Delaware State Hornets football The Delaware State University Hornets football team plays at 7 , 193 - seat Alumni Stadium located in Dover , Delaware . The facility opened in 1957 as a multi - purpose for football , and track and field . The Hornets compete in Division I FCS , and are full - members of the Mid - Eastern Athletic Conference . They are a four - time conference champion and made their first - ever FCS playoff appearance in 2007 . As of February 3 , 2011 , Kermit Blount has been hired as Head Football Coach . History . 1980s . Portland State Embarrassment . On November 9 , 1980 , Delaware State took on QB Neil Lomax and the Portland State Vikings and were defeated 105 - 0 in the most lopsided loss in Division I - AA Football history . This was marked as the low point for the team and with the help of new coach Joe Purzycki the Hornets rebuilt their program . He was hired as Delaware State ' s head coach in 1981 , and compiled a 21 - 21 - 1 overall record , including a 15 - 5 - 1 mark in his last two seasons . Bill Collick , who was Purzycki ' s defensive coordinator , took over the program in 1985 . He led the Hornets to the team ' s first MEAC championship in his first season . 2000s . Al Lavan Era . After 2003 ' s 1 - 10 debacle , Delaware State hired Alton " Al " Lavan as their new head football coach with the task of rebuilding the program once again . When Lavan was hired as head coach of the Hornets in January 2004 , he promised to bring championship football back to Delaware State . In 2007 , the promise became reality . Last season , he led the Hornets to a school - record 10 wins , their first Mid - Eastern Athletic Conference ( MEAC ) championship since 1991 and first ever appearance in the NCAA playoffs . In addition , the 2007 Hornets were ranked as high as No . 10 in the weekly SportsNetwork Football Championship Subdivision poll and were No . 15 in the final poll . Delaware State was recognized as 2007 American Sports Wire Division I Black College National Champions and No . 2 in the final Sheridan Broadcast Network poll of Historically Black College & University teams . Lavan was honored as the 2007 Pigskin Club of Washington , D . C . , MEAC Coach - of - the - Year and Football Championship Subdivision Region II Coach - of - the - Year . He was second in the voting for the 2007 Eddie Robinson Award , recognizing the top Football Championship Subdivision coach , and was awarded the 2008 Making A Difference Award by the DSU Alumni Association . The Fort Pierce , Fla . , native was also selected as head coach for the 2008 American Heritage Bowl / Navy - Marine Corps All - Star Classic in San Clemente , Calif . He guided the Northeast All - Stars to a 24 - 7 victory in the contest . In four seasons at DSU , Lavan has posted an overall record of 29 - 16 , including a 24 - 7 mark in MEAC contests . He has led the team to winning records in each of the last three seasons . In the three years prior to his arrival , the Hornets were 10 - 24 overall and 6 - 17 in the league . Delaware State had just one winning season in the eight years before Lavan took the job . Lavan has 31 - 17 career record as a head coach , including a 2 - 1 mark during an interim stint at Eastern Michigan in 2003 . In 2006 , the Hornets were 8 - 3 overall and 6 - 2 in the MEAC . It marked the first time that DSU posted back - to - back winning seasons since 1994 - 95 , while the eight wins were the most by the team since 1991 . Delaware State also appeared in the SportsNetwork Division I - AA Top 25 poll for the first time since 1992 , coming in at No . 23 in week ten . Lavan ’ s 2005 squad posted the Hornets ’ first winning season since 2000 . The team was 7 - 4 overall , and third in the MEAC with a 6 - 2 record . Delaware State was picked to finish sixth in the 2005 pre - season MEAC poll . The 2005 season also marked the first time since 1985 that the Hornets posted an undefeated record at home ( 5 - 0 ) . During his first season at Delaware State in 2004 , Lavan led the Hornets to a 4 - 7 overall record and a 4 - 3 mark in the Mid - Eastern Athletic Conference ( MEAC ) , DSU ’ s first winning record in conference play since 2000 . The year before Lavan ’ s arrival , the Hornets lost their first nine games en route to a 1 - 10 overall record . The highlight of the 2004 season was Lavan ’ s first DSU victory , a 28 - 23 upset of eventual MEAC champ Hampton , the Pirates ‘ only loss in a 10 - 1 regular season . More than the on - field improvement , Lavan has brought a change of attitude to the program . In addition to installing the first comprehensive strength and conditioning program in team history , he spearheaded changes in the team ’ s academic , recruiting , practice and discipline policies . The team is also benefiting from new audio / visual and computer equipment , thanks to a generous donation from prominent alumni spurred by Lavan ’ s outreach efforts to university supporters . Lavan has also demonstrated concern for his players by initiating a program to bring local and nationally recognized speakers before the team to share their stories . Among the prominent individuals offering words of wisdom are former Hornet offensive lineman Matt Horace , currently an agent with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco and Firearms ; Joe Purzycki , former DSU head football coach and current bank executive ; former pro quarterback and current NFL executive James Harris ; and former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker . The team ’ s commitment to public service is also a Lavan priority . The past four years , the Hornets have hosted holiday parties for area foster children , participated in reading programs at local schools , and provided mentoring services . Lavan has also gained popularity around campus by " encouraging " his players to support other DSU sports teams . It is not uncommon to see Lavan and his troops cheering on the Hornets ’ volleyball , softball or basketball teams during home games . All of the above has made Lavan a popular guest on the banquet and speaking circuit during his short time in Delaware . Lavan brought more than 30 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience to Delaware State . Prior to accepting the Delaware State position , Lavan served for two seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University . He was promoted to assistant head coach for the 2003 football season , and upon the late - season firing of then - head coach Jeff Woodruff , Lavan was named interim head coach . After he took over the 1 - 8 team , Eastern Michigan won two of its final three games . In more than 18 years as a NFL assistant , Lavan ’ s resume ’ includes stints with the Atlanta Falcons , Dallas Cowboys , San Francisco 49ers , Baltimore Ravens , and the Kansas City Chiefs . He was a member of George Seifert ’ s 1990 Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers ’ coaching staff . That team included former Delaware State University standout John Taylor , who caught a touchdown pass in the 49ers ’ 55 - 10 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV . In Dallas , Lavan worked under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Landry . He helped Cowboy running backs Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker combine for six 1000 - yard seasons . He helped lead Dallas to division titles in 1981 and ’ 85 , and wild card playoff berths in 1980 and ’ 83 . Lavan has also served as position coach for NFL all stars Roger Craig , Priest Holmes , Tom Rathman , Ernest Byner , Robert Newhouse and Bam Morris . Lavan ’ s collegiate coaching tenure includes stops at Colorado State , Louisville , Iowa State , Georgia Tech , Stanford , and Washington . He helped guide Georgia Tech to the 1978 Peach Bowl , and Washington to the 1993 Rose Bowl and 1995 Sun Bowl . After three straight losing seasons , Al Lavan was fired from Delaware State on December 2 , 2010 . Hornets vs Blue Hens Controversy . The most controversial aspect of the DSU football program was the fact that it had never been scheduled by potential instate rival University of Delaware for a regular season game . It was highly unusual for two state universities that play on the same athletic tier to not play one another , especially schools that are less than one hour ' s drive away from campus . Critics charged that this had to do with the fact that Delaware State is a Historically Black College . Furthermore , supporters of a game between DSU and UD claimed that it would be akin to other in - state college rivalries and would be good for the state . In response to the charges of racism on UD ' s part , their supporters pointed out that Delaware had scheduled and played regular season games against several other HBCUs such as Morgan State and North Carolina A & T . UD supporters also claimed that DSU ' s team was not as strong as the Blue Hens , and that UD ' s program had made commitments to other universities that they had to fulfill . Finally , UD supporters also noted the fact that the two colleges routinely meet in sports other than football . This controversy was laid to rest when University of Delaware and Delaware State University met on the football field for the first time on November 23 , 2007 in Newark , DE in the first round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs . The Fightin ' Blue Hens defeated the Hornets 44 - 7 in front of an attendance of 19 , 765 , the largest playoff crowd in Delaware Stadium history . In 2009 , the teams began playing each other during the regular season . With the exception of 2010 , the game has been played annually , with each of these games played at Delaware Stadium on the UD campus in Newark . Delaware has won all four regular season meetings to date ( 2009 , 2011 , 2012 and 2013 ) by an average of 25 points per game , including the most recent meeting 42 - 21 on September 7 , 2013 . The next meeting is scheduled for September 6 , 2014 . Due to the one - sided nature of the contests in the manufactured rivalry , officials from both schools are unsure of whether the game will continue to be played after the contract expires with the 2014 game . Hornets in the pros . Active . None