A recent addition to the tight end crew is Alton Dennis, who was state Defensive Player of the Year on Sussex Central’s 2020 DIAA champions and recently came over after playing different positions on defense.
“He’s moved thrice now so it’s been hard for him,” Carty said. “But he has picked it up very well and he’s out there giving us reps and getting better each day.”
Recruiting done earlier
One immediate sign of Delaware’s forthcoming move to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 2025 as a member of Conference USA has been a sped-up recruiting game.
Delaware has already made a slew of scholarship offers to Class of 2025 players, according to social media, and actually already has a verbal commitment.
It’s from Jared Porter, who has rushed for 3,106 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns over three seasons at Central Dauphin East in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound junior reportedly chose the Blue Hens over Temple and future CUSA rival Liberty.
“It does happen a little bit earlier,” Carty said, adding recruiting is a constantly evolving process affected by the popularity of the transfer portal and changing rules and timetables.
“We’re just trying to not rush,” Carty added, “and make sure the things that stay true to us in recruiting stay true to us.”
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Coach Ryan Carty sizes up Delaware Blue Hens football offense
