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KINGSTON, RI -- The University of Delaware used a swarming defensive
attack to hold the Rhode Island offense to just 92 yards in total
offense en route to a 29-7 win in Atlantic 10 football action in front
of a crowd of 3,036 at Meade Stadium.
The Blue Hens won their sixth straight opener and 11th in the last 12
years. The 92 yards was the lowest total by a Delaware opponent in 18
years. The last time a Blue Hen opponent failed to gain 100 yards was
when Western Kentucky was held to just 81 yards Sept. 11, 1982 at
Delaware Stadium.
The Rams, who have not scored an offensive touchdown in the last eight
quarters against Delaware, gained just 33 yards in the first half and
picked up just two first downs in the first 30 minutes. Delaware has
beaten Rhode Island 10 straight times and 15 of the 20 meetings between
the two. The Rams have not beaten the Blue Hens since 1988.
Delaware got on the board with 3:06 remaining in the first quarter when
Craig Cummings scored on a one-yard touchdown dive. The score was set-up
by an interception by defensive tackle Joe Minucci. Scott Collins, a
transfer from Penn State making his first appearance as a Blue Hen,
connected on his first of three PATs on the day to give Delaware a 7-0
lead.
The lead stretched to 9-0 on the ensuing possession. After Rhode Island
went three-and-out, Bashawn Dixon blocked the punt through the endzone
for a safety.
The Blue Hens extended the lead to 16-0 before half when junior running
back Butter Pressey scored his first of two touchdown on the day.
Pressey, a native of Newark, DE, caught a 12-yard scoring pass from
quarterback Matt Nagy (14-24 for 170 yards) 3:25 into the second
quarter. That touchdown was also set up by a Vince Nedimyer
interception. Nedimyer, who finished 7 of 16 for 60 yards, was
intercepted this time by senior safety Mike Furline. It was Furline's
fifth career pickoff.
Pressey scored again when he ran the second half kickoff back 90 yards
for a touchdown. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first of
Pressey's collegiate career and marked the second straight year that a
Blue Hen ran back a kickoff for a touchdown on opening day. Last year,
Brett Veach ran a kick back 99 yards for a touchdown in Delaware's
overtime win over William & Mary. The two-point conversion failed and
Delaware led, 22-0.
The Blue Hens extended that lead on an 11-yard touchdown run by Veach
just over four minutes later for a 29-0 lead.
Rhode Island avoided being shutout by Delaware for the second straight
season when backup quarterback Sam Postlethwait fumbled and Paul
Picciotti raced 12 yards with the recovery for a touchdown with 4:50
remaining in the fourth quarter.
The game was halted by a severe thunderstorm with 2:08 remaining and was
not resumed.
Delaware will face The Citadel in its home opener next Saturday night.
The 7 p.m. kickoff will be the first under the new permanent lights at
Delaware Stadium.
AGATE
SCORING
DELAWARE………..9…7…13…0…- 29
RHODE ISLAND……0…0…0…7…- 7
First quarter
UD - Cummings 1 run (Collins kick), 3:06 remaining
UD - safety (punt blocked out of endzone), 0:55
Second quarter
UD - Pressey 12 pass from Nagy (Collins kick), 11:35
Third quarter
UD - Pressey 90 kick return (run failed), 14:44
UD - Veach 11 run (Collins kick), 10:40
Fourth quarter
URI - Picciotti 12 funble recovery (R. Szczesniak kick), 4:50
TEAM STATS……………….UD………URI
First downs...............................18............7
Rushes - yds.....................52-111............35-32
Passing yards........................170............209
Passes..............................14-25-0............7-16-2
Total yards............................281............92
Punts-average..................5-34.0............8-26.6
Penalties-yds.......................5-42............3-22
Fumbles-lost..........................6-2............1-0
Time of poss *...................33:38. ..................24:14
Sacks by-yds......................4-27............3-13
*NOTE: Game halted with 2:08 remaining by thunderstorm.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING - DELAWARE: O'Neal 14-41, Pressey 10-36, Cummings 8-34, Jenkins
3-12, Veach 1-11, Patrick 1-4, Bennett 1-1, Mieczkowski 1-1, Nagy
8-(-8), Postlethwait 5-(-21). RHODE ISLAND: Jamison 11-33, Green 2-3,
Ellis 1-1, Williams 1-1, Nedimyer 18-(-2), Poitier 2-(-4).
PASSING - DELAWARE: Nagy 14-24-0-170, Postlethwait 0-1-0-0. RHODE
ISLAND: Nedimyer 7-16-2-60.
RECEIVING - DELAWARE: Veach 5-55, Elliott 3-57, Pressey 3-36, Cummings
2-18, O'Neal 1-4. RHODE ISLAND: Ray 4-33, Poitier 1-15, Williams 1-11,
Green 1-1.
ATT - 3,036
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