The Review

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Sports

It makes no sense to sugarcoat a team's problems by having the unit pick on weaker opponents early in the season. Coaches have to question whether they should schedule tough non-conference opponents or "fluff" games. The saying goes: in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. Scheduling tough out-of-conference opponents is a great idea because it shows a team exactly where it needs to be if the players want to be at the pinnacle of college athletics.

Last year, the Hens' baseball team had a successful season and finished tied for first in the Colonial Athletic Association with a conference record of 18-11. Delaware finished runner-up in the CAA Tournament behind Virginia Commonwealth. The Hens' non-conference record was 14-12.

Delaware was successful throughout its conference schedule because its non-conference games were against stronger opponents and the Hens saw the level of play they needed to reach if they wanted to dominate in the CAA. Delaware began its season playing tough non-conference opponents, facing Richmond and then-No. 7 Virginia. The difficult schedule translated into an 0-7 start to the season.

Rather than losing confidence, the Hens learned from those games and found their weaknesses by facing better teams. When conference games rolled around, Delaware improved their weaknesses and were ready to dominate the conference. The Hens won their last four conference series down the stretch against James Madison, VCU, William & Mary and Northeastern.

People could cite this year's men's soccer team as a reason why scheduling tougher opponents is a bad idea. The Hens were no challenge to then-No. 4 Duke, losing 6-1 and were handed a 1-0 defeat by Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouse North Carolina State later in the week in early September. The rest of the team's non-conference opponents were rather formidable as well, as Delaware went into its conference schedule with a 0-6-1 record. Since then, the Hens have assembled a 2-11-2 record.

Tough losses against better teams are a slap in the face, but how a team bounces back from difficult defeats shows its character. The soccer team is not having a bad season because the non-conference schedule drained its confidence, but rather because the team did not have the character to take the game to the next level and use those tough non-conference losses as a guideline for becoming a better team.

Although the football team has had success this year with a 7-1 record, it would have been better to play tougher non-conference opponents. For Delaware, beating teams like Monmouth and West Chester did not help its cause. The first tough game the Hens played was against New Hampshire in Week 6. Delaware lost the game because its non-conference schedule had been weak and when the players finally played a tough competitor, they did not know how to handle it.

The Hens bounced back nicely and have shown great character in rebounding from that loss but they could have been undefeated had they scheduled some tough non-conference opponents earlier in the year because the team would have known how to prepare for strong conference opponents.

Delaware scheduled one tough non-conference opponent in Football Bowl Subdivision Navy. The Hens defeated Navy 59-52 on Oct. 27 and the win has given the team a major confidence boost going into the homestretch against tough conference foes, such as James Madison and Richmond.

Delaware's teams have proven that playing tough non-conference opponents is a smart way to prepare for the CAA schedule. Facing strong teams helps players figure out what they need to do to get better and succeed in conference play.

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