DOYLESTOWN (PA) – For the first time in 636 days, the Delaware Valley University football team will return to the gridiron for the much-anticipated 2021 season opener, under the lights, at Kean University on Friday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m.  

The Aggies and the Cougars have met three times since 2008 with the Green and Gold holding a 3-0 advantage in the series. DelVal claimed victories in 2008, 2009, and most recently, in a convincing 37-7 triumph to open the 2019 campaign. A squad loaded with experience, the Aggies return14 starters from that 2019 opener, including seven on the defense, five on the offense, and two special teamers. Another seven contributors mentioned in the 2019 box score will also play key roles this Friday night including the starting quarterback, Daquan Bohannan who completed two-of-seven passes for 47 yards in that game. 

It is the seventh season opener for head coach Duke Greco and staff who look to improve upon its sensational career record of 59-11 with a postseason trip each year. The Aggies enter this season ranked number 12 in D3Football.com's preseason poll, and ranked as high as number five in Lindy's preseason rankings.  


SCOUTING THE AGGIES 

2019 was another magical season for DelVal as it went 11-2 overall and 8-0 in Middle Atlantic Conference play on its way to a third-straight conference championship and its fourth ever trip to the NCAA elite eight. A big reason behind the Aggies success was a defense that held opponents to 12.77 points and 215 total yards per game.  

Junior Michael Nobile, the 2019 East Region Defensive Player of the Year and two-time All-American, leads the unit that features an All-American defensive back in senior Justin Harris and a total of seven all-conference honorees. Nobile led all players in college football in tackles for loss with 31 in 2019. That included 12 sacks which ranked seventh in all of Division III. He finished the season second on the team in tackles with 75 and recorded eight quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and a safety. In the season opener against these Cougars, Nobile recorded seven solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and earned a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week for the effort. 

Bohannan, a senior, will make his first start under center for DelVal after backing-up Anthony Fontana in 2019.  The 6-foot, 200-pounder quarterback appeared in nine games last season and completed 21-of-40 pass attempts for 389 yards with four touchdowns to one interception.   

His supporting cast is anchored by two senior all-conference offensive linemen from 2019 in Corey Schriver and Jeremy Adams. Playing a key role in this year's offense will be sophomore All-American return specialist Tahmir Barksdale who will be featured in a skilled group that boasts veteran presence in senior wideouts Aaron Nelson, John Davis, and Tavian Dorsey, and a senior backfield of Donte Simmons and Quadir Strothers. Fellow upperclassmen Bryce Dorsey will be the featured tight-end and looks to fill the shoes of All-American Dan Allen.  

Simmons led the team in rushing with 653 yards while Nelson led all pass catchers with 21.48 yards per catch. 

Barksdale will look to surpass his success with the special teams unit and senior punter Bobby Miller returns after an all-conference campaign in 2019. Miller ranked second in the MAC with 39.5 yards per boot, just a half yard off the leader. He had nine punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line and four kicks of over 50 yards including a long of 63 yards. 

 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS 

The Cougars are coming off a disappointing 2019 campaign that saw them finish 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The offense averaged 18.6 points per game while allowing 28.6 to its opponents. They went for 181.4 yards per game through the air and 84.3 yards per showing on the ground. Opposing teams exploited the defense for 169.2 rushing yards and 160.9 passing yards per game.  

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Alumni Stadium in Union, New Jersey. All spectators traveling to the game should read Kean University's updated spectator policy. 

Live coverage for the game, including a radio broadcast from the voice of DelVal Football, Gordon Mann, can be found on the Aggies schedule page.