Once Delaware joins Conference USA in 2025, this sort of game will become scarce for the Blue Hens: a matchup with a program in a neighboring state, one that could be a rivalry if given enough time.
Though Monmouth and Delaware have only this Saturday’s 1:00 PM kickoff remaining in their short-lived FCS series, the Hawks and the Hens might pack the points while going out with a bang.
Monmouth has successfully persisted through one of CAA Football’s most challenging nonconference schedules, beginning the year by crossing the country in a 42-27 loss at Eastern Washington. MU followed up that excursion with a 40-35 home heartbreaker to Lafayette, a 2023 FCS playoff team that took Delaware to the edge.
Getting back in the air, the Hawks opened their CAA slate by hanging 51 points in a win at Maine, which is naturally one of the most remote road stops in the FCS along with EWU.
Monmouth then migrated from north to south to snag its signature win over FBS FlU, 45-42 – all before returning to New Jersey to run over Fordham in a 63-21 final.
Delaware head coach Ryan Carty sees the Hawks as forged by that fire in the early going.
“Shoot, they start out [by] jet-lagging themselves and playing against a team that’s perennially good,” Carty said about Monmouth opening the season in Cheyney before splitting close games elsewhere OOC. “…They’re not that team that’s been blowing people out every game and then can’t play in a close game. They’ve played in those. Hopefully, we’re able to stack up against that.”
How the Monmouth and Delaware offenses stack up is a major draw in this one. The Hawks lead the FCS in scoring offense (44.2 PPG), total offense (524.2 YPG), and passing offense (334 YPG). Monmouth QB Derek Robertson, a senior Maine transfer who is a younger brother of MU quarterbacks coach Jimmy Robertson, tops the nation in passing touchdowns with 14 and is first in passing yards per game at 335.2.
Monmouth – which has a tradition of strong running backs tracing to Pete Guerriero and Jaden Shirden – is also balanced offensively with its current tandem of tailbacks, Rodney Nelson and Sone Ntoh. Nelson ranks sixth in the CAA with 75 rushing yards per game to go with Ntoh’s 57 RYPG, good for 12th in the conference.
Ntoh is the scoring threat of the two, pacing the CAA with 12 touchdowns on the ground as the lone CAA rusher to hit double digits in the category through September.
Nelson takes his chunks as well, entering Saturday third in the league at 7.1 yards per carry.
Fittingly for symbolism of the offensive matchup, Delaware’s Saeed St. Fleur is just ahead of Nelson at 7.2 yards per attempt.
The Blue Hens are also averaging greater than 40 points per contest (42). The Hens’ hot start has come despite a wave of offensive line injuries that are now turning the corner, including at center. It’s a start that additionally came in the face of losing star RB Marcus Yarns in a win at North Carolina A&T. Yarns’ injury caused him to miss Delaware’s wins over Penn and Sacred Heart.
While UD does not have the strength of schedule boasted by Monmouth (Massey has the Blue Hens 52 slots behind MU in SoS), Hawks head coach Kevin Callahan knows well that Delaware can move it with a variety of personnel.
“They play a lot of people,” Callahan said of the Delaware offense. “They play three different quarterbacks, all who have been able to move the ball… They’ve played 10 or more receivers, all who have caught the ball and had big plays. They use five different running backs and their offensive line is the biggest that we’ve played so far, so they have the ability to run the ball and be dominant on the line of scrimmage.”
Delaware’s variety of QB play is by necessity at the moment, though it plays into a strength in depth dating back to a year ago. Ryan O’Connor is the starter this season for UD and his 294 passing yards per game are fifth in the FCS. O’Connor had to miss the Sacred Heart game on Saturday with what was characterized as an upper-body injury. Backup Nick Minicucci suffered his own upper-body injury early in the SHU game, leading Zach Marker, Delaware’s 2023 QB1B, to be thrust into a return from last season’s year-ending knee injury.
Marker could be the guy for Delaware at Monmouth, as he is not a typical so-called “third quarterback.” Rather, he made starts in 2023 at Hampton and at Towson and appeared for the Hens against Villanova prior to suffering the knee injury.
While Delaware’s banged-up theme on offense extends to WR JoJo Bermudez’ absence in recent games, fellow wideout Phil Lutz has come on solidly in his expanded role for ’24. Lutz’ 80.8 receiving yards per game are inside the top 30 nationally while his 24.85 yards per catch are No. 3 in the subdivision.
In short, Delaware and Monmouth will pit strength-on-strength on Saturday. Delaware is on its way to the FBS and has looked steady as it goes on defense, but it has not seen an offense like Monmouth’s in 2024. At least, not outside practice.
The Hawks, therefore, would love to make it a CUSA combo hit this season after knocking off FIU.
