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.
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.