Delaware
State picks Alton Lavan as head football coach
January 2, 2004
DOVER, Del. – Delaware State University has announced
that long-time National Football League and collegiate assistant
Alton “Al” Lavan,
57, has accepted an offer to become the 16th head football coach of the Division
I-AA Hornets.
Lavan will be formally introduced during a press conference Monday, January
5 at 10:00 a.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Student Center on the Delaware
State University campus in Dover.
Al Lavan
Prior to accepting the Delaware State position, Lavan served the past two
seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University. He was promoted
to assistant head coach for the 2003 football season and upon the late-season
firing of then-head coach Jeff Woodruff, Lavan was named as interim head coach.
After taking over the 1-8 football team, Eastern Michigan won two of its final
three games under Lavan.
Lavan brings more than 30 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience
to Delaware State.
In more than 16 years as a NFL assistant, Lavan’s resume’ includes
stints with the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore
Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a member of the 1990 Super Bowl
champion San Francisco 49ers’ coaching staff. That team included former
Delaware State University standout John Taylor, who caught a touchdown pass
in the 49ers 55-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.
Lavan has served as position coach for a number of NFL all stars, including
Tony Dorsett, Hershel Walker, Roger Craig, and Priest Holmes.
Lavan’s collegiate coaching tenure includes stops at Colorado State
University, University of Louisville, Iowa State University, Georgia Tech University,
Stanford University, and the University of Washington.
Delaware State University Director of Athletics Dr. Hallie Gregory said Lavan
is a good fit for the Hornets. “He’s got a lot of NFL and Division
I experience,” Gregory said. “With his background and contacts,
I am confident that he will elevate the DSU football program to heights of
competitive success.”
Lavan defined the success he will pursue at Delaware State as the athletic
and academic excellence of the Hornet football program that will result in
a winning program and a high athlete graduation rate. “I am excited and
looking forward to the challenge that is before us to improve and move the
Hornets to the next level,” Lavan said.
Among Lavan's first priorities will be to hire the rest of his coaching staff
and to complete the off-season the recruiting of student athletes.
Delaware State was 1-10 overall and 1-7 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
(MEAC) in 2003. Ben Blacknall was relieved of his duties as head coach of the
Hornets after the team lost its first six games last season. Delaware State
was 1-4 under interim head coach Butch Posey during the remainder of the 2003
season.
