Photo by Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware football squad will begin the process of improving upon last year’s 6-5 season when the Blue Hens open spring drills Friday afternoon, Mar. 19.

Delaware, led by ninth-year head coach K.C. Keeler, will begin a month of drills and 15 practice sessions culminating in the annual Blue-White Spring Game on Friday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Delaware Stadium and its new FieldTurf surface that was installed this winter. All Delaware football practice sessions are open the public.

A number of special events are planned on Apr. 23, including the annual UD Alumni Golf Outing and Barbecue during the afternoon and the inaugural Blue Hen Football Fandemonium event with music, games, and autograph sessions taking place in front of Delaware Stadium prior to the game.

The Blue Hens, who return 26 players with starting experience for the 2010 campaign, will begin practice Friday at 3:50 p.m. on the UD Practice Turf fields located behind Delaware Field House and continue with another session Saturday morning at 9:50 a.m.

The team will continue practice next Monday and Wednesday before taking a week off for UD Spring Break. Practice will resume Monday, April 5 with the Hens taking part in practices each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3:50 p.m. until the spring game. In addition, the team will take part in practices on Saturday, Apr. 10 at 9:50 a.m. and Apr. 17 at 4:30 p.m.

The Blue Hens will be looking to return to the post-season for the first time since advancing to the national championship game in 2007. A total of 14 players with starting experience are back on offense led by senior quarterback Pat Devlin (at right), a Walter Payton national player of the year award candidat who led the Colonial Athletic Association in passing a year ago when he threw for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Delaware’s top two rushers - sophomores David Hayes and Leon Jackson - are also back as are seven of the top eight receivers. Senior Kevin Uhll and junior Rob McDowell lead an offensive line that returns four starters.

Defensively, the Hens welcome back 12 players with starting experience, including a talented secondary that features All-CAA performers Anthony Walters, a Buch Buchanan national defensive player of the year candidate, and Anthony Bratton. All three starting linebackers return led by Paul Worrilow and Andrew Harrison while the defensive front features the return of tackle Siddiq Haynes and end Chris Morales. All-CAA punter Ed Wagner leads the special teams.

Among the players not taking part in spring drills due to injuries will be WR Tommy Crosby, OL Chad Davis, Haynes, LB Eddie Lugo, Uhll, LB Chuck Anderson, and LB Brian Void. Those who will be limited due to injuries are OL Sam Burrows, OL Jeff Haas, OL Brandon Heath, LB Kyle Hunte, Hayes, Morales, and TE Colin Naugle. DB Kasseim Everett and DT Demitrius Hester are both sitting out indefinitely due to violations of team rules.

Delaware will open pre-season drills in early August and will begin the 2010 season with three straight home games at Delaware Stadium beginning on Thursday, Sept. 2 vs. West Chester.