Jake Thaw didn’t come because of the familiar helmets.
His move to Delaware from national champion Michigan was rooted in opportunity and an appealing offense for wide receivers.
Thaw returned punts last year for Michigan, including one particularly harrowing Rose Bowl opportunity that brought instant fame, some of it unwanted, but also profound relief.
Jake Thaw (26) of the Michigan Wolverines plays against the Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan Stadium on Oct. 14, 2023 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Thaw’s late-game flub, which he was able to recover at the Michigan 1-yard line, earned plenty of notoriety in the Wolverines’ 27-20 overtime win over Alabama. Michigan then beat Washington for the national title.
In four years at Michigan, Thaw played in 17 games – 15 of them last year – almost exclusively as a returnman, with one kick-off and 17 punt career runbacks. He rarely got on the field as a receiver and never caught a pass.
At Delaware, he’ll have that chance in a pass-oriented attack that spreads the football around and has multiple looks. And with the Blue Hens having graduated their four busiest pass catchers from 2023, opportunity abounds.
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Thaw was seeking, he said, “an offense where I feel I can get the ball in my hands, be explosive and then really help the team win some games.”
Delaware met those standards,
“I graduated from Michigan with a degree, which was important to me,” said Thaw, who is pursuing a master’s degree at Delaware. “I contributed to a championship team and I’ve got so much love for the coaching staff over there, for that program.
“I’m always gonna be a Michigan Wolverine in the same way that I’m trying to always be a Delaware Blue Hen when my time here is done.”
Chance for bigger role at UD
Choosing Delaware was “a no brainer after my visit,” said Thaw, who was impressed with the coaches, facilities, the offense’s pace and volatility and the program’s potential with a move to FBS looming in 2025.
“That was a priority of mine in the transfer portal,” Thaw said. “Going somewhere where I feel like I can really get to showcase my abilities as a receiver, help us get wins as a receiver and I love playing special teams.”
Thaw, who is 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds, was an All-State quarterback at Staples High in Westport, Connecticut. His athletic ability caught Michigan’s notice, even though he wouldn’t play quarterback in college.
Michigan transfer Jake Thaw begins a pass route at Delaware practice.
At Delaware, he’s skilled and versatile enough to play either wide or in the slot, said wide receivers coach Terrance Archer.
He’s also expected to return punts for Delaware, but pointed out that any backlash from his Rose Bowl play wasn’t why he transferred.
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“I have no fear,” he said. “I don’t run from my problems. I face my problems like a man.”
That’s why Thaw has tried to turn that play into a learning experience, including having a better awareness of where he is on the field. He attempted to corral the football at the 6-yard line after being told not to field a ball inside the 8.
“We have some people at Michigan that we talked to who spoke very highly of Jake Thaw,” said Archer, who now also has the offensive coordinator title though head coach Ryan Carty remains the main play-caller in games. “They thought he can come there and be a guy who can help you at receiver as well as returning punts.”
Delaware wide receiver and returnman Jake Thaw is a transfer from national champion Michigan.
Patterson seeks to emulate Youngblood
Thaw is actually one of three transfers – along with Max Patterson from Rutgers and Nick Laboy from Cornell – who join the wide receiver crew with two years of eligibility left each.
That group is led by returnees Jojo Bermudez, Phil Lutz and Jalyn Witcher, all transfers themselves, and features promising freshmen such as Matt McKinley and Nick Tyree.
“It’s just fun to see the battle going on,” Patterson said. “I feel like everybody’s playing really well.”
Rutgers transfer Max Patterson gets set to snare a pass at Delaware practice.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Patterson is a former Rutgers teammate and close friend of Josh Youngblood, who excelled at wide receiver for Delaware last year after transferring and sang the Blue Hens’ praises.
“He told me all great things,” Patterson said. “That’s why you see me in blue and gold today.”
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Patterson had three career catches for 11 yards in 25 games at Rutgers, where his coaches included former UD offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca and former Hens head coach Dave Brock. UD running backs coach Andrew Pierce is also a former Rutgers staffer.
“I loved it there,” he said of Rutgers. “ … The reason for me coming to Delaware was just the return of some veteran guys [at Rutgers] that were in my specific position. I thought I wanted to be a little bit more involved and so I decided to enter my name in the transfer portal.’’
Cornell transfer Nicholas Laboy makes a reception at Delaware football practice.
Laboy showed talent at Cornell
Of the transfers, Laboy has had the busiest college career to date.
In 20 games at Cornell the past two years, he caught 83 passes for 1,074 yards and four touchdowns. He was a second-team All-Ivy pick last year, when his 705 receiving yards was fourth in the league.
Carrying that production over to Delaware, Archer said, comes down to “learning the system so he can be confident. Go out there and play fast, instinctive football.”
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Laboy is also 6-2 and 215 pounds, giving Delaware a physical presence coaches appreciate. Cornell took advantage of that trait and Laboy feels “that’s kinda what I bring here to Delaware,” he said. “Winning those one-on-one matchups, catching the ball short and running long.”
Despite his experience, Laboy is starting from scratch in a new offense. In what seems almost old-fashioned now, Cornell called its plays in a huddle.
“Coming to Delaware,” he said, “much more high-tempo, signs on the sideline, get the play, line it up, no huddle. So it’s a lot more fast-paced and that’s definitely something I’ve gotta adjust to. But I’m doing good so far and I’m really liking the offense.”
Contact Kevin Tresolini at [email protected] 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: National champ at Michigan Jake Thaw seeks bigger role at Delaware
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Publish date : 2024-08-08 06:29:00
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