The Quakers are coming off a 6-4 2018 season (3-4 in the Ivy League). Ray Priore is entering his fifth season as the head coach at Penn, and he said his squad had a successful preseason.
"We've taken steps in the right direction all the way around," he said. "Great leadership from our seniors, some new staffing positions, I thought the transition went well. Kids came back in great shape and we stayed relatively injury-free."
The Quakers will go with senior Nick Robinson at quarterback, as he won the position over junior Ryan Glover. The two will actually reverse roles from 2018, when Glover was the starter.
"What Nick has done in the offseason — both him and Ryan Glover — competed real hard through the spring and through camp," Priore added. "What Nick has given us is consistency and efficiency in what we're trying to do and run. Ryan is right there on his tail, and I know they are both real good friends, pushing each other. We always know during the season, long year, you better have two good quarterbacks going into the season."
The Quakers also have a lot of depth at running back, a position led by senior Karekin Brooks, who rushed for 898 yards and eight touchdowns in 2018.
While Saturday will be the opener for the Quakers, it will be the fourth game of the season for Delaware. The Blue Hens are 2-1 and coming off a hard fight: 47-22 home loss to No. 1 North Dakota State.
"Delaware is a storied, phenomenal program," Priore said. "The last couple years, under some new leadership" — head coach Danny Rocco — "they have just gotten better and better. Watching some tapes in the offseason, catching the game (against North Dakota State) on TV last Saturday, they are big, they're strong, they're physical, they're fast. They have some talented kids all over the field. They will give us all we can handle. We just want our kids to play hard, play physical and play to the final whistle."
Saturday's game in Newark starts at 1 p.m.