What is the future of URI football according to Keaney Blue?

Talk about all other Rhody teams, from Baseball to Indoor Track.

What should URI do with the football program?

Keep it, no questions asked
16
33%
Keep it for a little longer to see if a major improvement can fix it
19
40%
Drop it, but only if it means adding a sport like hockey
8
17%
Drop it, no questions asked
5
10%
 
Total votes: 48

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RhowdyRam02
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What is the future of URI football according to Keaney Blue?

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

While there is still one game left this season, the home slate is now over and it appears that this is the last season Coach Trainer is under contract so I'm just curious to see what the community thinks URI should do with the program. It seems like this is a topic often discussed but we have no real numbers to see what the board thinks. Don't vote for what you think URI will do, vote for what you would do.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Ramulous »

I would hire the best coach I could find who wants to make a name for himself on the way to a BCS job in 5 years.....

.....I would want to give football the chance to succeed.....I provides a great college atmosphere.....
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

I have to be honest, this is a really complicated question for me, and that's part of why I threw this poll up, along with the feeling that the program's existence is at a crossroads right now.

In football's favor, there is truly nothing in all of sports like college football. To be on campus on a great fall day, the tailgating, the game itself, and the way it feels to be on your campus after a win are things that to me just can't be replicated by pro sports and college basketball falls short due to the lack of tailgating. There's a reason why there are so many events geared to getting alumni and community groups on campus for football games even though we're a basketball first school. Also, even though our program has been down for so long we still get very good attendance for our results and the shape Meade Stadium is in. It's clearly the second best attended sport we have, some years it's first if basketball is down, and draws better than hockey or lacrosse would if you view them as the most likely replacements for a football team. And on a personal note, I love the sport of football, don't really care for basketball as a sport, and don't like metal bats in baseball, so to me the football team tends to be the Ram program I'm most interested in.

All that said there are definitely cons to the program. One is depending on how you view the current national structure, URI plays either D2 or D3 level football with no chance to ever play true D1 level football. Two is Meade Stadium is half a joke. The East stands are terrible, and while the artist rendering of an improved stadium is nice it is also 12 years old with no indication there's any possibility to be completed. Third, I'm not sure what a new coaching staff will do here. Let's not forget that Tim Stowers won a national championship at the FCS level and had only one winning record in 8 seasons. This brings you to the fourth big problem, our pedigree or lack thereof. We've had three winning seasons in the last 23 years, which roughly corresponds to how long our oldest players have been alive. Our last winning record was in 2001, when our oldest players were probably in 4th grade. Finally, the ever present concussion issue. I know concussions are a problem in all sports, but football seems to be the worst offender. There’s a lot of talk that insurance for football programs is going to be getting more and more expensive which will make playing football at a lower level more difficult.

I have to be honest, I voted to drop the program if it means we can add hockey or lacrosse. I think the ability to play at the top level of a sport with fewer scholarships is just too enticing because I don't think we'll ever be able to put together a winning program here. Even when we start going to the NCAA tournament I don’t believe enough money will be able to be funneled to football to properly upgrade Meade Stadium and I don’t see the legislature stepping in to help out. And I think with the sea change about to occur in regards to football in this country I think we’re better off getting out of the game sooner rather than later and add a sport we’re stronger with regionally like hockey or a sport that could be exploding shortly nationally like lacrosse.

One thing I’m curious about is the people that voted that they want to give football a little more time. How much time would you like to give the program? What are benchmarks they would need to achieve in that time to convince you the program should stick around?
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

At least one more coaching staff. If FB goes,every team not going to NCAA's at least once every four years and not drawing needs to go with it. Hockey and Lacrosse do not draw,no sense in bringing them on.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Ramulous »

I would give a new coaching staff one full four-year recruiting cycle.....show substantial progress or we think the un-thinkable....drop football....
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Puck Frovidence »

I'm always going to be pushing for D1 hockey, but in no way think killing FB is necessary to achieve that end. Totally agree with Ramulous that something about the football atmosphere seems quintessentially college. That being said, I voted to drop as well. I don't know what kind of alumni support the program gets (I suspect a decent amount) but I can tell you that among students, the general feeling can be kindly described as "contemptuous" almost across the board. We're not talking apathy here, more ridicule and scorn. Which is a bummer, because tailgating during homecoming was really fun. I'm not as familiar with what it takes to help a beleaguered FCS team as I am with hockey, but it seems a lot more expensive as a proposition.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by hrstrat57 »

I voted keep football....but might need to drop to a lower compete level...

If you think D1 hockey can't pack em in at an on campus arena spend a few days in Durham NH.
RI has better HS talent than NH on a par with Massachusetts. No D1 hockey is a farce. I think it might on the cusp of getting fixed, sure hope so.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

I voted to keep and that is on the stipulation that the program improves. I think URI can be a successful football program in the CAA conference. I would say a coaching change is absolutely necessary. I agree with Ramulous, find a young guy that has solid credentials even if he moves on to something better in 5 years.
As for benchmarks, I can't say I am necessarily qualified to set those goals because I'm not sure what is feasible or not. However, for me, I would say a conference record of .500 or better in 2-3 years would be a good start. I would also like to see a good rated recruiting class in the first couple of years with the new coaching staff. After we see a few years of competitive/winning seasons, I would begin to mix making the playoffs into the mix of goals set for the team. Also, there should be goals in reference to improving Mead Stadium. What do some of you people think?
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by ramster »

RhodyRam, you mention the reasons you put the survey out there, just curious, what do youthink about the voting so far? Is it about what you expected? Did you expect more positives about keeping football or did you expect more people to want to discontinue the program?
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by OBRAM »

This post amazes me and really defines URI mentality and maybe the State of Rhode Island. I don't think URI football has ever been given the support it needs to be successful, in 100 years. I think students help build the old west concrete stands that were taken down, and the East Stands were the only big improvement in 70 years. URI has never give the support for football that other colleges have, whether it be UNH or Bryant. Even Albany and Stony Brook have better support now, and I don't think they had programs 20 years ago. We are not talking about trying to be successful in the SEC, we are talking the CAA. If you can't be successful in the CAA but Maine, UNH can be you have to wonder about anything the University does sports wise or Academically. So, it has been 28 years since the glory days of URI football and 16 years since the glory days of URI basketball, but you start a poll whether to continue football, as if we are just coming off a final four appearance? In the last 16 years there have been a lot of years that it has been excruciating to sit and watch URI basketball, just think of the Gerry D. years and maybe 3 years ago. That despite basketball (m) getting the big administrative support, the facilities, and new new floor and URI can't get fieldturf on the practice field or lights, not to mention other sports like no outdoor track. I think you had to wear a Hazmat suit to go into the football offices this fall, they were taking down the ceiling tiles. Nice, bring a recruit show him the football offices , but 1st you have to wear a hazmat suit.
As far as football safety and insurance cost, do you think hockey does not have similar problems.
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rambone 78
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

Well Obram, there's your answer.

Improve the program, or lose it.

The status quo here when it comes to football is unacceptable.

I have no problem with keeping football, as long as those improvements are made.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by RF1 »

hrstrat57 wrote:If you think D1 hockey can't pack em in at an on campus arena spend a few days in Durham NH.

I don't doubt for a second that a long established normally perrenial successful D1 hockey program in Durham, NH that competes in the best college hockey conference packs their 6.5k seat 1st class arena. I however do doubt that a start up hockey program in Kingston likely to be competing at the lowest level of D1 hockey in an arena far below 1st class will pack them in.
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rambone 78
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

URI hockey doesn't have to be world beaters. Just be successful at whatever level they play. If it's low level D1, so be it. The facilities don't support a UNH type program, they don't have to.

If URI football stayed in the NEC but was at least competitive, then that would have been fine by me. However, all signs pointed to URI becoming a doormat in THAT league too.

If URI can't, or won't, do what it takes to be at least competitive in the CAA, get rid of it. Stop the lip service and DO something, or else get out.

Stop pissing away millions of dollars every year, and getting embarrassed too. Remember the Raiders slogan? Commitment to excellence? That should be Rhody's too, in whatever they do at whatever level.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

Does anyone know of any coaches that are available? Would any coach worth hiring even come here? We need to see some support thrown towards the football team at the end of this season. Thorr should come out and establish that they are putting effort and resources towards rebuilding this program. If we don't see anything like that, then just expect more of the same.
Also, I love thinking about the possibility of hockey, but its getting old. Thorr tweeted out last may that there is no interest in bringing Division 1 hockey to the university. I don't see it happening any time soon.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by ramster »

OBRAM wrote:This post amazes me and really defines URI mentality and maybe the State of Rhode Island. I don't think URI football has ever been given the support it needs to be successful, in 100 years. I think students help build the old west concrete stands that were taken down, and the East Stands were the only big improvement in 70 years. URI has never give the support for football that other colleges have, whether it be UNH or Bryant. Even Albany and Stony Brook have better support now, and I don't think they had programs 20 years ago. We are not talking about trying to be successful in the SEC, we are talking the CAA. If you can't be successful in the CAA but Maine, UNH can be you have to wonder about anything the University does sports wise or Academically. So, it has been 28 years since the glory days of URI football and 16 years since the glory days of URI basketball, but you start a poll whether to continue football, as if we are just coming off a final four appearance? In the last 16 years there have been a lot of years that it has been excruciating to sit and watch URI basketball, just think of the Gerry D. years and maybe 3 years ago. That despite basketball (m) getting the big administrative support, the facilities, and new new floor and URI can't get fieldturf on the practice field or lights, not to mention other sports like no outdoor track. I think you had to wear a Hazmat suit to go into the football offices this fall, they were taking down the ceiling tiles. Nice, bring a recruit show him the football offices , but 1st you have to wear a hazmat suit.
As far as football safety and insurance cost, do you think hockey does not have similar problems.
OBRAM,
You make a good point about Basketball. Great facilities, new arena, very well paid coaches, etc. but it never gets questions for continuing. I think it is a dream that getting rid of football will channel more money to basketball - don't think that would ever happen - the money would go to other things.
I like basketball - my favorite - but I like football too. I want both.
I also can tell you I love a crisp, fall afternoon football game at my University of Rhode Island. Nothing like it, nothing. If URI is 2-8 or 8-2 I will still go to Homecoming, still go to Family Day...........I went to every game as a student and many road games as well. I would be devastated if URI were to drop football. I thought the NEC idea was a bad one and we are paying the price for that. But honestly I would love a good program but I am not infatuated with that goal. We are not going to the BCS Championship - ever. Not the same as Basketball where the team does have a shot for the National Championship (dumb and dumber - "so you think there's a chance"). I am solidly in the group that says I would never give up football - never.
I want a better record and a better team in all URI sports...........soccer, hockey, tennis, baseball, softball, swimming, track and field, golf, rowing....................the only team that gets constantly questioned for dropping is football.
What is your opinion OBRAM? You seem to be the closest to this of all posters.
Do you think the program is salvagable? Do you think we can turn this around?
What would you do for the stadium situation?
Look now at Fordham...............why can't we do that?
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

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If winning programs are the only ones that should be kept, URI will be left with just ONE sport - Men's baseball. Every other sport at URI , particularly all the women's team sports, have been very bad successive years as of late. I will say it again. There is no real concrete commitment to excellence from the administration when it comes to URI athletics. For the most part in every sport, URI tries to do it on the cheap and seems happy just to field a team. If we get lucky with a good coach that somehow attracts talent that is probably better than deserved, URI does well in that sport. If the coach moves on, all bets are off and the cycle usually starts again at the bottom.
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rambone 78
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

RF1, good post, although men's BB is getting plenty of money thrown it's way. Hasn't paid off yet, but it will soon, although maybe not this year as hoped.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by OBRAM »

Yes, the program is salvagable. I thing the program was heading in the right direction, but the NEC move set us back 4-5 years.
1. I think 1st URI needs to have a fieldturf practice facility, and lights at Meade The practice Facility get beat up and is just dirt by November. Fieldturf at Meade to me would be a second priority. Why a University with 16,000 students can't have that is amazing. I would like to see a new a multi purpose football/soccer stadium in the future, better than what Albany and Stony Brook have, but that will take vision and donations like the Ryan Center had and that will not happen now, but just the mention of it will help the program to have a vision and a goal. But for now I think Fieldturf for a practice facility and lights can be done now. One problem is that supports for lights on Meade we never put in or removed from the Ryan Center plans, so lights may not be easy, but must be a way Temp lights can be brought in.
2. Goal will be to get to the FCS playoffs. I don't know if we could get a home game with Meade like it is.
3. At least we are in the CAA. We have good local rivalries which you can drive to, StonyBrook, Albany, UNH, Maine and Delaware and Villanova, maybe Fordham down the road all are not far to travel to.
4. This is the CAA, not the SEC. So if Maine, UNH, Fordham, Stony Brook can do it we can do it. I think with good teams we would have higher attendance than UNH and Maine, and maybe Fordham.
5. We have to look to FBS players , and I believe we are, for talent. We had Jason Semmes this year and if he did not get hurt I think we would have had a close game vs. Delaware. Fordham has many Uconn tranfers this year.
6. Band is good, but it would be better to see a 150 member band, up from 100, and get closer to what it was in the 1970's.

But let me just mention it again. need a vision, a plan for the future on a multi purpose stadium, if we start the vision now, maybe we can build it in 10 years. I think it would be great to not only watch URI football in a multi purpose stadium, but to have A-10 soccer championships there and also the State of RI High School Superbowls, not to mention outdoor summer concerts. Does anyone believe that the URI track team would be as good if we still had the Bubble and didn't have the Mackal field house?
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

Those are all great points. We need a vision, and it all should start from the top with Thorr and the athletic department.
Definitely right with the practice facility, it is awful. I worked for a few weeks with the football program filming the practices, the field and equipment are not in good shape. Neither is the little trainers shed they have. The trainers shed was in awful shape. A good clean up to organize the place would go a long way. A paint job wouldn't hurt either. Shaping up the practice field and Meade would go a long way.
Also, one plus we have is our new athletic gym facility. That should be good for recruiting. If you are on twitter you can see pictures on Thorr's page and Adam Schemm's page.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

Agree with all of this, only one problem:

Having a vision for the future is great, but where oh where will the money for it all come from?

Donors? Basketball revenue? Powerball? Haha. It's going to have to be a step by step process, and will take several years at least.

Yes the practice field and equipment needs an immediate upgrade, along with the football offices. First step though, is a new staff. And to get a higher quality staff, URI will have to make some promises to them and follow thru on them, just like with Dan.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

ramster wrote:RhodyRam, you mention the reasons you put the survey out there, just curious, what do youthink about the voting so far? Is it about what you expected? Did you expect more positives about keeping football or did you expect more people to want to discontinue the program?
Frankly, I'm pretty surprised about the voting so far. Based on the tenor of the posts on this board and the old one I've been under the impression that more were in favor of outright dropping. The results so far are pretty much the reverse of what I expected. I'm wondering if some of the people that say drop football on the basketball portion of the board don't bother to go to other sections because they're just not interested in other sports or if it's just a vocal minority that I thought was bigger.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by RhowdyRam02 »

OBRAM wrote:This post amazes me and really defines URI mentality and maybe the State of Rhode Island. I don't think URI football has ever been given the support it needs to be successful, in 100 years. I think students help build the old west concrete stands that were taken down, and the East Stands were the only big improvement in 70 years. URI has never give the support for football that other colleges have, whether it be UNH or Bryant. Even Albany and Stony Brook have better support now, and I don't think they had programs 20 years ago. We are not talking about trying to be successful in the SEC, we are talking the CAA. If you can't be successful in the CAA but Maine, UNH can be you have to wonder about anything the University does sports wise or Academically. So, it has been 28 years since the glory days of URI football and 16 years since the glory days of URI basketball, but you start a poll whether to continue football, as if we are just coming off a final four appearance? In the last 16 years there have been a lot of years that it has been excruciating to sit and watch URI basketball, just think of the Gerry D. years and maybe 3 years ago. That despite basketball (m) getting the big administrative support, the facilities, and new new floor and URI can't get fieldturf on the practice field or lights, not to mention other sports like no outdoor track. I think you had to wear a Hazmat suit to go into the football offices this fall, they were taking down the ceiling tiles. Nice, bring a recruit show him the football offices , but 1st you have to wear a hazmat suit.
As far as football safety and insurance cost, do you think hockey does not have similar problems.
So there's been no support for 100 years and there's no support on the horizon, so what's going to change? I wish it was different, but it's not, and there's no hint that things will be different. There are no new East stands coming and that's the only thing that will change the course of the program other than a miracle coach. They need a better practice facility, they need better offices, but until URI signals to the football world that they are serious and redo the East stands there will be no changes in the outcome. Lights will do nothing. Thinking lights move the needle at all is a joke.

Hockey has similar concussion problems, of course. So does every sport. The difference of course is concussions are a bigger issue in football than other sports and it's more expensive to ensure 60+ people than 40+. If you can cut 20 scholarships and insure 20 fewer people at a lower rate of insuring them, those are substantial savings. And that assumes men's and women's hockey at 20 scholarships each, which I think is high.

And you say why do people question football and not basketball. Are you serious? People question football because at best they play D2 level football, and if you believe FBS is BCS level, then everyone else, than URI plays de facto D3 level football. On the other hand basketball, and all of our other sports, are D1 level.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by OBRAM »

RhowdyRam2, you make it sound like Louisville basketball and URI basketball are peers, I wish it was so. Not many schools are peers with a Syracuse or a Louisville in basketball despite that they may be both D1 basketball. Also, there is not telling that D1 will stay at it is, it could split right down the football BCS lines. And URI football is in the old D1-AA, not D3, that's why we were allowed to play a D1-A Syracuse and Cincinnati in football and we held our own against them, and should have won at Army. In football you can play the D1-A schools and get a pay day that will earn enough money for all the Jet Charter away football games each year, that's what Maine does, although we URI did that in the past the money went into the General Athletic fund, not the Football fund.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

The answer is real simple, RR2. If there's still no support, drop it. Talk has to turn into action, with the next staff as a start.

Like I've said several times before, this program is on total life support. Without any improvements, I give it 2-3 years, tops.

Hoping that the next staff recruits another Erhardt and co. by some miracle, isn't going to cut it.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by ramster »

rambone 78 wrote:The answer is real simple, RR2. If there's still no support, drop it. Talk has to turn into action, with the next staff as a start.

Like I've said several times before, this program is on total life support. Without any improvements, I give it 2-3 years, tops.

Hoping that the next staff recruits another Erhardt and co. by some miracle, isn't going to cut it.
I think that the big assumption you are making, Rambone, is that the football program is all about winning.
As I said earlier, I am going to the Homecoming and Family Day games whether we go undefeated or we lose every game. If we go 3-8 I am ok, if we go 8-3 I am ok. I would like to see the facilities improved just as OBRAM says, but I honestly think we could go 11-0 and we still would not have a plan to improve the facilities.
Do we have to win first to get facilities?
Of do we get facilities and then we win?
Chicken and the egg isn't it?
But I don't agree that the program is on life support.
If URI drops football I will never come to a Homecoming or Family Day again. Not one dollar will go to the University ever if Football is dropped - even though I love Basketball - I can't fathom the State Flagship University without a Football Team - winning record or no winning record.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

Ramster, I understand what you're saying, that you just want URI to have football, and not really care if they win or not.

I'm sorry, but we've had enough 0-11, 2-9, and 3-8 seasons. How many other schools don't care at least a little about winning? Well, maybe a few Ivies, but I digress.

URI football has to be one of the few programs in the country, to have had so many losing seasons in a row.

Either start caring and do something about it, or pack it up. Not you Ramster, but URI football.

P.S. What's important to me about URI football, is that it be competitive. They don't have to be some powerhouse, just be in most games and win a fair share of them. Who wants to see them get blown out every time? Just like in basketball, nobody wants to see a loser.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

If the program continues to perform like it has, then there is no reason to keep the program around. Frustrations will continue to grow amongst the fan base and even the football alumni. Putting a product out there that is not even competitive will not have any benefit to the school.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Puck Frovidence »

ramster wrote: I want a better record and a better team in all URI sports...........soccer, hockey, tennis, baseball, softball, swimming, track and field, golf, rowing....................the only team that gets constantly questioned for dropping is football.
Football costs a lot more than all of those sports.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by ramster »

Puck Frovidence wrote:
ramster wrote: I want a better record and a better team in all URI sports...........soccer, hockey, tennis, baseball, softball, swimming, track and field, golf, rowing....................the only team that gets constantly questioned for dropping is football.
Football costs a lot more than all of those sports.
But those other sports get very low attendance.
And football attracts alumni in as big a way as any sport that is offered for family day and homecoming. Drop football and you will see a very significant reduction on donations to the school.
Big mistake, and I said it at the time, was the decision to go to the NEC - that was really a bad decision - but at least we learned from it and reversed to go back to the CAA but we will pay the price for several years based on that mistake.
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rambone 78
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rambone 78 »

Yes we will, but even though we were getting better before the decision to go to the NEC, the same problems were here, and they are still here. The SADC is the only current upgrade.

Getting better players to come here is VERY difficult, that wouldn't have changed. To get good and stay there, there needs to be at least an entire cycle [4 years] of good recruiting classes.

Has that EVER happened with this program? No.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

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rhodyfan3 wrote:If the program continues to perform like it has, then there is no reason to keep the program around. Frustrations will continue to grow amongst the fan base and even the football alumni. Putting a product out there that is not even competitive will not have any benefit to the school.
URI puts lots of non-competitive teams out there for most all its sports programs. Look at the records. Why is it that only football that has to win?
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Hal Kopp
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

Rambone,look at Bob Griffins yearly records from 78-85 and the # of all conference players.
RF1-I agree,any sport not going to NCAA's once every four years or drawing needs to go. If it gets to that point.
I do not see the point to keep six sports who cost $1M combined (probably way off) who are not doing well.
How much does it cost (ea.) to keep softball,soccer,etc.?
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Bos8
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Bos8 »

ramster wrote:
rambone 78 wrote:The answer is real simple, RR2. If there's still no support, drop it. Talk has to turn into action, with the next staff as a start.

Like I've said several times before, this program is on total life support. Without any improvements, I give it 2-3 years, tops.

Hoping that the next staff recruits another Erhardt and co. by some miracle, isn't going to cut it.
I think that the big assumption you are making, Rambone, is that the football program is all about winning.
As I said earlier, I am going to the Homecoming and Family Day games whether we go undefeated or we lose every game. If we go 3-8 I am ok, if we go 8-3 I am ok. I would like to see the facilities improved just as OBRAM says, but I honestly think we could go 11-0 and we still would not have a plan to improve the facilities.
Do we have to win first to get facilities?
Of do we get facilities and then we win?
Chicken and the egg isn't it?
But I don't agree that the program is on life support.
If URI drops football I will never come to a Homecoming or Family Day again. Not one dollar will go to the University ever if Football is dropped - even though I love Basketball - I can't fathom the State Flagship University without a Football Team - winning record or no winning record.

This is exactly how I feel. Good post Ramster. I go to all the football games I can attend, if we are 5-6, 6-5 or 1-10. If the school drops football, I will no longer support the school.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

RF1 wrote:
rhodyfan3 wrote:If the program continues to perform like it has, then there is no reason to keep the program around. Frustrations will continue to grow amongst the fan base and even the football alumni. Putting a product out there that is not even competitive will not have any benefit to the school.
URI puts lots of non-competitive teams out there for most all its sports programs. Look at the records. Why is it that only football that has to win?
How many winning seasons has URI football had in the past 20-25 years? The last one I know of was in 2001. Also, if I recall correctly from reading this board, it can't be more than 3-4 in that time period. To have 3-4 winning seasons since the late 80's and early 90's is just embarrassing. (Someone correct me if I am wrong with the number of winning seasons, I made those numbers off of memory from past postings. I am sorry if they are misleading)
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by RF1 »

Hal Kopp wrote:Rambone,look at Bob Griffins yearly records from 78-85 and the # of all conference players.
RF1-I agree,any sport not going to NCAA's once every four years or drawing needs to go. If it gets to that point.
I do not see the point to keep six sports who cost $1M combined (probably way off) who are not doing well.
How much does it cost (ea.) to keep softball,soccer,etc.?
Problem is you have to field a minimum number of sports for the A-10 and Division 1. Should URI then drop all non-performing sports (the majority of programs it currently offers) and drop down to D3?
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Hal Kopp
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

RF , yes,am saying that if it gets to the point FB is dropped. All sports including conference alignment need to be dropped or downsized significantly,if not going to NCAA 's once every four years. One of the university's complaints are travel costs in the A10. At that point,no reason to be sending non achieving soccer or women's teams anywhere.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

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Hal Kopp wrote:RF , yes,am saying that if it gets to the point FB is dropped. All sports including conference alignment need to be dropped or downsized significantly,if not going to NCAA 's once every four years. One of the university's complaints are travel costs in the A10. At that point,no reason to be sending non achieving soccer or women's teams anywhere.

You would have to drop men's basketball down (even if it were to be very successful) to a lower division if you don't sponsor enough sports to qualify for D1 status.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by OBRAM »

Well I feel the same, but most people would already know that. I just wish we were a better team, I would be off to Orono this weekend, only a 4.5 hour drive
If Delaware,UNH, Maine, Uconn, UMass are playing football, we should be playing football. What other sport can you experience the history of playing a game like we did in 2007 against ARMY at West Point. My advice to anyone if we play another Army game is go, take the tour, see the cadets(many who after the graduate are off to Iraq or Afghanistan) in the stadium and on the Parade Grounds, and show your Rhody pride , meet with alumni that easily make the trip to West Point from NY and PA and listen to URI band play at the post game event.
Watching a game at Michie Stadium is considered one of the top 10 things to do in College sports and to have your team on the field makes it all the better.
Bos8 wrote:
ramster wrote:
rambone 78 wrote:The answer is real simple, RR2. If there's still no support, drop it. Talk has to turn into action, with the next staff as a start.

Like I've said several times before, this program is on total life support. Without any improvements, I give it 2-3 years, tops.

Hoping that the next staff recruits another Erhardt and co. by some miracle, isn't going to cut it.
I think that the big assumption you are making, Rambone, is that the football program is all about winning.
As I said earlier, I am going to the Homecoming and Family Day games whether we go undefeated or we lose every game. If we go 3-8 I am ok, if we go 8-3 I am ok. I would like to see the facilities improved just as OBRAM says, but I honestly think we could go 11-0 and we still would not have a plan to improve the facilities.
Do we have to win first to get facilities?
Of do we get facilities and then we win?
Chicken and the egg isn't it?
But I don't agree that the program is on life support.
If URI drops football I will never come to a Homecoming or Family Day again. Not one dollar will go to the University ever if Football is dropped - even though I love Basketball - I can't fathom the State Flagship University without a Football Team - winning record or no winning record.

This is exactly how I feel. Good post Ramster. I go to all the football games I can attend, if we are 5-6, 6-5 or 1-10. If the school drops football, I will no longer support the school.
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Hal Kopp
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Hal Kopp »

Need 6 mens and 8 womens sports to stay D1. A complaint by URI are the travel costs with the secondary sports in the spread out A-10. If it gets to the point FB is dropped,keep just enough schollies to balance Title 1X with Mens BB. Go non-schollie with the rest. The schollies (when not winning) are just a paid vacation for the kids. Everything in athletics including conference affiliation must be down sized. Cut to the bone. Think of the $$ the University will save. If not going to NCAA's once every four years or not drawing -you are getting a new hat size. Pres. Dooley wants excellence in everything the University does,I can't see mediocre programs surviving the FB criteria.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

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Can everyone stop and think of what would happen without football??? No more homecoming game with alumni enjoying a beautiful fall day and the band marching down upper college road on their way to Meade. No more cannon blasting off when we score. No more tailgating outside keaney or plains lot road, no more cheering fans. No more in state rivalry game with brown . No more games at Syracuse or BC or anywhere else. Forget losing, its one of the only sports to support so many activities and events and even with our horrible record ,we manage thousands and thousands of fans to come out every week. Lets ask uri to CARE about the program for once. Getting rid of football is crazy. I've been to a non football school before URI and it sucks. GO RAMS
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by rhodyfan3 »

I agree with that Rhodymob05. Getting rid of football should be the absolute last option. I am hoping after this game on Saturday, we will see in the next couple of weeks what the athletic department has in store for the future of Rhody football.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

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Rhodymob05 wrote:Can everyone stop and think of what would happen without football??? No more homecoming game with alumni enjoying a beautiful fall day and the band marching down upper college road on their way to Meade. No more cannon blasting off when we score. No more tailgating outside keaney or plains lot road, no more cheering fans. No more in state rivalry game with brown . No more games at Syracuse or BC or anywhere else. Forget losing, its one of the only sports to support so many activities and events and even with our horrible record ,we manage thousands and thousands of fans to come out every week. Lets ask uri to CARE about the program for once. Getting rid of football is crazy. I've been to a non football school before URI and it sucks. GO RAMS
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Puck Frovidence »

Just would like to offer up that even if they did axe FB, there would still be homecoming (just centered around another sport), you could still walk around campus as an alum and enjoy the beautiful fall day, the band, the tailgating, etc. Those things might change a little bit (which I'm not saying is good) but they'd still exist. University of Vermont, Northeastern, Boston University are all DI schools with no football programs and they're not exactly slouches athletically; all are perennially competitive in other sports and all have more NCAA Championships than URI. Again I don't necessarily want to be UVM but it can be done. I'm sure their parties, homecomings, games, etc are all fun and well attended; I doubt everyone walks around doom and gloom up there because they don't have football. To be fair, being stoned 24/7 probably helps (just kidding).

People who say they won't donate to the school is FB is cancelled - really? You would forgo supporting your alma mater; the flagship public school with the the lowest state contribution in New England? The school where you spent 4 years of your life, earned your degree, and while it probably felt expensive at the time, the school with the lowest tuition costs of any of the six NE flagships? Even if you want to be cynical about it, the continued success and improvement of the school academically and in research raises the value of the degree you have. I love URI sports but that seems a little bit like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Football is awesome, but it's certainly not the only thing that makes URI great.

Having said all that about the end of football not being the end of the world, I highly doubt it's getting canned any time soon. Guaranteed they at least go for the Hail Mary (yuk yuk) on improving the program with a new coach, facility, etc.
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Re: What is the future of URI football according to Keaney B

Unread post by Rhody74 »

They just recommitted to CAA last year, so I can't imagine football would be dropped soon. I imagine Trainor will be gone, so a new coach would be given another 3-4 years to make significant progress. Still, I can't imagine them hiring anyone without promises to upgrade facilities, etc., similar to what Hurley got for basketball.
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