Most coaches will tell you that preseason polls mean absolutely nothing. Count University of Delaware football head coach Dave Brock among that substantial crowd.

So when the Blue Hen football team was announced as the No. 7 pick in the preseason order of finish during the annual Colonial Athletic Association Media Day on Tuesday morning, July 26, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, it really didn’t matter. Whether the Hens had been picked No. 1 or No. 12, it all means nothing until the end of the season.

“Media Day is an exciting way to kick off a new season,” said Brock, who will enter his fourth season at the helm and will be looking for vast improvement from his 2015 team that went 4-7 and placed seventh in the league standings with a 3-5 mark. “I look forward to a great year of Delaware football.”

The CAA Media Day kicked off the 2016 football season and included head coaches and student-athletes from each of the 12 CAA teams taking part in interviews with media members who cover the league. In addition to the preseason poll, the preseason All-CAA team was announced and the Blue Hens had two standouts named to the team – junior linebacker Charles Bell and senior offensive tackle Connor Bozick.

Brock has every reason to believe that his squad has the potential to turn some heads. The Blue Hens return 18 starters from that squad, fourth highest in the league behind Towson (21), Albany (20) and preseason favorite Richmond (19).

Among UD’s returning All-CAA selections are Bell, Bozick, center Brody Kern, running back and 2015 CAA Offensive Player of the Year Thomas Jefferson, defensive tackles Blaine Woodson and Bilal Nichols, cornerback Justin Watson and tight end Brandon Whaley.

“We feel like all the pieces are in place for us to be a playoff team in 2016,” said Brock, who will be looking to lead UD back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2010 squad finished as national runner-up. “I look forward to getting underway on Aug. 4 (report date). Our goal is always to be the best team in the best conference in the country.”

Richmond, which shared the CAA regular season title (10-4 overall, 6-2 in league play) with James Madison (9-3, 6-2 CAA) and William and Mary (9-4, 6-2 CAA) last year and was one of four CAA teams to advance to the postseason, was the preseason favorite in the coaches/media relations representatives poll with 19 first place votes (out of 24 cast) and 282 total points.

William and Mary was second with one first place vote and 250 points and James Madison was third with 209 points. Villanova was fourth with 197 points, New Hampshire was fifth with three first place votes and 186 points, and Towson rounded out the top half in sixth place with 180 points. William and Mary, JMU and New Hampshire each advanced to the NCAA tournament a year ago, along with Richmond.

UD took seventh place in the poll with 171 points and was followed by Stony Brook (111), Maine (107), Elon (72), Albany (69) and Rhode Island (37). Maine received one first place vote.

Bell and Bozick, two of UD’s 10 All-CAA picks a year ago, led the preseason All-CAA team announced Tuesday. Richmond placed a league-high seven players on the preseason team, including the preseason Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Kyle Lauletta and the preseason Defensive Player of the Year in safety David Jones.

Bell earned second team All-CAA honors from his middle linebacker spot in 2015 and returns to lead one of the top defensive units in the NCAA with eight returning starters.

The hard-hitting linebacker led the team and ranked No. 4 in the CAA with 96 tackles (8.7 per game) and also contributed three tackles for loss and an interception. As a team, UD finished in the national Top 25 in total defense, rushing defensive, and scoring defense.

“Charles has proven himself to be an elite player in the CAA,” said Brock. “We look forward to him continuing to grow as a player and a leader for our defense and for our team.”

The 6-5, 320-pound Bozick earned third team All-CAA honors in 2015 when he was one of four offensive lineman to start every game. A versatile player, Bozick will move from guard to tackle this season and will be one of just 10 seniors on the team.

He has never missed a game since his redshirt freshman season and has played in all 35 contests with 23 starts. A year ago he anchored a unit that helped Delaware rank No. 2 in the CAA and 17th in the NCAA in rushing offense (219.4 yards per game) and No. 4 in sacks allowed (1.64, 44th in NCAA).

“Connor brings an awful lot of experience and confidence to the lineup,” said Brock. “He is a very physical player and a guy we are going to count on to anchor our offensive front in 2016.”

Players report Aug. 4

Delaware players will report back to campus on Aug. 4 and begin practice the next day on the UD Practice Fields. The 2016 season opener is set for Thursday, Sept. 1 vs. Delaware State at Delaware Stadium at 7 p.m.

Tickets available

Plenty of great season tickets and single game tickets are available and can be purchased online at BlueHens.com under Tickets, in-person at the Bob Carpenter Center Box Office during the hours of 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by phone at 302-831-2257.