Injuries to Ryan O’Connor and Zach Marker made Nick Miniucci the first true freshman quarterback in 22 years to start a game for Delaware on Saturday.

Minicucci certainly could have regretted his football fate in the first half at Delaware Stadium. Four turnovers, including three interceptions, allowed Lafayette to take a 28-7 lead in the FCS playoff first-round game.

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Around then, Minicucci got a sideline visit from Marker. Their discussion lasted a couple minutes.

“It really settled me down what he said,” Minicucci said Monday. “He was like ‘Are you having fun right now?’ I was like ‘Not really, this game’s not going our way.’ ”

Marker simply urged Minicucci to “ ‘Go out there this next drive and just have fun, play football, that’s what you’re here to do,’ ” Minicucci said of Marker’s advice. “ ‘You’ve been doing this your whole life. Just go play football.’ I really took that message.”

An 8-play, 80-yard scoring drive came soon after. It was keyed by Minicucci’s 11-yard pass to start the series and 36-yard touchdown strike to end it, both to Joshua Youngblood.

 Minicucci also had 10- and 15-yard runs, the latter on third-and-10, in between as Delaware cut the Leopards’ lead to 28-13.

NCAA FCS BRACKET: Hens at Montana next

It ended up being the impetus for a 36-34 Blue Hens win that sent them to the FCS round of 16. Delaware (9-3), enjoying its winningest season in 13 years, visits No. 2-seeded Montana (10-1) Saturday at 9 p.m. EST (ESPN+).

“I just went out there and things started clicking,” Minicucci said. “It started to roll from there. I give all the credit really to [Marker] and everyone that tried to settle me down on the sidelines.”

That included coach Ryan Carty, the former UD quarterback, and quarterbacks coach Sean Goldrich, who was a successful quarterback at New Hampshire, and other teammates.

“Even early, he was a little unsettled, but there were a couple things that didn’t go his way,” Carty said of the first half, “with a couple tipped balls that were intercepted. Things were going downhill. That would be the fear, right? That a young quarterback would let that snowball and he didn’t. He was poised.”  

Minicucci completed his last nine passes of the game, including 7- and 18-yard TDs to Braden Brose.

He also had a 13-yard run on the last play of the third quarter preceding the first of those two TD tosses.

“I love it,” he said of being a multi-threat quarterback. “When my reads aren’t there, it’s really what they’ve been teaching me to do . . . Just go get some yardage.”

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Minicucci finished the day 16-for-25 passing for 198 yards and the three touchdowns. He netted 46 yards on 10 carries, which includes the seven yards lost on two sacks.

He called winning that game “probably the greatest moment of my life so far,” but certainly has opportunities for better ones.

“Winning a playoff game as a freshman,” he said, “not expecting to play, was really cool.”

With both Marker and O’Connor practicing, Minicucci hadn’t received many snaps in practice in preparation for the Nov. 18 Villanova game, which Delaware lost 35-7. Injuries to those two forced him in from the second quarter on. He was much more prepared for Lafayette.

“Going into the Lafayette game, knowing I was starting, coach Goldrich, coach Carty, I did extra film with them and that was huge for me,” said Minicucci.

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A two-year starter at New Jersey power Don Bosco Prep, Minicucci benefitted from numerous important, competitive games that, he said, “prepared me for this moment.”

Now a more demanding test awaits Saturday at cold, crowded and noisy Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula.

“He kinda went out there and made some plays on his own [against Lafayette],” Carty said, “because he’s talented enough to do that. He’s got a really live arm, throws well on the run. He has since the day he got here.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.