Delaware State football has seen its share of stormy days, but Saturday afternoon-turned-night’s home opener against Albany was something for the record books.
There were two separate weather delays totaling nearly four hours that reduced a surprisingly good home crowd to just parents of Great Dane football players and a few Hornet fans braving the steady rain for the final two minutes.
In the end, neither rain, sleet, nor crackles of lightning could stop Delaware State from delivering DeSean Jackson his first career victory as a head coach, a heart-stopping 37-32 win over a game Albany team.
It wasn’t a clean game, literally and figuratively, by any means; DSU nearly accounted for as many penalty yards as total yards and an incredibly risky fake punt disaster gave Albany the go-ahead touchdown with 4 ½ minutes remaining in the game.
However, this game’s final – and longest – chapter had yet to be written.
Delaware State started at their own 10 thanks to a personal foul penalty, but before the drive could even begin, one lightning strike halted play for the required 30 minutes.
The Hornets, led by Sacramento State transfer quarterback Kaiden Bennett, quickly moved into Great Dane territory when another lightning strike came. Then nearly an inch of rain followed with thunder and lightning over the next 2 ½ hours.
Finally, both teams made their way back to the field at 7:50 p.m., warmed up for nearly 20 minutes and the drive resumed. It was a combination and Bennett left, Marquis Gillis middle, Bennett right and DSU led once again 37-32 with 34 seconds left.
In years’ past, the Hornets certainly would have found a way to snatch the defeat from the jaws of victory.
This year, it helps to have a 15-year NFL wide receiver who knows defensive back positioning.
Shortly before UA’s last gasp play, Jackson called a timeout, demonstratively demanding his defensive staff fix their alignment. That turned out to be the clincher as Albany’s attempted hook and lateral fell harmlessly to the turf as time expired.
No one knew what to expect when Delaware State hired DeSean Jackson as head coach, not even “Coach Jac” himself at first.
One thing is clear in the first two weeks of the season; he didn’t take this job to lose.
That attitude has been instilled in the players and after a fair showing against FBS newbie Delaware in their opener, they defeated Albany, who isn’t a Coastal Athletic Association power by any means, but still a feather in the cap of a program who needed an infusion of positivity and talent.
I’ve watched my share of football games at Alumni Stadium, as a student reporter, alumnus and a journalist. It’s safe to say the energy and excitement surrounding the Hornet football team hasn’t been this measurable in a while.
Alumni, fans, and former players feel a shift in how this Hornet football team plays, moves, and conducts themselves. Sure, this team has started a season 1-1 before, but the belief that things can and will be different this team has the Hive buzzing.
How the rest of 2025 season pans out remains to be seen, but Saturday afternoon – and evening – showed observers one thing.
The “Coach Jac” era at Delaware State has a strong foundation to outlast just about any storm.
