Delaware vs. Delaware State: Week 1 Snap Counts and Key Takeaways

On Thursday, Delaware overcame a slow start to defeat Delaware State 35-17. Starting this season, we will be releasing a weekly article tracking the snap counts on both sides of the ball, while providing a few main takeaways after watching the full game a second time through. Here is how the offense shook out in the season opener.

Offense

Snap Counts

Anwar O’neal: 75
Patrick Shupp: 75
Fintan Brose: 75
Anthony Caccese: 75
Noah Rosahac: 75
Nick Minicucci: 64
Elijah Sessoms: 55
Jo Silver: 48
Jake Thaw: 46
Sean Wilson: 45
Kyre Duplessis: 44
Brandon Rehmann: 26
Connor Witthoft: 26
Ja’Carree Kelly: 23
Nick Laboy: 22
Viron Ellison Jr.: 21
Max Patterson: 13
Zach Marker: 11
Saeed St. Fleur: 4
Greg Spiller: 2

Key Takeaways

• My first thought immediately is to recognize Zach Marker. Since arriving to Newark in 2023, Zach has given everything he has into the program. He worked hard to recover from a knee injury in his first season, and then redshirted in 2024 so that he could lead the program in their first year of FBS football. On the first play of the second drive, Marker scrambled for a first down, but could not get up on his own power. I will continue to think about Zach as he begins the injury assessment and early recovery stages.

• Nick Minicucci has been ready for every moment when called upon. In relief, the junior quarterback finished 28-36 with 251 passing yards and 4 total touchdowns, including an 8-yard designed quarterback draw to score the first touchdown of the 2025 season. Minicucci was PFF’s (Pro Football Focus) highest-rated Blue Hen of the night, receiving a score of 88.3. He will now have a full week to prepare with the first team offense before next Saturday’s trip to Colorado.

• Kyre Duplessis’s 29-yard one-handed catch on a fade route was the spark needed for the offense the rest of the way. The Coastal Carolina transfer was an immediate favorite of Minicucci’s, posting single-game career highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (89) in his first game in Blue and Gold. Duplessis was on the receiving end of the season’s first passing touchdown, being rewarded for his quick win on a slant route.

• The offense averaged over 5 yards a carry and finished with 137 total rushing yards, but the running back room only had 14 carries on the night. The offense was finding a lot of success in the air, and sometimes the game clock can effect the pass/run splits situationally, but this will be something to track in the weeks ahead.

• Delaware was extremely efficient on 3rd (8-13, 62%) and 4th downs (2-2, 100%), leading to multiple lengthy drives for the offense. Even forced with an average distance of 7 yards on third downs, they converted on 7 of their final 9 conversion attempts. After two punts and a fumble inside the five, Delaware’s offense scored touchdowns on four of their final five drives. Once they got in the groove, the Hens looked comfortable on every down-and-distance.

Defense

Snap Counts

Gavin Moul: 69
KT Seay: 63
Kshawn Cox Jr.: 52
Dillon Trainer: 51
Jason Scott: 47
Nate Evans: 43
Anthony Crenshaw Jr.: 42
Nyair Domnie: 39
Hasson Manning Jr.: 37
Noah Matthews: 34
Keyshawn Hunter: 32
Mysonne Pollard: 31
Jack Hall: 30
Blake Matthews: 25
Kahlil Ali: 23
Ethan Saunders: 23
Q’yaeir Price: 22
Dominick Brogna: 21
Trace Scott III: 18
Nick Karika: 18
James Yelbert Jr.: 17
Marje Mulumba: 14
Jamarion Kolagbodi: 9

Key Takeaways

• The defensive line used a variety of combinations on Thursday night. Keyshawn Hunter started at nose guard with Dominick Brogna and Nick Karika filtering in. Noah Matthews, Ethan Saunders, and Q’yaeir Price rotated at defensive end, with Jack Hall, Trace Scott III, and James Yelbert Jr. shifting along the interior. Headlining the linebacker group, Gavin Moul was the only Hen to play in all 69 defensive snaps. Dillon Trainer led the way at the other spot with Marje Mulumba subbing in relief. Blake Matthews started in the “bandit” role, but Anthony Crenshaw Jr. finished the night there. Kshawn Cox Jr. and Nate Evans started out wide in the secondary, with Nyair Domnie stepping in and true freshman Jamarion Kolagbodi seeing the field in closing. Jason Scott and KT Seay led the way at the “jack” and “rover” safety positions, having Boston College transfer Kahlil Ali shift in the back end. Mysonne Pollard, who had his first start for Delaware, split time with Hasson Manning Jr. as the field-side safety.

• The pass defense held their own outside of a 39-yard leak to running back Marquis Gillis, but Delaware State finished the day with 200 total rushing yards. The Hornets had 4 carries go for 20+ yards, including individual runs stretching for 31 and 45 yards. As a team, tackling (50.8) and run defense (57.5) were the two lowest scores on the night via PFF. The group will have to clean this up with a much stronger opponent ahead in Colorado.

• Delaware forced two turnovers to stall promising Delaware State drives, with safeties Seay and Ali being on the other end of them. After receiving lots of preseason attention, junior KT Seay picked up right where he left off as the 2024 team interception leader with 4. The Hornets were showing signs of being comfortable after scoring on its first second half possession and then breaking for a 45-yard run two plays into their next drive, but Seay got the first eye on a jump ball thrown by Kaiden Bennett in the red zone. In his first appearance as a Blue Hen, Ali had the defense’s momentum-shifting play as his interception was returned 45 yards to the house to extend Delaware’s lead to 3 possessions. Ali capped off on a successful six-man blitz that forced backup Jayden Sauray to throw into a dangerous area.

• In addition to Ali, Noah Matthews made an impact in his first Blue Hen appearance. The Kentucky transfer and Bridgeville, Delaware native earned the start in the trenches, forcing two quarterback hurries and landing one QB hit. PFF gave Matthews the second-highest grade on the defense with a 77.8 score.

• The staff utilizes a “havoc play” metric to evaluate the defense’s ability to alter offensive production. An interception effects the “havoc rating” the most, while outcomes like a forced fumble, sack, tackle for loss, or pass breakup also positively shift the score. The defense finished with 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups, 3 quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble on the night. The Hens were in control on defense, but several big plays created from poor tackling allowed Delaware State to convert on a few drives.

Inside the stadium, my biggest takeaway was that the forecast did not match the ending weather in this one, resulting in an almost-sold out stadium taking a hit in the second half. Overall though, it felt great to be back in Delaware Stadium and seeing the new Conference USA paint on Tubby Raymond Field.

On a Feathers and Field Goals front, we will be releasing our Week 2 Show on Thursday morning, September 4th before the Hens fly out west to take on Head Coach Deion Sanders and Colorado Saturday afternoon on FOX.

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