UD looking to make noise

[YoUDeeMan]

A few articels about Delaware's defense and Omar Cuff.

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs ... 002/SPORTS

"As for the ability -- Delaware has added several experienced players who should upgrade the talent level significantly. Some are coming back from injury and some are transfers, and all of them will help.

"There were a lot of things we couldn't do last year that we'll be able to do this year," Rapone said. "Last year, we couldn't get to the passer [the Hens had just 12 sacks in 11 games] because we didn't have any defensive ends, and when we'd blitz, we didn't get there [to the quarterback] and that put too much pressure on the secondary guys.

"It was like we were in a car race, but we didn't have the engine to get around the track. But now we have athletic players who can make the big plays that every defense needs. And now we have the ability to dictate to the offense, instead of the other way around.""

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs ... 002/SPORTS

"NEWARK -- Omar Cuff caught a screen pass from backup quarterback Sean Scanlon during a drill barely 90 minutes into the University of Delaware's first football practice of the 2007 preseason Friday morning.

As he stopped and suddenly changed direction, two defensive players in white jerseys went running past him.

"They overpursued," Cuff said later as a grin creased his face, instantly recalling the moment when the play was brought up in discussion.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound senior wasn't going at game speed on the play -- "I was just breaking it in," he said -- but it did give him a sense that he was his old self.

As a sophomore in 2005, Cuff rushed for 1,205 yards, collected another 414 yards receiving and earned third-team Sports Network All-American honors.

But an ankle injury undermined his 2006 season, in which Cuff missed four games and started just five."