FOOTBALL: Game #2: Stony Brook vs. Rhode Island (9/7/13)

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

Rhody looks for its first win of the season in their home opener against Stony Brook. The two teams will meet for the first time ever. Game is scheduled to start at 1PM. Stony Brook was 9-2 last season, and made it to the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

I'll be at the game with my 2yr old... Will Rhody get steamrolled here?

STC · Unread post by **STC** » 10 years ago

ATPTourFan wrote:I'll be at the game with my 2yr old... Will Rhody get steamrolled here?

At this point I don't think it's a question of 'will they' but by how much?

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

I don't really have much of a knowledge of Stony Brook football other than what I can see on their website, but they seem like a very solid program. They steamrolled some teams last year, including: Central Connecticut 49-17, Pace 77-7, and a few others. They beat Villanova in the first round of the playoffs, and then lost to Montana State 16-10.
Based on the fact we have lost 14 straight dating back to 2011, it could be a long day for Rhody.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 10 years ago

I'm going to my first URI football game in about 10 years tomorrow. Hope it's competitive ....

neil · Unread post by **neil** » 10 years ago

I will start another year at Meade. It would be real nice to get an upset. Say what you want, but they are student athletes who are basically playing for the love of the game and not heading to the NFL. It would be nice around three thirty that they race across the field and sing the fight song with the band. (Rizzi's idea) . Now combine that with some good recruiting news...

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 10 years ago

"The Perfect Day" by Neil.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 10 years ago

It would be funny if/when Terrell announces he's going to URI that a huge cheer would go up in the crowd in the middle of the game. I know I'll be checking my phone at that time....

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

I'm goin as well, might need a few nips for this one

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

Rhodymob05 wrote:I'm goin as well, might need a few nips for this one

My little kid will keep me happy distracted if things go south during the game. He'll find a way to have fun.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 10 years ago

Since I hadn't been to a URI football game in several years, I wasn't sure what to expect this afternoon. Glorious weather, decent crowd, and a very good opponent. All in all, not bad. But there's no real passion, which is understandable given the now 15-game losing string. URI's defense looked pretty good, though they still have the propensity to give up big plays. Still, URI was in it until the 4th quarter. URI's offense is a puzzle ... I think the biggest weakness is the OL. A couple of times on 3rd and short or 4th and short, they couldn't get the couple of yards needed for the 1st down. Bentsen was better than I expected and I saw some flashes from both RBs and WRs. The punting game is woeful.

I hope to make it back at least once more this season, but I don't see much hope for more than 1 or 2 wins this year.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 10 years ago

They need Gresh back.

GansettRam74 · Unread post by **GansettRam74** » 10 years ago

Rhody74 wrote:Since I hadn't been to a URI football game in several years, I wasn't sure what to expect this afternoon. Glorious weather, decent crowd, and a very good opponent. All in all, not bad. But there's no real passion, which is understandable given the now 15-game losing string. URI's defense looked pretty good, though they still have the propensity to give up big plays. Still, URI was in it until the 4th quarter. URI's offense is a puzzle ... I think the biggest weakness is the OL. A couple of times on 3rd and short or 4th and short, they couldn't get the couple of yards needed for the 1st down. Bentsen was better than I expected and I saw some flashes from both RBs and WRs. The punting game is woeful.

I hope to make it back at least once more this season, but I don't see much hope for more than 1 or 2 wins this year.

I too went today hoping for a better showing than against Fordham. Rhody was in the game until they were stopped on 4th down then the wind came out of the sails. Bentsen looked decent but I'm not sold on him. As a football coach myself, I'm not sold on the the pistol offense either. Might work for teams like Oregon but not URI. I'm think 3 wins this season tops.

As for Gresh, he was there today with his family and had an opportunity to chat with him for a bit as we played together briefly at Rhody. He (and I for that matter) is far from his playing weigh so he wouldn't be much help!

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

This repetitive thing with the punter playing poorly is amazing to me.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 10 years ago

OK, I understand I am biased, but did anyone have a chance to see maybe on some kind of streaming or maybe they filmed the game the 3 crucial calls in the 4th qtr when the score was 10-0..
1. The pass interference in the End Zone against URI, it was a late flag, and the pass was 10 yards in front of the receiver.
2. The URI fumble after the pass catch in which the player was immediately hit. I don't think he had the ball to call it a reception,.
3. The Pass by the Stony Brook QB, seemed like he was two yards passed the line of scrimmage.

rhodyRams08 · Unread post by **rhodyRams08** » 10 years ago

I was at today's game and although it wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome - I don't believe the offense made it into the red zone once- the pass interference call was awful. The WR had no chance at catching that ball.
The other drive it clearly looked like the QB was at least 2 yards over the line of scrimmage when he passed the ball....

I thought it was going to be a really long game when on the first play of the game after kickoff, URI had a delay of game......
I was also scratching my head when Trainer ran the play clock down to 1 second before calling a timeout on a 4th and 4 in the 4th quarter......we were down 10 with 13 minutes...
Also did we call a timeout on defense when the play clock was down to 1 second and Stony Brook didn't look like they were going to get the play off in time???

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 10 years ago

The pass interference call was definitely bullshit. It appeared the defender stepped on the receiver's heel, but it was long after the ball sailed overhead. If I recall, it was a third down play and the best SBU would've gotten was a field goal. I didn't see the other two plays, but Trainer made some weird calls, including waiting 20 seconds to call that timeout. Unless URI makes a dramatic turnaround, I think Trainer's days are numbered.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

Trainer looked bad today.

How about some ball security drills?? Does any team fumble more than Trainer's Rams?

The coaching staff was too tentative and nervous! It makes the players tentative, too.

Trainer is often 3 yards onto the field and most of the game the refs let him get away with it. When late in the game they repeatedly asked him to get off the field he exploded at the side judge. His behavior was embarassing.

The staff know their days are numbered at this rate.

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

•Despite two losses to open the season, Rhode Island has more first downs, rushing yardage and time of possession than the opposition. However, the Rams are minus-5 in the turnover department

Guys-I agree on the coaching analysis. See above.
A lot of the problem is the disorganization and dysfunctionality.
The RB's did nothing again as typical rule.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 10 years ago

URI did not have any running back close to the best back that Stony Brook had. Who does most of their recruiting in NY, NJ and PA.

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

OBRAM-agreed.
Rhody recruits these areas also.
RB's and punters are a dime a dozen. QB's also (but admittedly a little less).
You can get them in RI or just over the border in Ct. and Mass.
Look at how well the kid from Ansonia (Matoes) played for Rhody.
There is a ton of good football players at HS level near Rhody campus.
If you can win at Bryant,Brown,Salve,New Haven,Maine,UNH,Stony Brook,ad nausem-you can win at Rhody.
They are all in same vicinity.

rhodylaw · Unread post by **rhodylaw** » 10 years ago

Everyone of those schools mentioned has better football facilities. Upgrade Meade so it isn't a joke and stop talk about cutting the program and maybe we will be successful.

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

Rhody law-amen.
Not that expensive.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

THANK YOU RHODYLAW. So coming off of a no win season, I'd say there was about 4,300 people at the game. Good showing of SB fans but still, it was a good show of fans. I found the first half to be a good one. KEEP football, we just need URI to REALLY give a crap. Easier said then done but Meade is obviously in need of an upgrade. And get some real coaches.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

Rhodymob5... your last point about coaches has validity after the first two weeks of this season.

Bos8 · Unread post by **Bos8** » 10 years ago

It is disappointing because when Rizzi was here, there was great energy around the program. Rizzi also brought talent in to Kingston. Look at what Coach Trainer did with Rizzi's guys. He went 5-6 in 2010 and the program was looking up. The talk of the drop to the NEC really ruined that momentum.
Has any coach in D1 ever survived back to back winless seasons.

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

Trainor is overmatched. He'll be gone after this season. Even with more talent, you have to do something with it. It'll be interesting to see if they win a game or two this season. Will it matter?

Once money starts coming in with basketball success, then Thorr and URI have a choice: Either start investing some of it in the football program, or get rid of it. Half ass won't cut it. New staff, upgraded stadium, practice facilities, the whole nine yards. Either fully commit, or quit.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

some people argue to stop the football program and use its funding towards making hockey D1. I doubt the attendance would be a third of what football is so why not just improve football. In the long run its about the sport, not the school that controls attendance.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

Looking at PC's hockey schedule, they play 40 games.
So, say 20 games at home, far outweighs a five game home football schedule
as far as attendence, not to mention a lower overhead of scholarships and outfitting a 15 man roster as opposed to
80 or whatever college football is.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

there were 4,300 people at the game sunday and we didn't have a prayer at winning a game last season, and got spanked in NY. Imagine if we go above 500 winning %. Beautiful fall weather to watch pad crunching football? or freeze ya but off watching hockey in Boss arena. Think about it.

OBRAM · Unread post by **OBRAM** » 10 years ago

Football in the Fall (take your pick soccer of American football), Basketball in the Winter, and Baseball in the Spring. I can't do another winter sport, not enough spare time for me.

Well, Trainer had the program heading in the right direction, so what was the reward for a 5-6 season in 2010 (and actually it could easily have been 7-4 we beat Maine the refs did not call the TD, and we did not convert on the last play against Fordham on the 1 yard line), Admin decides to drop to the NEC. That set us back 5 years from where we want to be. I think we want to be like a Maine, or Villanova and aspire to be a North Dakota State, Deleware.

Is the CAA a better football conference than the A-10 a basketball conference? It is a big loss to lose Xavier and Temple, and top CAA football teams can be ranked in the #65-#100 in rankings.

87 Towson AA = 66.72 2 0 61.63( 116)
100 Temple A = 64.28 0 2 77.88( 24)
103 Richmond AA = 63.73 1 1 52.99( 178)
122 New Hampshire AA = 60.20 0 1 66.49( 84)
123 Villanova AA = 60.04 0 2 62.32( 109)
126 Stony Brook AA = 59.35 1 0 46.85( 205)
134 James Madison AA = 58.20 1 1 47.79( 203)
137 William & Mary AA = 57.78 1 1 55.29( 165)
138 Maine AA = 57.78 2 0 51.21( 187)
139 Army A = 57.44 1 1 50.91( 190)

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

Never mind how awesome a marching band sounds through the stadium. You can hear it across campus and its sounded great Saturday.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

I wish the band would face the Ryan Center for at least SOME of their performance.

BFC · Unread post by **BFC** » 10 years ago

OBRAM wrote:Is the CAA a better football conference than the A-10 a basketball conference?

Yes, clearly. Well not in terms of interest, reputation, competitiveness on a national level, or ability to generate revenue. But besides that, yes.

And the scholarship reduction was so damaging that it caused URI to have 21 losing seasons in the 24 years before the reduction even happened.

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

The CAA is most years the # 1 FCS football conference in the country.
The A-10 is the # 7 BB conference in the country most years.
There are reasons for that.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

Hal, you can't be serious. A10 plays for the REAL national chanpionship against all other schools.

CAA football is best of the 2nd or 3rd class football confs that cannot win a true national championship (as in better than any other school in America).

neil · Unread post by **neil** » 10 years ago

Couple of thoughts -
1. Defense will continue to improve this year. Giving up 24 points was very misleading. There was alot of gang tackling and getting to ball carriers behind the line of scrimmage. My seat is right above where the defensive players sit and they were positive/enthusiastic thoughout the game.
2. I have some problems with the offense. They seem to be way to predictable. Coach said at the start of the year that we would have a no huddle look to pick up the pace. Well, we do have that but we wait 20 seconds to try to figure out what play to run.
3. The quarterback I think is a 5th year senior. One would think he could run a play or two without always looking over to the coordinator.
4. Bentsen's statistics are very deceiving. What was he, 24 for 35. How many of those passes went beyond 10-15 yards. I think he threw 6 or 7 passes one yard to the outside receivers which basically went nowhere.
5. It seems like we don't have a deep threat -so we are content to nickle/dime our way down the field. Tom Brady is not walking through the door. With alot of plays trying to get to the redzone (which we didn't visit on Saturday) something bad is likely to happen (turnovers).
6. Shake up the play book coaches - how about a reverse once in awhile?
7. Delgado should have had more carries - he was a non-factor. Did we give up on the run so quickly after the Fordham game?
8. Highlight of the game - sitting two rows in back of ATP and his two year old. The kid made it through the entire game!
9. Go Rhody!

Andrew · Unread post by **Andrew** » 10 years ago

Additional thoughts / commenting on Neil's:

1. I thought the defense played pretty well, considering they were on the field a ton, and the game was 10-0 for the large majority. Two late scores sealed it, but, again, they did a pretty good job.
2. Offense is a bit improved as far as tempo goes, but the play-calling is conservative and boring. Many fans (and presumably opponents) know exactly what plays we're running as it applies to specific scenarios. Prime example: 4th and 1 at Stony Brook's 40-ish... run, right up the middle. Everyone in the world knew it, and it was stopped for a loss.
3. Yup!
4. Bentsen isn't impressive. Most pass completions are screens, dumpoffs, or quick routes. The WR gets some positive YAC, which accounts for the majority of yardage. Stony Brook ran play-action a handful of times, and killed us on it. Their WRs were single-covered over the middle every single time.
5. Agree here.
6. Playcalling is boring, predictable. I don't know about a reverse, but we've gotta open up the field somehow.
7. The RBs haven't looked particularly impressive.

Additions:
8. Trainer has no clue how timeouts are supposed to work. We were losing 10-0 with 13 minutes to go, and he waited intentionally to call timeout until the play clock was at 1. We needed the clock in our favor, and the team was on a solid drive with momentum. He frequently calls timeouts on defense, when the opponent's play clock is dwindling. (He did it again on Saturday; Stony Brook wasn't lined up properly, and they had about 3 seconds left.)
9. Offensive line has looked pretty good. Bentsen has had ample time to throw for the most part, but the RB holes could be a bit better (or maybe it's a vision issue - hard to tell)
10. I'd be surprised if we got a win this season, unless there's a QB change.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

neil wrote:Couple of thoughts -
8. Highlight of the game - sitting two rows in back of ATP and his two year old. The kid made it through the entire game!

Big Hat Tip to my good friend URI96 who so graciously supplied his two tickets for me and Charlie to attend the game in his absence.

I'm lucky he doesn't mind watching live sporting events as long as he has a constant supply of snacks (sounds like me when I'm watching sports at home!). It will be fun taking him into the Ryan Center this year which will be his 3rd season attending games (amazing how fast they grow!).

Also, in all fairness, my son fell asleep at the start of the 4th quarter (he has impeccable timing for these things!).

Bos8 · Unread post by **Bos8** » 10 years ago

Has anyone been to a practice? How does the FBS Transfer, Kolt Peavey look? I understand the back up QB is the most popular player on a losing team, but I haven't seen anything from Bentsen. It may be the play calling holding him back, but at this point I think something may need to be done to shake it up. He has only won 2 games in his 2 years of starting at QB.

GansettRam74 · Unread post by **GansettRam74** » 10 years ago

Bos8 wrote:Has anyone been to a practice? How does the FBS Transfer, Kolt Peavey look? I understand the back up QB is the most popular player on a losing team, but I haven't seen anything from Bentsen. It may be the play calling holding him back, but at this point I think something may need to be done to shake it up. He has only won 2 games in his 2 years of starting at QB.

The problem is URI's running the pistol offense for which Bentsen has been playing in and is familar with. Peavey is the better passer of the two but he is more of a drop back QB and is slower than Bentsen. I've been to several practices and Bentsen is the better of the two in the pistol. As a football coach, I'm not a fan of the pistol especially when you don't have a deep threat or playmakers on the outside. Defenses like Fordham and SBU know this so what until Delaware and the other big dogs face URI. I like smash mouth football rather than pretty offenses like Oregon, etc. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy watching those offenses on TV but as a coach, not so much.

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 10 years ago

It also does not help that the offense runs a total of maybe 7-10 plays and cycles through them. Swing pass, bubble screen, QB draw, etc. No shots downfield. No vertical threat at all. The defense mine as well play up the whole game because we don't attempt passes longer than 10 yards. I honestly am starting to think it is not so much the talent as it is the entire coaching staff.
Could Peavey come in and do a better job? Possibly. I just feel like any QB could run that offense and face the same problems. The defense knows whats coming. Just have the DB's play up and load the box.
As poor as the offense has played I still have a positive feeling towards our WR position. Does anyone else agree? Why not try to get them the ball in space?

Hal Kopp · Unread post by **Hal Kopp** » 10 years ago

A long time Rhody follower hs been screaming at me for years-" it is not the kids,it is the coaches"!!
Bos8 and Rhody fan,I agree with the coaching aspect.

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 10 years ago

When you're running a program on a shoestring you don't pay enough to get excellent assistant coaches. This is one of the unspoken problems with the program.
What was one of the things Hurley demanded -- better pay for assistants.

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