West Chester @ Delaware Game Thread

[93henfan]

By far, this game is one where we've been snakebit with significant injuries to key players over the years.

Cost us a year of Josh Baker, which the NCAA refused to give back.

[GannonFan]

The live stream from UD is excellent and nicely synced up with the radio broadcast. It is entirely free.

I believe that 1996 game where WCUPA put up their best fight since '92 was one where we lost Eddie Conti and/or Brian Ginn to injury. Might have something to do with it. By far, this game is one where we've been snakebit with significant injuries to key players over the years.

Conti got hurt in the '97 game - had to go with just Batts for the rest of that year. Oddly enough, Kowalski (sp?), a DB, also blew out his knee in the same game and him and Conti were roomates at the time.

[00bluehen]

I even know the West Chester fight song by heart - actually it's one of the better fight songs in college football IMO

Aside from the weak Olympic intro theme that they play to go into it, I also enjoy it about as much as any other fight song we hear. I found myself whistling it on Friday of last week. I think it was committed to memory in that 1994 game where the bands were playing dueling fight songs...

[93henfan]

Band is one area where West Chester routinely kicks our asses.

Our band seems to get bigger every year, but doesn't sound any better. The only redeeming quality is that our comical tuba section is now up to what, like 20 tubas?

Btw, 89, you need to get your avatar back to normal. It's football season.

[Ivytalk]

I'm thinking 34-14 UD this year. Can't wait until 2013!

[GannonFan]

Band is one area where West Chester routinely kicks our asses.

Our band seems to get bigger every year, but doesn't sound any better. The only redeeming quality is that our comical tuba section is now up to what, like 20 tubas?

Btw, 89, you need to get your avatar back to normal. It's football season.

That used to be the case, but, as with the football rivalry on the field, the bands have gone in different directions as well. West Chester used to have an incredible band, but they've lost the sound over the years. They used to require music majors to also be in the marching band, but they backed off of that requirement a few years ago and it became noticeable.

As for the UD band, I just disagree - they've improved by leaps and bounds over the years. Granted, they're not the UMass band, but UMass has the best band in the CAA by a mile. Under Sarver, the UD band is actually quite enjoyable.

[GannonFan]

I even know the West Chester fight song by heart - actually it's one of the better fight songs in college football IMO

Aside from the weak Olympic intro theme that they play to go into it, I also enjoy it about as much as any other fight song we hear. I found myself whistling it on Friday of last week. I think it was committed to memory in that 1994 game where the bands were playing dueling fight songs...

Back when they had a better sound, they really played the Olympic into very well. With all those horns it was quite impressive. But, like the football team, they've trailed away into mediocrity of late.

[93henfan]

As for the UD band, I just disagree

Well then you just go right ahead and disgree, Mister!

Really, I'm not going to go on and on analyzing the bands. I just know that I played drums back in the day and followed DCI pretty intently in the late 80s, so I know good bands. Our band (while better than many college bands) is not very good and I'll leave it at that.

And I agree with you about WCU going downhill. They still sound pretty tight for a small band though. I'd contrast them with DelState, who simply blast their instruments. DelState is small and loud and very energetic but sounds like shit all the same.

[GannonFan]

As for the UD band, I just disagree

Well then you just go right ahead and disgree, Mister!

Really, I'm not going to go on and on analyzing the bands. I just know that I played drums back in the day and followed DCI pretty intently in the late 80s, so I know good bands. Our band (while better than many college bands) is not very good and I'll leave it at that.

And I agree with you about WCU going downhill. They still sound pretty tight for a small band though. I'd contrast them with DelState, who simply blast their instruments. DelState is small and loud and very energetic but sounds like **** all the same.

Heh - DCI? so you're like a band geek??

As for WCU, sure they are on the downhill path, but they would need to descend the equivalent of Mt. Everest to sink to the leve of DSU's band - like you said, they were energetic, but they flat out sucked.

[89Hen]

84-0 in 2000 ?!?

Didn't we actually drop a couple spots in the polls following that game?

Yup.

[henfan]

The UD-WCUPA was once a legit rivalry back in the Hens' D-II and Small College Division days and even for a dozen years after. In '88 the UD began offering athletic scholarships for FB and the PSAC subsequently began enforcing mandatory scholarship reductions on its members. Both actions led to a very large gulf in talent between UD and WCUPA. If not for the former UD CEO, who was himself a Golden Ram alum, and his fondness for offering unprecidented guarantees to this lower division opponent, this series might/should have been cancelled by the mid-1990's. The remaining dates on the series are the result of an extension on top of a 10-year agreement that was signed shortly before the prior CEO bolted UD. No disrespect to WCUPA, who is a very respectable D-II program, but most UD fans I know can't wait for this waste of a schedule date to end.

If the Hens don't completely dominate this game on both sides of the ball, they'll have a LOT to clean up before facing a stout opponent like SDSU.

[89Hen]

WCUPA, who is a very respectable D-II program

A lot of people don't realize that. If you weren't a DII fan or from PA or DE, you probably have never heard of WCUPA. They've made the DII playoffs 5 of the last 6 years. Most years they are better than DelSt.

[GannonFan]

WCUPA, who is a very respectable D-II program

A lot of people don't realize that. If you weren't a DII fan or from PA or DE, you probably have never heard of WCUPA. They've made the DII playoffs 5 of the last 6 years. Most years they are better than DelSt.

And that's the little beauty in the upcoming DSU series - they aren't better than West Chester, so we actually make the schedule a little easier, and we get to call it a DI game to boot. Certainly a win/win, assuming we never have to play in Dover.

[89Hen]

And that's the little beauty in the upcoming DSU series - they aren't better than West Chester, so we actually make the schedule a little easier, and we get to call it a DI game to boot. Certainly a win/win, assuming we never have to play in Dover.

[henfan]

And that's the little beauty in the upcoming DSU series - they aren't better than West Chester, so we actually make the schedule a little easier, and we get to call it a DI game to boot. Certainly a win/win, assuming we never have to play in Dover.

I'd agree with that.

WCUPA does a lot with their 20 equivalancies. They aren't even the best-funded FB program in the PSAC.

[UD1Hens]

Delaware just scored again...

[billsheets]

I forsee a delaware victory by 48-13. Devlin throws 4 td passes before retiring for the evening.

[jd of de]

Crap; I thought 2011 was the last game for this series. So we have Del State & West Chester in 2012?

[GannonFan]

And that's the little beauty in the upcoming DSU series - they aren't better than West Chester, so we actually make the schedule a little easier, and we get to call it a DI game to boot. Certainly a win/win, assuming we never have to play in Dover.

I'd agree with that.

WCUPA does a lot with their 20 equivalancies. They aren't even the best-funded FB program in the PSAC.

Daniels was really bad for that program though. Granted, he was what they could get at the time when Hale balked at the reduced emphasis on football and bolted for Bloomsburg, but he oversaw West Chester's slide over the years. Zwaan has stopped that slide, but the gap between the top level of FCS (where UD and the CAA reside) and the PSAC is just too great to overcome. You're right, schools like Cal (PA) are very good and well funded enough (plus they get a load of transfers), but West Chester does hang with them.

[AppStateAlumQC]

I know this is off topic but I know some Hen fans here could give me some insight on this. I was watching the 07 NC last night and other than the Edwards-Flacco matchup, the most anticipated showdown was between App's Kevin Richardson and UD's Omar Cuff. I know his stats were really solid, but where do most Hen fans rank Cuff in terms of the programs best runners/players?

[89Hen]

I know his stats were really solid, but where do most Hen fans rank Cuff in terms of the programs best runners/players?

Top 2 (RB) with the other being Daryl Brown from the early 90's.

Omar owns most of the rushing records at UD...

RUSHING ATTEMPTS (Game)
48, Omar Cuff vs. Richmond, 2007

RUSHING YARDS (Game)
288, Omar Cuff vs. Delaware State, 2007
272, Daryl Brown vs. Northeastern, 1994
244, Omar Cuff vs. William & Mary, 2007
236, Omar Cuff vs. James Madison, 2005

RUSHING YARDS (Career)
4,587, Daryl Brown, 1991-94
4,364, Omar Cuff, 2004-07

YARDS PER GAME (Season)
143.0, Tony Toto, 1957
129.7, Omar Cuff, 2007
120.7, Gardy Kahoe, 1971
118.3, Daryl Brown, 1994
113.0, Daryl Brown, 1993

YARDS PER GAME (Career)
106.4, Omar Cuff, 2004-07
95.7, Chuck Hall, 1968-70
93.5, Daryl Brown, 1991-94

RUSHING YARDS (Consecutive Games)
390, Omar Cuff vs. Delaware St.-Northern Iowa, 2007
363, Omar Cuff vs. Villanova-Delaware State, 2007
352, Tony Toto vs. Temple-Bucknell, 1957
350, Daryl Brown vs. Northeastern-Lehigh, 1994
348, Daryl Brown vs. UMass-Northeastern, 1994
341, Omar Cuff vs. Northeastern-Navy, 2007

RUSHING ATTEMPTS (Season)
398, Omar Cuff, 2007
323, Germaine Bennett, 2003
249, Omar Cuff, 2005

RUSHING ATTEMPTS (Career)
925, Omar Cuff, 2004-07
784, Daryl Brown, 1991-94

100-YARD GAMES (Season)
9, Omar Cuff, 2007
8, Gardy Kahoe, 1971
8, Nate Beasley, 1974
7, Omar Cuff, 2005
7, Daryl Brown, 1994
7, Daryl Brown, 1993

100-YARD GAMES (Career)
22, Daryl Brown, 1991-94
19, Omar Cuff, 2004-07

TOUCHDOWNS RUSHING (Career)
65, Omar Cuff, 2004-07 (CAA Record)
47, Daryl Brown, 1991-94

CONSECUTIVE 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES
6, Gardy Kahoe, 1971
6, Omar Cuff, 2004-05

TOUCHDOWNS RUSHING (Game)
6, Omar Cuff vs. William & Mary, 2007
4, Omar Cuff vs. Delaware State, 2007
4, Daryl Brown vs. Northeastern, 1994
4, Pat Williams vs. Lehigh, 1993
4, Bill Vergantino vs. Boston University, 1992 (QB)
4, Bill Vergantino vs. Villanova, 1991 (QB)
4, Vern Roberts vs. UNLV, 1974
4, Gardy Kahoe vs. Lehigh, 1971
4, Gardy Kahoe vs. Bucknell, 1971
4, Mariano Stalloni vs. Bradley, 1949
4, Niquan Lee vs. Maine, 2004
4, Omar Cuff vs. Villanova, 2004
4, Omar Cuff vs. James Madison, 2005
4, Omar Cuff vs. New Hampshire, 2006
4, Omar Cuff vs. West Chester, 2007

TOUCHDOWNS RUSHING (Season)
35, Omar Cuff, 2007 (NCAA Record)

[89Hen]

BTW, who is going to the game Thursday? I'm still undecided as it's a school night and I have 100 mile drive home.

[GannonFan]

I'm going - leaving work early to pick up the kids, leaving my house around 3 to head down to my parent's house, pick them up and drive down with my sister and her kids, should be in the parking lot by 5PM. My wife is coming separate since she's back in school (teacher) and can't get out as early. My drive to Newark is a little over an hour, so not as bad as yours, but not great either. And I'm still going to work on Friday so it'll be a heckuva day.

[ChickenMan]

BTW, who is going to the game Thursday? I'm still undecided as it's a school night and I have 100 mile drive home.

Do you really want to drive 100 miles on a week night to see West Chester??? I only have to go about 5 miles and I'm having a hard time getting enthused for that trip...

[jd of de]

Pre-prepped sandwich tailgate and will likely leave before start of the 4th quarter. End of this game always (in my 5 seasons here) sloppy anyway.