As Blue Hens begin preseason drills, these are 6 players to watch when 2024 season starts

About 100 players took the field for the University of Delaware as it commenced preseason football practice Tuesday morning.

Some will never get on the field on game days, others will play periodic roles and the best will earn starting and key back-up roles that will determine the Blue Hens' fate.

Certainly, many of those jobs are up for grabs as Delaware preps for its 2024 opener Aug, 29 against Bryant at Delaware Stadium and 10 subsequent games.

But as that process commences, there are plenty of Delaware players who've already proven their worth and will seek to extend that value when the games begin.

Here are six players to watch, listed alphabetically with three each on offense and defense, when the season gets under way:

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JoJo Bermudez, WR

Bermudez is Delaware’s leading returning pass catcher with 25 receptions for 277 yards and a touchdown in 2023 after his transfer from Cincinnati, where he red-shirted with a serious knee injury as a freshman in 2022. Bermudez nursed same aches and pains with the Blue Hens, too, but showed he has dynamic talent that Delaware must make more use of this year. He also gained 40 yards on just four carries, making him a threat running the football, and was the Hens’ top kick-off returnman with 388 yards on 14 runbacks, a healthy 27.7-yard average that ranked fourth in the CAA.

Coach Ryan Carty says: “Somebody who uses his legs so suddenly and violently. That's the way he runs. I don't think he was ever 100 percent confident in his leg last year. I think he is now . . . It's been fun to see him have that weight lifted off his shoulders as far as his leg injury and just kinda attack and get better every day."

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Ty Davis, LB

Entering his fourth season, Davis has proven to be a versatile playmaker for the Blue Hens’ defense, having earned third-team All-CAA honors last year, his second as a starter. Davis has successfully transitioned from playing safety to being a bandit linebacker, the hybrid position that requires a willingness and ability to be equally effective as a run stopper and pass defender. That’s perfect for the 6-3, 200-pound Davis, who tied for third on the team last year with 48 tackles, including 4 ½ for lost yardage, and also had a team-high 14 quarterback hurries, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions, including his 50-yard return for a touchdown at Stony Brook in the opener.

Defensive coordinator Manny Rojas said: "Ty has a great upside and ceiling out there on the edge, the things that he can do. He's athletic, he runs well enough and he can play the position at a high level but, also, he knows his limitations and sometimes that's the hardest thing as a player."

Tyron Herring, CB

Herring was Delaware's only defensive player to make first-team preseason All-CAA after a solid 2023 season that followed his transfer from Dartmouth. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Herring brings good size, experience and coverage and playmaking ability to the Hens' secondary. His 42 tackles last year were most among cornerbacks and he also tied for the team lead with three interceptions, broke up five passes, forced a fumble and recovered one.

Defensive coordinator Manny Rojas said: "The great thing about Ty is, he's a long, athletic corner, Having him in that room gives that room a voice that he can bring those guys together. I feel as good about our corner room as I ever have . . . Ty taken the lead in there and has been great for us."

Keyshawn Hunter, DL

The Old Dominion transfer firmly established himself as a leader, stopper and playmaker in the Delaware defense last year and will look to build off that success in 2024. Hunter typically lines up as a noseguard, and relishes that position’s gritty demands. He tied for third on the team last year with 48 tackles, with 6.5 for lost yardage, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The Hens’ defensive front graduated sack and tackles-for-loss leader Chase McGowan, which will put more pressure on Hunter to make an even bigger difference this year.

Defensive coordinator Manny Rojas said: "He's a great motivator, he's a great leader, he's very outspoken. The little things for him and his technique, his fundamentals, are gonna help propel him to be a better player than he was a year ago."

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Ryan O’Connor, QB

O’Connor enters his second season as the Blue Hens’ starting quarterback, aiming to build off plenty of 2023 successes but certainly with room for improvement in several areas. O’Connor threw for 2,104 yards and 19 TDs last year, and did have four 300-yard games. But he ranked 10 ^th among CAA quarterbacks in passing efficiency and 12 ^th with a 55.9 completion percentage. A full year as the Blue Hens’ starter should translate into a better second season in that role.

Coach Ryan Carty says: “We really need to continue to work on pre-snap processing so that we can play a little faster because he is so smart . . . Pre-snap, how much can we get checked off the list I think is the most important thing."

Marcus Yarns, RB

The speedy Yarns has been Delaware’s big-play runner and pass catcher the last two seasons, and must continue in that role as he heads into 2024 having earned preseason All-America nods. Yarns led the Hens with 939 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns last year, with four 100-yard games. His 6.90-yards-per-carry average ranked fourth nationally in FCS, showing the playmaking ability that will have defenses on high alert. He is equally dangerous catching the football, with 24 receptions for 311 yards and three TDs last year, adding to his reputation. On Tuesday Yarns was among players revealed to be on the Preseason Watch List for the Walter Payton Award going to FCS' best offensive player.

Coach Ryan Carty says: “The best guys, we gotta make sure we put the ball in their hands. Marcus is obviously one of the best guys in the country at that.”

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: As Blue Hens begin preseason drills, these are 6 players to watch when 2024 season starts