DOVER, Del. - Al Lavan has changed his mind.

It was two weeks ago when the Delaware State head coach declared next to Division I foe Michigan, in-state rival Delaware was as good a team the Hornets would play this season.

Having watched film of 10th-ranked and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference-frontrunner South Carolina State (6-1, 4-0), Lavan has somewhat revised his thinking entering the ‘Homecoming’ matchup at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium.

“Guess what? They’re here,” said Lavan about the Bulldogs during Tuesday’s weekly teleconference. “(S.C. State head football coach Oliver ‘Buddy’ Pough’s) got an excellent football team. They remind me, and I’m not drawing this direct comparison, of that team we played two weeks ago (Michigan) in terms of how they run to the football and hit people and execute.

“In terms of their personnel, they’re as impressive a group of guys that I’ve seen in the six years I’ve been here. They play football the way it ought to be played. They get after you. They run to the ball. They take it away from you. They hit you and they score points. He’s got an excellent football team on both sides of the ball and it’s going to be as great a challenge as we’re going to face this year.”

During Lavan’s tenure at Delaware State, he’s more than held his own against his ‘great friend and colleague’ Pough with a 2-3 record. The Hornets have won two of the last three meetings, both by one point in 2006 and 2007.

Lavan did not have a direct answer as to why his teams have given S.C. State difficulty, although he hinted his approach to preparation is similar to Pough’s.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate to be able to line up and play year after year against Buddy’s teams,” Lavan said. “For the most part, in the fourth quarter, both of us have been in the position to win the football game. We’ve won a couple of them and he’s won a couple and I suspect that this game won’t be much different. You’re going to have two excellent programs and some warriors out there with respect trying to knock each other out.”

Delaware State (2-5, 2-3) heads into Saturday’s game with momentum following a 35-22 win over former MEAC co-leader Morgan State. It was a season-high in points for the Hornets, who got a career-best 107 rushing yards and one TD from running back Jaashawn Jones and saw quarterback Anthony Glaud complete 16-26 passes for 150 yards and two TDs in his return after missing two games with a concussion.

“His play Saturday was just an energizer for us,” said Lavan about Glaud. “His production, his ability to manage the office and actually hand off and throw the football with some accuracy to this point I think the whole confidence level of our offense especially and the team in general was ignited by his performance and we need him to do that in each and every game.

“It was just good for our team and coaches to get a win so that at least we can still feel like we can come out on the positive side on Saturdays.”

Defensively, defensive back Avery Grant earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his game-clinching fourth quarter 15-yard interception return TD against Morgan State. The Hornets are actually ranked last in passing and rushing defense on the season, but many of the statistics were skewered by the 63-6 loss at Michigan.

A bigger concern for Lavan is his special teams. While ranked second in the MEAC in kickoff coverage, the Hornets are only 3-8 in field goals this season and had a punt blocked against Morgan State which resulted in a safety.

“Special teams is the beginning and end of everything that we do,” Lavan said. “This game is about real estate and field position and, unfortunately, we’ve been given up too much the last couple of ballgames. It’s the criteria. It’s one of the three legs that we stand on and arguably if there’s a more important one, it is the special teams area because that’s where you can gain or lose more yardage than any of those three legs. We’ve going to have to play much better special teams’ play than the last two ballgames and it will be a factor there in terms of field position.”

HOMECOMING TICKETS

ARE STILL AVAILABLE

The S.C. State Ticket Office will be open this week for extended hours from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. this week for fans who want to purchase homecoming tickets. All tickets will be priced at $35 each, no exceptions and can be purchased by calling (803) 536-8579.

HOMECOMING RECEPTION

FOR FORMER S.C. STATE

ATHLETES ON FRIDAY

A Homecoming reception for all former S.C. State athletes will be held Friday from 6-7 p.m. at The State Room of the Hugine Suites on the campus.

All returning athletes and coaches are invited to attend the event. Call 803-533-3783 for additional information.

RADIO SHOW NOW

AT ‘END ZONE’

Fans accustomed to sitting in during the “Buddy” Pough Show every Thursday at 6 p.m on WQKI 93.9 FM can do so at a new location.

Pough and co-host Steve Wannamaker are now conducting the show at “The End Zone” Sports Bar and Grill on Highway 601 next to the Comfort Inn. Fans can call the show live at 803-378-7605 or e-mail prior to the show at talktobuddy@gmail.com to ask Pough questions.

T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Read his blog, Following the Bulldogs, and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.

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