Hens prepare to face Georgia Southern in FCS semifinals

All year, the Delaware football team's motto has been to go 1-0 each week. Now, if the Hens go 1-0 on Saturday, they will reach the ultimate goal they have been working all year to achieve—playing for the national championship.

"This is probably the biggest game of them all," Head Coach K.C. Keeler said. "Just because this is the game that ensures that you're playing till the very end. You can't play any further."

Delaware will face Georgia Southern in the semifinals on Saturday at noon for the right to move on to the national championship game in Frisco, Texas on Jan. 7.

This is not the first time these teams have squared off at Delaware Stadium in the playoffs. The Eagles defeated the Hens 27-18 in the 2000 semifinals, on their way to a second consecutive title. In 1997, Delaware beat Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals, 16-7.

The teams have also split two regular season meetings, including Keeler's first game as head coach, a 22-19 victory at home in 2002.

After holding a powerful New Hampshire offense to just three points in the quarterfinals, the Hens will have to adjust to Georgia Southern's vaunted triple-option offense, one that rushed for 423 yards in an upset win over No. 2-seed William & Mary in the second round of the playoffs.

However, the Hens have seen this type of offense before. Georgia Southern's triple-option and "wishbone" offense is very similar to that of Navy, a team Delaware played last year and upset in 2007. According to Keeler, when other teams prepare to face Navy, their coaches often call Delaware for advice on defending the option because they have not seen any team defend it better schematically than Delaware.

"I think [defensive coordinator] Nick Rapone understands this offense to a level that maybe no else in the country does, from defending it," Keeler said. "And I know everyone calls us. Maryland, Hawaii, everyone calls us when they watch our tape."

Players on defense will be shifted around during practice this week as each defensive player will have specific assignments. The most important assignment is the "pointman," which will be played by Anthony Bratton. The senior defensive back will play close to the line of scrimmage instead of the deep safety position he normally plays.

Bratton played that position in the 2007 Navy game, in which he had 12 tackles and forced and recovered a fumble.

"We just have to play disciplined and fundamental defense," Bratton said. "It will be a tough physical game on Saturday."

The key to beating the triple-option is not letting the offense figure out where everyone will be going, according to junior defensive end Chris Morales. Everyone will have a series of assignments, but will switch them at times during the game to remain unpredictable.

"We like to switch it up that way so that that offense can't figure you out," Morales said. "They get into a groove where they know where the end is going every single time, and then it's easier for them to adjust. Then all of a sudden, we find ourselves in a situation where they are in a position of power, so we try to give them different looks."

Keeler stressed that each player needs to stick to his assignment and watch his man instead of the ball. That way, big plays are prevented, and when Georgia Southern does pass, the backs will not be caught cheating up.

"They'll try to draw you to sleep," Bratton said. "They'll run, run, run and then hit a big pass on you."

The Hens will be boosted by the return of sixth-year senior Matt Marcorelle, who missed the New Hampshire game after straining his calf in warm-ups. Keeler said that Marcorelle will likely practice on Thursday and should be ready to go on Saturday.

Delaware will be playing its third home game in the playoffs, while Georgia Southern has played every playoff game on the road. Keeler expects the crowd to play a factor. Despite the fact that the New Hampshire game was lowest-attended game of the year at just over 8,000, Keeler said it was one of the best crowds of the year.

"The people that were here, it was intense," he said. "You could feel that crowd. You could feel our student section."

Morales said the players realize the intensity and understand the magnitude of the game as well.

"Once you realize that if you win the next game you're going to the championship, your brain automatically focuses on that game," Morales said. "It tells you ‘If we win this game, we're going to the show.'"