Dover, Del. (Mar. 25, 2012) - The Delaware State University football team will begin its annual spring drills this week. The camp will include 15 practice sessions at Alumni Stadium, culminating in the Red/White scrimmage on Apr. 14.
Delaware State second-year head coach Kermit Blount expects more than 60 players to participate in this year's camp. Blount was hired less than six weeks prior to the Hornets' 2011 spring drills.
"Last year's spring camp was a challenge because the staff wasn't as familiar with our personnel and we had to spend a great deal of time teaching new offensive and defensive systems," he said. "Now that we have a year under our belts, we can spend more time on player development and execution."
The Hornets expect to return eight offensive starters this season. Quarterback Nick Elko (r-sr.) returns after completing 207 of 362 passes (57.2%) for 2,064 yards in his first season as a starter in 2011. Elko threw for 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions; and was second in the MEAC in passing average (206.4 ypg) and sixth in total offense (193.5 ypg) last season.
The Hornets also return wide receiver Travis Tarpley (r-sr.), who was tops among all MEAC players in all-purpose yards at 144.2 per game in 2011. Tarpley set a DSU single-season record with 66 receptions last year. He was tops on the Hornets with 736 receiving yards and second on the team with 148 rushing yards last season.
Fellow receiver Justin Wilson (sr.) also returns after catching 54 passes for 563 yards and six touchdowns in eight games in 2011. Wilson, the 2011 MEAC Preseason Player-of- the-Year missed three games last season due to an ankle injury.
On defense, the Hornets must replace their two leading tacklers from last season, linebackers Quentin Ferguson and Brandon Harvey.
The top returning tacklers from 2011 are inside linebacker Ernest Adjei (sr.) and defensive back Joe Boyd (so.). Adjei had total 59 tackles, including 35 solo stops, while Boyd tallied 53 tackles (38 unassisted) last season.
Blount also expects returning defensive end Quinton Fortes (sr.) and linebacker Olusegun Ayanbiola (r-sr.) to play major roles on the defense this season.
"I'm extremely pleased with our players' response to our off-season conditioning program, and we're confident the commitment will carry into spring camp," said Blount.
