HBCU Football: Can Delaware State contend for MEAC title in 2021?

How much better will the defense be this fall?

One place the Hornets saw improvement from 2019 to the spring of 2020 was the defense. Though they allowed ten more yards, Delaware State surrendered four fewer points.  The Hornets return their top four tacklers from last season. Three of those top four tacklers are defensive backs, however.

When defensive backs are making tackles at that rate, that is a sign of one of two things. Either Delaware State plays its defensive backs close to the line of scrimmage, or the front seven allowed runners to the second level too often.

It seems the latter is more accurate than the former. Opponents rushed for just over four yards per carry against the Hornets in the fall. Just like the offense, the defense needs to continue their improvement in the trenches.

The defensive line needs to improve at the point of attack against the run and get to the quarterback more often.  Delaware State had 11 sacks last spring and had no one with more than two sacks.

There is something to a “by committee” approach to the pass rush, but there is no dominant pass rusher to take double teams and force one-on-one matchups for other linemen to take advantage of. That said, Delaware State has good depth up front and should be better with an entire offseason under new offensive coordinator LeAndre Creamer.