Quarterback play key to URI’s chances in CAA
KINGSTON — If coach Jim Fleming and the URI football team are to turn the program around and establish a winning culture in Kingston, the 2017 season will have to be the first step on that road.
In Fleming’s first three season on campus, the Rams have won a combined four games. Another one- or two-win campaign could continue the Rams’ futility for a decade, a fate the program is determined to avoid.
Early signs out of URI’s summer camp have all been positive. The team has reloaded an offense that was inefficient at best last season, and putrid at worst. A young defense that has shown a lot of promise under Fleming, particularly in a shutout win two seasons ago against Delaware, is one year older and, Fleming hopes, wiser.
“Had a really great training camp,” Fleming said. “Really excited about the organization’s structure, how the kids approached it. The work we got done was outstanding.”
The work for the Rams this summer was accomplished both on the field and on the recruiting trail. The departure of last year’s two main quarterbacks during summer camp ultimately allowed the coaching staff to increase the talent level at that position.
“Our quarterback situation is completely different and better,” said Fleming. “Jordan [Vazzano, last year’s starter] came in a couple weeks before training camp and said that he was looking to do something different with his academic career. He decided to not participate with us. He’s ended up at Trinity College in Connecticut last I heard.”
With Vazzano opting out and backup Wes McKoy already having left the team, Fleming and his staff put out feelers across the country in search of a transfer who could step in and fill the role of offensive leader immediately.
“The process of our whole quarterback evolution started with Wes McKoy leaving the program,” Fleming recounted. “That’s when we started to investigate any transfers. We came up with a number of guys we looked at. We settled in on Tyler Harris, a grad transfer from Central Florida. Coach [Keegan] Kennedy, our offensive line coach had coached him when he was there. He committed to us early.”
With the 6-foot-4 FBS product locked up, the focus of the late recruiting shifted to running back. Markey Clarke had suffered a debilitating training camp injury, and the backup spot behind Harold Cooper was suddenly void.
“We were looking at an athletic kid, kid named JaJuan Lawson, who was out of the University of New Mexico, who was an option quarterback,” to come in as a running back, said Fleming. “We thought he could play for us as a running back, slot receiver, wildcat quarterback type of thing. As it turned out with Jordan leaving, we had a good threeway competition [at QB] between Harris, Lawson and Vito Priore.”
Harris won that battle when Fleming announced him as the starter last Thursday, but the play at the quarterback position was markedly different this preseason. In 2016, URI quarterbacks completed 40.9 percent of their pass attempts, and threw more than double the amount of interceptions than touchdowns.
This summer, the trio of QBs, albeit against their own defense in scrimmage settings, accounted for over 600 yards of offense in one scrimmage, and threw no interceptions in the other.
“JaJuan is going to have a role in the offense and will play,” Fleming said, despite Harris being the official starter. “Vito earned himself a full scholarship. We’re very secure at that position with the addition of true freshman Jahkari Grant. That position is pretty solid, now they have to go out and play well.”
One ongoing concern for the Rams is protecting their new talented QBs. The offensive line allowed 10 sacks in the final scrimmage, all in one half of play.
“The offensive line is a year older, stronger from the offseason,” said Fleming. “As everyone has, there are some depth concerns. We have a good group we can roll out there and feel very confident with their abilities.”
If the protection can hold up, Harris and Lawson will have plenty of targets to connect with in the passing game. All-American tight end Charlie McKeeman chose to retire from football but the Rams figure to have depth and talent at the wide out position.
“We were able to replace Charlie McKeeman with two guys,” said Fleming. “One, Joe Kenny, who is a big sophomore kid, fullback-type. The other is Tyler Burke, a transfer in from Maryland who was a linebacker. We made the transition to tight end and we’re very pleased with his performance.”
While most of the Ram offense is more potential than proven, there is one major piece of the puzzle that has been set firmly in place for the last three seasons.
“Coop is our guy,” Fleming said of senior running back and shifty return man Cooper. “What we’ve done with offensive structure is created an even better opportunity for him. Really hoping we can put a year on the table for him where he can excel statistically and get the recognition he deserves. He’s a dynamite player that can both run it and catch it.”
The Rhody defense had its ups and downs last season, but were a major factor in the two 2016 wins. In wins over Brown and Elon, the defense gave up 13 and 14 points, respectively. Big losses to James Madison and Harvard skewed the overall numbers for the defensive unit, leading to an average of 424 yards per game for opposing offenses, and a total of 47 touchdowns allowed.
“They look good,” this summer, said Fleming of the unit. “Like everybody, they’ve made a lot of improvements. We played a lot of young guys. Year older, third or fourth time through the install and the understanding of what we do. There’s a better knowledge of our schemes and techniques.”
Hogan missed most of last season with an injury, but still managed to record 35 tackles in limited playing time. In URI’s 35-7 loss to Albany, Hogan had 17 stops, 12 of which came on solo tackles.
Hogan’s return to health comes at a time when nearly the entire roster is fit and ready to start the season. There is one notable, local exception to the good fortunes of the team.
“Got out of [camp] reasonably healthy, but had one foot surgery: Andre Bibeault, a redshirt freshman,” Fleming said. “[It will] be probably eight weeks or so [before he returns], which is unfortunate.”
Bibeault, a product of Cumberland High School, could potentially return from his injury for the team’s three final games in November, adding some more depth up front for the Rhody defense.
URI starts the season with a buy game at Central Michigan this Thursday, and their home opener follows on Saturday, September 9, against Stony Brook.