Blacknall out as Delaware State head football coach; Posey named as interim coach
October 15, 2003
Dover, DE --- Delaware State University Director of Athletics Dr. Hallie Gregory has announced that Ben Blacknall has been dismissed as head football coach of the Hornets. Gregory has named defensive coordinator Butch Posey as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Ben Blacknall
Delaware State is 0-6 this season, including a 0-2 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
Blacknall was 16-24 since taking the Delaware State job in 2000. He was named MEAC Coach-of-the-Year in 2000, his first season, after leading the Hornets to a 7-4 record, a three-game improvement from the previous year. The Hornets fell to 5-6 in 2001, and posted a 4-8 mark in 2002.
Posey, a native of Pittsburgh, PA, has served as a Delaware State defensive coach the 2000 season. He was defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 2000 to 2002, before being promoted to defensive coordinator last spring. Posey previously served as a defensive coach at North Carolina Central, Johnson C. Smith (NC), Slippery Rock (Pa.), East Stroudsburg (Pa.) and Edinboro (Pa.).
"The need to overhaul the football program, and the fact that the team was idle this weekend made the timing right to implement the coaching change," Gregory said. "I am grateful to coach Blacknall for his efforts, but it's time for a new direction for our football program."
The Hornets are coming off a 27-13 loss to Division I-AA number 13 Bethune-Cookman last weekend. The Hornets return to action October 25 against Morgan State in their annual homecoming contest.
Gregory said the search for a permanent head coach for the Hornets will begin in a few weeks.
