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Delaware Readies For Rivalry Match-Up With Villanova

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The University of Delaware will be looking for a second straight win on Saturday when they travel up to the Main Line to take on Colonial Athletic Association rival Villanova.

The Blue Hens improved to 1-1 this past weekend by beating Lafayette down in Newark, 19-9, holding the Leopards to just 270 yards of offense in the process.

"The kids just played really hard," Delaware head coach Dave Brock tells KYW Newsradio. "We were able to play, especially defensively, really fast and physical. We controlled the line of scrimmage the whole night and really dictated kind of how the game was played."

Listen: Dave Brock with KYW's Matt Leon

 

 

Listen to the entire interview with Delaware's Dave Brock

After utilizing two quarterbacks in the season opener against Jacksonville, redshirt freshman Joe Walker went the whole way under center for the Blue Hens against Lafayette. He was only 4 of 15 throwing the football for 58 yards, but he didn't throw an interception and added 68 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

"He's going to be the guy going forward," Brock says. "It's a work in progress, without question. He's going to have to perform in practice and he's going to have to perform in the games, just like every other player. I know that position gets an awful lot of attention, but he certainly has the ability, and he showed it certainly Saturday, to make something out of nothing. He can create a little bit, he can extend plays. He was a very good runner with the ball when he was in designed quarterback runs, but he also, probably three of his biggest runs came on passes where we didn't have a guy open or it broke down, protection wise, and all of sudden he's grabbing 12, 14 yards. He probably stole three or four first downs, kept drives alive."

Now Delaware and Villanova usually play each other in late November to wrap the regular season. But this year, for reasons connected with the Pope's visit to Philadelphia, the game was moved to Saturday.

Villanova is 1-1 after beating Fordham last weekend, 14-7. The Wildcats have allowed just 27 total points in their two games this season and Brock says that's because they have an outstanding defense.

"Certainly when you turn the film on, you really enjoy watching how they play," Brock says. "They're doing a great job up there, they're playing fast. They've got a unique scheme, they're three down and they've got a lot of big, athletic bodies on the field that run around and hit."

Last season, Delaware lost to Villanova, 35-28, as the Wildcats scored the game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining. Back in 2013, Delaware blew a 22-point, fourth quarter lead against the Wildcats, as Villanova rallied for a one point win.

Villanova and Delaware will kickoff at Villanova Stadium at noon on Saturday.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.

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