The excitement builds for Fightin’ Blue Hens fans as the football team prepares to tee it up for the start of the 2006 season.

Playing on brand-new turf at Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium, Head Coach K.C. Keeler will attempt to guide his team back to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in hopes of repeating the 2003 national championship run.

The Hens will open with a pair of non-conference home games—against West Chester University on Sept. 9 and the State University of New York at Albany on Sept. 16, both with 7 p.m. kickoffs. West Chester, which is coached by former UD quarterback Bill Zwaan, went 8-4 in 2005 and reached the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Hens will face Albany, which went 5-6 last season.

The New England portion of the Atlantic 10 Conference schedule will begin when the Hens travel to the University of Rhode Island on Sept. 23. They then will play at home against the high-powered University of New Hampshire on Sept. 30, again with a 7 p.m. start, and will play at Northeastern University on Oct. 7. New Hampshire went 11-2 in 2005 and reached the NCAA playoff quarterfinals for the second straight season, and the team was ranked No. 1 in at least one preseason poll. The Wildcats feature two of the most dangerous offensive players in the nation in quarterback Ricky Santos and wide receiver David Ball.

The Homecoming game will be played Oct. 14 against Hofstra University, now led by former UD defensive coordinator Dave Cohen, with kickoff at noon. The Hens will travel to the University of Richmond on Oct. 21, face Towson University at home on Oct. 28, with a 1 p.m. start, and travel to James Madison University on Nov. 4. James Madison won the 2004 national championship, and the Dukes were ranked No. 6 in Division I-AA in one preseason poll.

UD will play the College of William & Mary at home on Nov. 11 and will close the regular season against archrival Villanova University at home on Nov. 18. Both games will begin at 1 p.m.

Keeler says he was pleased with the Hens’ spring practice sessions, in which there was a spirited battle for quarterback that will not be decided until fall drills.

“The kids competed and they have really come together,” he says. “The quarterbacks are more athletic than you might think, and I was happy with the way they played. The good thing is that we have several players who can be competitive at this level.”

Vying for the starting quarterback position are Joe Flacco, a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh, and veteran backup Ryan Carty.

Perhaps the most valuable player in the offensive backfield will be junior running back Omar Cuff, who has rushed for 1,878 yards and 22 touchdowns since being handed the ball midway through the 2004 season. Cuff also has 43 receptions for 455 yards and four touchdowns, last season leading the team in rushing and receiving. For a 2006 football schedule, visit [www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/football/sked06.html].