Rate the Season

[UDFootballFan]

How would you rate this season? A success or failure? Im torn because we looked good in some game and other games just completely lost.

Some of the games we looked lost in were Liberty, Wake, JSU. We barely got past UConn, and the Del State game was closer than the score indicates. If we played Del State this weekend, I could see is taking an L.


Two changes I want 1) A new DC that is aggressive and get the big boys upfront. I want the DT tackles to be hefty but mobile. 2) I want Ryan to get a true OC and give up playing calling.

[hensfan40yrs]

How would you rate this season? A success or failure? Im torn because we looked good in some game and other games just completely lost.

Some of the games we looked lost in were Liberty, Wake, JSU. We barely got past UConn, and the Del State game was closer than the score indicates. If we played Del State this weekend, I could see is taking an L.


Two changes I want 1) A new DC that is aggressive and get the big boys upfront. I want the DT tackles to be hefty but mobile. 2) I want Ryan to get a true OC and give up playing calling.

as I have said before, i want Kutztowns entire staff

[Gannonfan]

There's almost no way anyone can claim this season to be anything but a success. I was probably one of the more optimistic folks on this site pre-season when I predicted 6 wins, most people had us with 3 wins, 4 if things broke our way. So hitting 6 wins (with a win against UTEP) and technically becoming bowl eligible in our first real season in FBS should definitely be considered a success.

And saying that it's a success doesn't dismiss or diminish the very real challenges we have in front of us for year 2 and beyond: we need a more aggressive defense, we need bigger and badder bodies on both lines, we need offensive playcalling that isn't just chuck it downfield, and we need to be more consistent week to week over a 12 game season.

But, we also have to be realistic of what we saw this year: Minicucci, a second string QB, came in following an injury to the starter and looked world's better than he did anytime last year, we saw a WR corps just filled with a lot of depth and playmaking ability, we saw student attendance far, far outstrip the student attendance of at least the past 53 years (by my count, I wasn't alive for the before then), we saw two, exciting games (UConn and La Tech) in the Tub that were by far the most exciting games in Delaware Stadium in at least the past 15 years, and we got to see Delaware on TV every single week of the season, not on some crappy Flo Sports broadcast, but on real channels and UD got notoriety consistently on national recaps of the days action. Considering where we were a year ago, playing a crappy schedule in front of less and less people, and certainly no students, with no one even knowing we were playing, there's no doubt that this year has been a success.

I'm looking forward to year 2 and success that's greater than what we had this year. Let's win this conference next year, or at least scare people that we will. And legitimately get into a bowl game. That's year 2 success.

[Caldwell Chicken]

There's almost no way anyone can claim this season to be anything but a success. I was probably one of the more optimistic folks on this site pre-season when I predicted 6 wins, most people had us with 3 wins, 4 if things broke our way. So hitting 6 wins (with a win against UTEP) and technically becoming bowl eligible in our first real season in FBS should definitely be considered a success.

And saying that it's a success doesn't dismiss or diminish the very real challenges we have in front of us for year 2 and beyond: we need a more aggressive defense, we need bigger and badder bodies on both lines, we need offensive playcalling that isn't just chuck it downfield, and we need to be more consistent week to week over a 12 game season.

But, we also have to be realistic of what we saw this year: Minicucci, a second string QB, came in following an injury to the starter and looked world's better than he did anytime last year, we saw a WR corps just filled with a lot of depth and playmaking ability, we saw student attendance far, far outstrip the student attendance of at least the past 53 years (by my count, I wasn't alive for the before then), we saw two, exciting games (UConn and La Tech) in the Tub that were by far the most exciting games in Delaware Stadium in at least the past 15 years, and we got to see Delaware on TV every single week of the season, not on some crappy Flo Sports broadcast, but on real channels and UD got notoriety consistently on national recaps of the days action. Considering where we were a year ago, playing a crappy schedule in front of less and less people, and certainly no students, with no one even knowing we were playing, there's no doubt that this year has been a success.

I'm looking forward to year 2 and success that's greater than what we had this year. Let's win this conference next year, or at least scare people that we will. And legitimately get into a bowl game. That's year 2 success.

Very nice write-up. I agree.

[77HEN]

When you’re feeling sad and down in the dumps about the Hens - just take a look at the situation in “Happy Valley” and the total dumpster fire that is UMASS. Honestly, though, we need a higher bar. Let’s keep chasing JMU.

[Udforever1]

There's almost no way anyone can claim this season to be anything but a success. I was probably one of the more optimistic folks on this site pre-season when I predicted 6 wins, most people had us with 3 wins, 4 if things broke our way. So hitting 6 wins (with a win against UTEP) and technically becoming bowl eligible in our first real season in FBS should definitely be considered a success.

And saying that it's a success doesn't dismiss or diminish the very real challenges we have in front of us for year 2 and beyond: we need a more aggressive defense, we need bigger and badder bodies on both lines, we need offensive playcalling that isn't just chuck it downfield, and we need to be more consistent week to week over a 12 game season.

But, we also have to be realistic of what we saw this year: Minicucci, a second string QB, came in following an injury to the starter and looked world's better than he did anytime last year, we saw a WR corps just filled with a lot of depth and playmaking ability, we saw student attendance far, far outstrip the student attendance of at least the past 53 years (by my count, I wasn't alive for the before then), we saw two, exciting games (UConn and La Tech) in the Tub that were by far the most exciting games in Delaware Stadium in at least the past 15 years, and we got to see Delaware on TV every single week of the season, not on some crappy Flo Sports broadcast, but on real channels and UD got notoriety consistently on national recaps of the days action. Considering where we were a year ago, playing a crappy schedule in front of less and less people, and certainly no students, with no one even knowing we were playing, there's no doubt that this year has been a success.

I'm looking forward to year 2 and success that's greater than what we had this year. Let's win this conference next year, or at least scare people that we will. And legitimately get into a bowl game. That's year 2 success.

Well said, Gannon. If you told me we’d have a chance at 6-6 before the year I’d have been ecstatic, but yes, there are certainly more layers to just success and failure.

Also, “barely” getting by Uconn is no small feat, considering they went 9-3 with all 3 losses in OT. I just wish our offense was still humming like that game.

[FanSinceHighSchool]

Better than what I expected for the Hens' first year in FBS. I am just glad that I didn't pay
ESPN (and the Disney empire) for a subscription.

[Cluck U]

I know this is Thanksgiving week...and in most seasons we'd be sitting home or looking at a post-season game in front of, maybe, 8,000 fans, but we do have a regular season conference game this Saturday.

Hard to rate a full season with that last game still to be played.

However, so far, GF sums it up well. But, let's go 6-6 instead of 5-7.

[pikecreekbill]

If we finish 6-6 for the year you have to consider it a success being the first year in FBS. My concern is I just haven't seen much progress if any from the beginning of the season to the end and this has been a regular occurrence for several years now. On the flip side I'm impressed how successful JMU has been especially considering they lost a coach who took many of his players with him to Indiana.
Question, is Mike Adams a potential candidate for Defensive Coordinator?

[Hens79]

I’ll wait until later Saturday afternoon. 6-6 and finishing on a win with all the things GF mentioned, even with multiple embarrassing games would be a success. But 5-7 ending in a three game losing streak with one a blowout and two to 2 win teams would be hard for me to call a success. It would be more of a neutral. Winning matters.

[Gannonfan]

I’ll wait until later Saturday afternoon. 6-6 and finishing on a win with all the things GF mentioned, even with multiple embarrassing games would be a success. But 5-7 ending in a three game losing streak with one a blowout and two to 2 win teams would be hard for me to call a success. It would be more of a neutral. Winning matters.

I would agree, I'm counting on a win this Saturday. I'd change my tone and answer if we don't win.

[Ramblinrec74]

Would have to rate the season as a victory! Initially thought they would win 3 - 4 games only, looking at the schedule. With that said, there is definitely some things that this season brought to a head! Overall our skill positions can match up with most in the conference. The problem lies up front on offense and defense! Offensively, we are still getting manhandled up front. Our inability to run the ball consistently, especially between the tackles. Jacksonville State , Liberty, and Wake just manhandled us up front and we could not match their intensity! Defensively, if we are going to continue to, play a 3 man front most of the time, we need to go out and get some very special athletes, who have the speed, strength, and motor to play these 3 down positions. We also need a LB who could slip down and put his hand in the dirt when we need a four man front as a DE. It would be nice to even see on run downs to drop someone down in 5 man front, similiar to What Fangio does with the Eagles. If we could vary things more, hide the schemes better, I'm OK with base 3 man front, but it must be adaptable to the down & distance!

[HensRock]

I really think we need to wait until this last game to answer this question.
UTEP might be near the bottom of CUSA, but we need to remember - that does not make them a NC A&T or a Bryant. Just like SHSU, this is no gimme'.

I think the overall quality of the football program is about where I expected it to be, even though our W-L record is a LOT better than I thought it would be. That might be due to the overall quality of our competition to be lower than I expected. So does that make this season a "success" for the Hens? I'm leaning toward 'yes', but my bar was pretty low to begin with. Not bad for a first year in FBS, but not that great either.

Maybe a better question:
How many think we would beat Nova this year?

[GhostOfThePeeWall]

similiar to What Fangio does with the Eagles.

The second half of yesterday's game was almost indistinguishable from the Wake game!

[VIKING '87]

5 wins for the season is ok. It exceeded my initial expectation. However the wild fluctuations in performance, the "questionable" play calling and the seeming downward spiral of play has been far more concerning.