Delaware State has already shown considerable improvement on the football field under new coach DeSean Jackson, the former NFL standout.

Starting this week, the true measure of the Hornets’ progress can be charted.

DSU (4-3) plays the first of its five Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference games that will close the season.

And it’s a tough one, as Oct. 25 foe North Carolina Central won 27 games the last three years. The Eagles are 4-2 this season and have won five straight over DSU, including 52-10 last year.

But this is not the same DSU team, as Jackson’s hiring and his hustle have allowed the Hornets to build a deeper, better roster of players who’ve benefitted from the coaching staff’s direction.

“When we do things good, we gotta do them better,” Jackson said. “When we do things great, we gotta do them greater.”

Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, where the Eagles will be celebrating homecoming.

“Delaware State has improved,” said NCCU coach Trey Oliver. “That makes the whole conference better . . . And I think that they’re a very well-coached football team. He’s done a great job putting a staff together and I’ve been impressed with them.”  

These are six ways the Hornets can compete for their first MEAC title since 2007 when they begin league play.

Keep pounding the football

Delaware State is by far the leading rushing team nationally in FCS, averaging 327 yards per game, more than 60 yards ahead of anyone.

Two of the Hornets’ four wins have come against Division II schools, including the record-smashing romp over Southern Connecticut State Oct. 11. But they’ve run the football well against everybody, including getting 200 yards against FBS Delaware, which has only allowed more than that once in six games.

“This is probably the most efficient running team I’ve seen in my coaching career,” Oliver said. “They’re averaging over seven yards a carry. That’s almost a first down every time they run the ball.”  

 Milford High grad Marquis Gillis is 11^th nationally with 105.9 yards per game and James Jones is 18^th with 91.3. Jayden Jenkins (8.4 yards per carry) and Kobe Boykin (9.1) give the Hornets other potential breakaway threats, and Kaiden Bennett is the leading rusher among MEAC quarterbacks.

This is a hard offense to stop, and has benefitted from stellar play up front that should actually improve as players return from injuries.

But Jackson feels the run game can be better.

“We feel like we’re leaving stuff on the table,” said Jackson, adding that missed reads are among areas where DSU could improve.

Improve the passing game

DSU has the fewest pass completions in the league and just a 56.5 completion percentage.

Certainly, the run game’s effectiveness means less need for the passing game.

 But because opposing defenses have to bear down so much to thwart that vaunted running attack, it should create opportunities that the Hornets and proven quarterback Bennett need to take better advantage of.

Defend the pass better

DSU has allowed a MEAC high 277.6 passing yards per game. While the Hornets also have by far the most passes against, the 66.3 completion percentage of opposing quarterbacks is way too high.

That’s not just a back-end issue. The Hornets have just 12 sacks on the year, so better pressure on the quarterback would translate to better coverage deep.

MEAC STANDINGS: Conference play set to start

Keep doing this

DSU has been better defensively in the red zone than any MEAC team, limiting foes to 16 touchdowns and three field goals on 28 trips inside the 20. That has included the Hornets getting four takeaways.

Playing that well all over the field would be beneficial.

Cut down on penalties

Jackson recognized and mentioned early that his team sometimes lacks discipline and it carries over onto the field.

Sure enough, DelState has committed more penalties (72) than any FCS school except Merrimack but its 678 yards penalized are the most nationally.

Delaware’s ongoing battle over property taxes reaches a critical stage today as the state’s Court of Chancery prepares to hear arguments on the legality of New Castle County’s new split-rate tax system.

The case, scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. before Vice Chancellor Lori Will, will determine whether county and school officials may proceed with issuing revised tax bills following Delaware’s first property reassessment in more than forty years.

The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of landlords, hotel operators, and mobile home associations. They are suing the State of Delaware, Governor Matt Meyer, County Executive Marcus Henry, and several New Castle County school districts. The plaintiffs argue that the law allowing separate residential and nonresidential tax rates violates the state’s constitutional requirement for uniform taxation. They contend that the system places an unfair financial burden on businesses and landlords, costs that will ultimately be passed on to renters.

The dispute centers on House Bill 242, which lawmakers approved during a special session of the General Assembly in August of this year. The special session was called after property owners across the county were shocked by dramatic increases in their new tax bills. Many homeowners saw increases of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, while some commercial property owners experienced decreases, sparking widespread public anger and demands for relief.

House Bill 242 allowed school districts in New Castle County to reset their tax rates for the 2025–2026 fiscal year and reissue tax warrants using separate rates for residential and nonresidential properties. Payment deadlines for revised bills were also extended to November 30, 2025.

At a pretrial hearing Friday, Vice Chancellor Will confirmed that today’s proceeding would serve as the trial on the merits. The case is expected to proceed as a paper trial based on written submissions, but attorneys were permitted to call witnesses, which could extend the hearing beyond one day according. The court denied a motion from the defense to strike expert reports submitted by the plaintiffs, including one related to rental market effects.

The reassessment process has also drawn political controversy. During a legislative committee hearing, New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry stated that the administration of former County Executive Matt Meyer, now Governor of Delaware, instructed reassessment officials to delay the release of tentative property values until after the November 2024 election. Henry testified that officials had recommended issuing the notices earlier but were directed to wait until mid-November. Meyer has denied the allegation, saying the schedule followed the timeline outlined in the county’s contract with Tyler Technologies, the firm responsible for conducting the reassessment.

If the plaintiffs win, the split-rate system will be struck down and residential property taxes are likely to revert to their July amounts. If the defendants prevail, the dual-rate structure will remain in place, keeping residential taxes lower while maintaining higher rates for nonresidential properties. Vice Chancellor Will is expected to issue a ruling by the end of October, a decision that could shape Delaware’s property tax structure and future reassessment policy for years to come.

Delaware State Police arrested 36-year-old Ryan Doneker, from Harbeson, Delaware, for drug and weapon charges following a vehicle pursuit Saturday afternoon in Harbeson.

On October 18, 2025, at approximately 2:00 p.m., troopers responded to a business complex in the 22,000 block of Dozer Lane in Harbeson, for a report of a man potentially under the influence of an illegal substance or experiencing a medical issue. Upon arrival, troopers located a man, later identified as Doneker, seated in the driver’s seat of a Honda CR-V. As troopers approached to check on his well-being, Doneker fled, driving through a grass field. Troopers activated their emergency lights to stop Doneker, however he fled southbound on Indian Mission Road.

Troopers pursued Doneker as he drove erratically and committed multiple traffic offenses on several area roads. As Doneker drove southbound on Gravel Hill Road, troopers successfully deployed stop sticks and deflated one of the Honda’s tires. Doneker eventually stopped on Gravel Hill Road, near Doc Frame Road.

Doneker exited the Honda holding what appeared to be a tan handgun, but he immediately dropped it at troopers’ command. Doneker was taken into custody, and troopers discovered the tan handgun was a non-lethal pepperball gun. A search of Doneker revealed .11 grams of cocaine, an icepick, and approximately $4,700 of suspected drug proceeds. Troopers also observed signs of impairment during their interaction with Doneker.

Doneker was taken to Troop 4 where he was charged with the below offenses, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 3, and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on a $24,401 secured bond.

• Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)
• Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Disregarding a Police Officer Signal (Felony)
• Carrying a Concealed Deady Weapon (Felony)
• Resisting Arrest
• Malicious Mischief by a Motor Vehicle
• Driving Under the Influence of Drug
• Numerous Traffic Offenses

Print This Page

Disclaimer: Any individual charged in this release is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

View All News Posts