TIME FOR URI TO TAKE A STAND
Fleming’s tenure in charge of URI will be decided this season
KINGSTON — One way or another, this season will tell the story of Jim Fleming’s tenure as head coach of the University of Rhode Island football team. If there is a corner to turn, the Rams are assuredly approaching it as the 2018 season begins to dawn.
“When you sit back and look at it with a mature set of eyes – and unfortunately I’m getting more mature by the day – we are where we want to be,” Fleming said. “We have a very talented football team with the opportunity to do good things.
“Now it’s a question of playing good football.”
That’s been easier said than done for Fleming and his Rams in the past four years. Four full seasons of Fleming’s guidance have brought just seven total wins home to Kingston. Last year’s threewin campaign was the most successful for the team since 2013 - Joe Trainer’s final season as head coach.
While the wins have not piled up, experience is starting to. The Rams named five captains on Saturday, four seniors and one junior. Quarterback JaJuan Lawson and lineman Dwayne Scott will lead the offense, while D.J. Stewart, Justin Hogan and Nas Jones will hold the title on the defensive side.
The defense was a key aspect of the Rams’ 2017 season. A dominant front four compiled 32 sacks and 79 tackles for loss in 11 games, living in opposing backfields. Most of the components that made that disruption possible return to Kingston for another go-around in 2018.
Hogan was the team’s leading tackler, returning from an injury-plagued 2016 season to start every game and record 104 tackles. Fellow captain Stewart was right behind Hogan, leading the secondary by making 79 stops.
The pressure up front took some pressure off Hogan and Stewart a year ago, and enough of the sack production returns to continue that trend. L.B. Mack III (12.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks), Tez Wilson (12.5 TFL, 5 sacks), and Brandon Ginnetti (10.5 TFL, team-high 7 sacks) constitute a three-headed monster for the Rams defensive line this season.
“Defensively, what they did last year with their front four was very impressive,” Delaware head coach Danny Rocco said. “A number of those guys are back. That certainly has caught our attention.”
Rocco and his Fightin’ Blue Hens will be the first team to get a real look at the experienced Rams. In a rare scheduling move, the two teams will open with a conference game this Thursday.
“It’s a little different for me, I don’t think I’ve had [a conference game to open the season] in 13 years,” of coaching, Rocco said. “Nothing is more important than conference play. Being at home is big, that’s always a big factor. Our guys are focused in on doing what we need to do here.”
“The thing you’re trying to avoid is the first-game mistakes,” Fleming said. “Usually you have a chance to get those out of the way against a non-conference opponent. Our kids are really excited. We look forward to getting on the bus on Wednesday and cruising down to Delaware.”
Mistakes have cost Rhody dearly in years past, especially in close games. Three of the team’s losses last year came by a combined deficit of seven points, a stat that gets even harder to swallow when you take into consideration the nine lost fum- bles and 17 interceptions that went against them.
Only four of those picks came from the arm of projected starter Lawson. The newly-named captain enters this season looking to build on a solid debut season with the Rams. Seven of the team’s 16 passing touchdowns last season came from Lawson.
“JaJuan has only been with the program for a year and a month,” Fleming said. “He walked on campus last year, established himself as the starting quarterback. He has continued to improve mechanically and fundamentally in understanding our offense. We expect big things from him. He gives us a leadership component that we haven’t really had at the position.”
The Rams return eight offensive starters this year, with plenty of carry-over on the offensive line and in the receiver corps. The running back position remains a question mark, with a host of players lining up for potential carries.
“I feel really good about our offense,” Fleming said. “We have a lot of returning guys. The one position where we haven’t been battle tested is at the running back spot. I feel as if we have some good answers there.”
“I recognize improvement,” Rocco said. “I see a level of execution and talent that is very real. Offensively, they have the capability to get the ball to their very talented group of wide receivers. They have size on the offensive line, but I’m not certain what the running game will look like.”
The Rams and Blue Hens kick off the CAA season tomorrow night at 7. The game will streamed online at CollegeSportsLive.com.