Independent - Fleming to be named URI football coach

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

Bill Koch has posted an update to The Independent's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/neindependent

Central Florida defensive coordinator Jim Fleming is expected to be named the next University of Rhode Island head football coach, the Independent has learned.
Fleming served as defensive coordinator for the Knights for the past two seasons. He helped Central Florida to an American Conference title and a bid in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, the first BCS berth in program history.
Fleming was named Northeast Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2001 after leading Sacred Heart to a 21-1 record. The Pioneers were perfect a 11-0 in 2001.
Follow sports editor Bill Koch on Twitter @BillKoch25, this page and print editions of the Independent for full area sports coverage.

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

Pumped about this news! Great pick up.

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

This is great!

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

Welcome Coach Fleming, tough road ahead but the only place we can go from where the program is currently is up, right!!!!!

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

http://www.ucfknights.com/sports/m-foot ... 90458.html

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

This is absolutely huge. I look forward to a new Era of Rhody Football.

Welcome, Coach Fleming

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

this is the guy I hoped they pick, looks like my first tickets as an alum will be for Coach Fleming! Go Rhody

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

Seems like great news. I hope he can steadily build the program up and surpass any previous plateaus.

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

I concur also. May he be given enough tools to succeed here fairly soon.

Will be very interested to hear about what program upgrades are planned in the near future. Hopefully those will be announced along with the hire.

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

Rambone-I believe you will hear that.
Fleming was my call all the way as soon as I heard he was in the running.

"Deep Throat" aka "The Kingston Insider"

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

Looks like the real deal.
Defense and secondary will hopefully be much improved.
Go Rhody

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

Congrats Coach! Recruit, recruit, recruit!!

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

Seems like people are liking this hire? How does this affect the feeling about Thorr?

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

Sounds like a solid coach. Only concern is HE MOVES AROUND alot. Has never stayed longer than 2 years anywhere he has been. Longest stint was 3 years at Akron.
Otherwise looks solid!!!!!
Best of luck COACH!!!!!

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

Have we ever had a coach from a team as good as UCF? they finished number 15 in the country and are playing against Baylor in the fiesta bowl. Pretty damn impressive that hes now coaching our team

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

Andrew wrote:Seems like people are liking this hire? How does this affect the feeling about Thorr?

Doesn't hurt. Results ultimately will tell the story, but my opinion about Thorr will always be informed by the fact that in his two major hires he got the guy who I wanted him to get. I am very pleased with this hire.

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

Andrew wrote:Seems like people are liking this hire? How does this affect the feeling about Thorr?

For better or worse, Thorr is probably going to be judged almost entirely on how Hurley does, short of a catastrophic performance of another program or some major incident.

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

BIG_FISH_RI wrote:Sounds like a solid coach. Only concern is HE MOVES AROUND alot. Has never stayed longer than 2 years anywhere he has been. Longest stint was 3 years at Akron.
Otherwise looks solid!!!!!
Best of luck COACH!!!!!

Honestly, with the position the program is in, if he has us turned around to such a degree in 3 years that a school with a stronger football tradition comes and hires him, then sign me up.

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

Fleming seems like a good hire, but the football program needs a lot more than just a good coach.

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

It's official. Press conference Monday.

http://gorhody.com/sports/m-footbl/2013 ... 1220lawmtj

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

Meh.

His defenses did very well at UCF. This year they were 3rd in Points Allowed in the American. In 2012 they were 1st in PA in CUSA and 29th nationally. Sounds great, right? Well in 2011, the year before he was on the UCF staff they were also 1st in PA. How much of their defense the last two years was based on what Fleming was doing and how much was him continuing the system George O'Leary already had in place?

Looking at his numbers from 2004-09 when he was DC at Akron is even more worrisome. In '03 Akron was 6th in conference. Fleming takes over and in 04 and 05 they're 7th. 06 they're 5th. 07 they're tied for 5th. 08 back to 7th and 09 they're 9th. Basically in 6 seasons as DC at Akron his defenses were average at best.

So we don't seem to be getting some kind of crazy defensive genius, he did very well at Sacred Heart but how transferable is that to the CAA, and he hasn't been a head coach in 12 seasons. He's not a young coach at one of our rivals who knows how to work with less like the OC's at Maine and New Hampshire and he's got a very thin head coaching record. So what exactly do we have here and why is everyone so excited? Is it just the defenses at UCF? Is it just the fact that he was an FBS coach? Albany made a similar hire and it was questioned, however there program is in a much better place than ours. They have a new stadium, a recent history of winning and made the FCS playoffs in 2011. If Albany's hire was questioned, why wouldn't this? Frankly, we needed to make a much more aggresive hire than they did based on where our programs are.

The most important part of the press conference will have nothing to do with the head coach. If they don't announce major improvements to the program and it's infrastructure than Coach Fleming is dead man walking and I have no reason to believe he'll be any more successful than Keith, Stowers, Rizzi, and Trainer.

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

anyone who held a BCS job is the man for the rhody job IMO. the level of competition is miles from each other.

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

Hal Kopp wrote:Rambone-I believe you will hear that.
"Deep Throat" aka "The Kingston Insider"

It sounds like you're hearing rumors of program enhancements that could be announced Monday. Anything you can talk about?

Rhody72 · Unread post by **Rhody72** » 10 years ago

I have low expectations for URI Football. It won't take much for Jim Fleming to turn this dead horse into a below average program. An honest appraisal of the assistants that he is able to hire will tell a lot about what to realistically expect. At this point, only a fool would make a big investment in infrastructure improvements for a team that is close to extinction. I would first of all, make a significant investment in the recruiting budget. Please, no long term contracts without a buy-out. Pay more short-term if necessary.

brady1 · Unread post by **brady1** » 10 years ago

NICE HIRE!

It's not that difficult to produce a winning FB team as a New England State University in THE CAA.

GO RHODY!

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

RhowdyRam02 wrote:Meh.

Who/what were you expecting? I think Fleming is as good as URI could have done and I'm cautiously optimistic about what he will be able to do.

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

I was just watching 'We Are Marshall' for the first time since it came out, after I came home from work.

There is a line in there where Matthew McConaughey says "It's not if you win, it's how you play the game. But, in this case, it's not even how you play the game, it's that you play the game."

Nothing would be worse than the death of a football program. This will be a true climb from the basement. This may be Fleming's first ever losing season as a coach, anywhere, although I'm sure that's not the mentality someone like him would go into this with.

I look forward to witnessing the beginning of something. Maybe something years from now, we'll say that was the beginning of something special. Back in 2000 I had such optimism, and there were glimpses, flashes of brilliance, before we snapped back to reality. It could happen again like that, and the result may not be any different, but you have to get to that critical point again, before you can try to make the leap. The leap might fail again, but that doesn't mean you give up and stop trying. One day, it won't fail.

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

Bos8 wrote:
BIG_FISH_RI wrote:Sounds like a solid coach. Only concern is HE MOVES AROUND alot. Has never stayed longer than 2 years anywhere he has been. Longest stint was 3 years at Akron.
Otherwise looks solid!!!!!
Best of luck COACH!!!!!
Honestly, with the position the program is in, if he has us turned around to such a degree in 3 years that a school with a stronger football tradition comes and hires him, then sign me up.

BigFish - he was at Akron from 2004 to 2009
Bos8 - I agree completely. At this point in our program being worried about how long the guy is likely to stay is towards the bottom of my list.
All - agree that this was a great hire. If Hal Kopp says this is a great hire and was his #1 man on the list then I am all in
I like the experience at SEC South Carolina - hardly a program anywhere where football is so big for the Alumni. Tailgating in Columbia is monumental. You think we spend a lot of time talking about Basketball Recruiting? Alums and fans spend tons of time analyzing potential football recruits on message boards, talk radio, etc. I love how he was immersed in this with his first job
I love the experience at Boise State from '87 to '92. Great program
East Carolina - solid program
Sacred Heart - first Head Coaching job. Great success then moved on to North Carolina
ACC North Carolina. Much like USC, football in the football crazy Southeastern United States. Tailgating, school spirit.
Akron - good program, facilities have improved a lot there. They love their sports in Akron. NFL Football Hall of Fame. Nice Football Stadium. Good School Spirit. I have been on their campus several times and it is a very nice place.
Central Florida - big time football, again Tailgating, school spirit, a real rising program
I think we will see a big improvement in the "Game Experience". Tailgating, rallies, making the game fun to attend for alums and students.
Another big advantage here is that D1 players can transfer and play immediately. No sit out a year stuff. This guy has connections all over the place. I expect a bunch of guys coming in here very soon to play for this guy - and they will come from established D1 Programs. URI could turn their record around fast.
The wins will come.
Great hire by Thor.

Coaching Experience
• UCF, 2012-Present Defensive Coordinator
• Kent State, 2010 Linebackers
• Akron, 2004-09 Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
• North Carolina, 2002-03 Defensive Backs
• Sacred Heart, 2000-01 Head Coach
• Villanova, 1998-99 Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs
• East Carolina, 1995-97 Defensive Backs
• East Carolina, 1994 Linebackers
• Boise State, 1990-92 Defensive Coordinator
• Boise State, 1989 Defensive Backs
• Boise State, 1987-88 Tight Ends/Wide Receivers
• South Carolina, 1985-86 Graduate Assistant

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

To think URI was going to do better than a coordinator at an FBS school is delusional

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

There's no doubt in my mind that Fleming will improve this program.

How far it will go will now depend on the school's willingness/and or ability to improve the "experience" for the incoming recruits. As in all around facilities and infrastructure.

Monday's presser should at least hint at some of this.

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

Interesting he was offered the job on Tuesday
http://ucf.247sports.com/Article/Report ... job-166754
Report: Fleming named URI coach

Ryan Bass
UCF defensive coordinator Jim Fleming has accepted the head coaching job at Rhode Island, an FCS school, according to the Rhode Island Independent.
Knights247 has yet to confirm the report. A UCF official declined to comment in an email.
Fleming was offered the job Tuesday. UCF head coach George O'Leary is likely to take over calling the defense during the Fiesta Bowl vs. Baylor.
More to come.
Original story: UCF defensive coordinator Jim Fleming is a finalist for the head coaching job at FCS Rhode Island, according to a report on FootballScoop.com.
Fleming, who was named UCF's defensive coordinator in January 2012 after Ted Roof bolted for Penn State, is competing with Boston College DL coach Ben Albert, Wagner OC Tom Masella and Delaware QB coach John Perry for the job, according to the report. Rhode Island coach Joe Trainer was fired after going 12-44 in his five-year tenure.
In a season where UCF was expected to struggle on defense, Fleming has led a unit that helped the Knights capture their first BCS bowl bid in school history. His defense is 13th in the country in scoring defense, 9th in red zone defense and 22nd in turnover margin.
Last year, Fleming's defense ranked first in Conference USA in scoring and pass defense, helping lead the Knights to a Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl win.
Fleming is a graduate of the University of the South, Fleming has been a head coach just once in his coaching career. He was the head man of Villanova in 1998-99.

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

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/b ... 71786.post

Wow, very impressed with this guy already. Saying all the right things and then some!!!! this from the article.............
UCF coach George O'Leary said after practice Friday it was clear Fleming needed to move on to his new job before the Knights' bowl game.
"I think any time you have a coach get a job, especially a head job, I think that's great and I'm very happy for him,” O’Leary said. “There are things you've got to get done as a head coach. You gotta hire a staff, fire a staff, meet support people. It was the right thing. He's moved onto Rhode Island, and I'll eventually hire a coordinator. I'll just fill in as far as making sure we do the right things on defense. . . . We'll work just as the staff we have and I'll assign duties from there."

and
Fleming has a stellar record as a head coach, guiding Sacred Heart to a 21-1 record in 2000-01, including a national championship and perfect 11-0 season in his final year there. He said the itch to be the head coach again led him to Rhode Island.

"A lot of coaches aspire to be able to sit in the big chair and construct a program around their core values and core beliefs," Fleming said. "And structure it in a way you feel is best to bring about winning programs and develop student-athletes. That's something all of us aspire to. ...
"If an opportunity comes up as a head coach, you better take it because you don’t know if youa re ever going to get another opportunity. The best part of it is we spent a year in Rhode Island in 1993 when I was the defensive coordinator at Brown. We love the state, love the people. It's been a job that I always have my eye on. I used to say it was my dream job and people would look at me cross-eyed, but I think the University of Rhode Island has a lot of potential. I want to come in and lead them to be a winning program. To put a program in place that the university can be proud of, the state can take ownership in. ... I’m thrilled about the opportunity there."

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

Anyone have a clue as to Fleming's offensive philosophy? Pro style passing...run and shoot..option qb..ground and pound?

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

Ramulous wrote:Anyone have a clue as to Fleming's offensive philosophy? Pro style passing...run and shoot..option qb..ground and pound?

Hopefully it's score, score a lot and often! The 13pts per game this offense avg this past season would never win many games even iin the NEC.

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

According to my sources,he had applied for job twice in past.
Means he really wants to be here.

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

Guess he wasn't kidding when he said he's had his eye on this job ever since he left Brown.

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

Orlando Sentinel Article

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 10 years ago

smart guy, get out before he has to face the Baylor offense

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

Hal, OBRAM,
you guys seem to be most knowledgeable of the football program.....why would a hire take place like this now when URI could have waited until January 2nd after the Bowl Game with #6 ranked Baylor? Seems pretty brutal to me for this guy who has been associated with an 11-1 team, won the AAC Conference and on and on then NOT get to Coach his guys in the biggest bowl game in UCF History and his own as well.
I wonder what he thinks about this?
Wouldn't just be simpler and better for all involved to have waited?
Was word about to leak out or did it leak out prematurely?
Timing just does not make sense to me.
Wonder if he goes to the game anyway? Does he watch it on TV? or has he literally moved on?
Interesting that his Boss, Head Coach George O'Leary, will now take over the Defensive Coach responsibilities for the Bowl Game. George of the resume fame when Notre Dame hired him away from Georgia Tech then have reporters find that he had not graduated with a Masters Degree from NYU as he had claimed and had not received 3 Letters for playinig football at UNH when records show he never even got into a game there. Nice integrity from a Head Football Coach. Good for Notre Dame for firing him - and others hiring him later? no comment.
So how is it that this article back 12 years ago refers to this period up to New Years as a Dead Period for recruiting - that it does not matter to have a HC announced now? Makes me wonder even more why the announcement now and not Coach the Bowl game.
Plus what would be so bad about him Coaching the Bowl game anyway WITH it announced?
I wonder if O'Leary heard about the hire and got mad and pulled the plug?
From the attachment below....
"With recruiting entering a dead period from Monday through Jan. 3, there is no longer the same sense of urgency to hire a coach than there was two weeks ago."http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/footba ... notredame/

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

Ramster,I would not read anything into it. UCF is not playing for natl. or conference championship. O'Leary probably just wants to integrate new coordinator now. There are a couple of good prospects waiting on URI to hire coach. This is best scenario for URI.
BTW,Fleming was making $210K at UCF.

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

Hal,
So you think maybe URI was under some time pressure to make the hire because others might be lurking inthe background? Good point that I had not really considered. So if UCF upsets Baylor then Flemming could be an even hotter commodity.
But it still seems odd that the guy does not get to reap the big enchilada reward from his efforts - the Bowl Game Coaching experience itself.
But I do love this hire.
Great job by the way of keeping us informed and sharing your knowledge.

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

Ramster,
It is a job for these guys. For the student athlete it is so much bigger. Most at this level aren't all about the glory as say a Sabin, Urban Meyer, etc. Flemming saw a chance to take over a program and most go right away so not to be a distraction to the team. Even though it's only URI, the media would be asking O'Leary and to some extent Flemming himself questions after question that may take away from the team and game itself. Granted not on a Nat. championship game level but still a BCS bowl game.

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

Because of the college football timetable, this is the time for coaching moves. If you wait until after the bowl games it will put you too far behind the 8 ball with recruiting. A coach won't have enough time to solidify his class at the new school before NSD, and his old school would want more time to secure kids that the coach recruited in case they waiver at all. This is always the time for CFB coaching changes.

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

But for the national championship bowl all the others are merely exhibition games !!!

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

I hear what you guys are saying and you make it sound very simple and clear cut but even up until a day ago there was still uncertainty as to whether Flemming would be allowed to Coach in the fame by O'Leary. and to say the other games are merely exhibitions say that to the hundred's of thousands who will spend billions on air travel, hotels, restaurants, tickets to go to these games. The BCS School fans and alumni love these events. I can see how people in the Northeast would think this way but it is just not that was in the Southeast and Southwest.

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

The fact that some people care about it and spend money on it doesn't change my opinion that they are exhibition games

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

UCF is having a tough time selling tickets and Baylor (I think also). There are reasons for that. Both teams had big games this year.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... -allotment
If O'Leary can BS on his resume (big time),he can get over Fleming wanting to be a HC.
Fleming had the URI job a month ago (to some extent).
This whole thing was well planned out. There should not be any surprises on either part.

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

I see. So Fleming was the pick all along, the others were interviewed as window dressing only.

Makes sense.

Like Hurley was I guess.

Hey, so Thorr has officially hitched his wagon here to those two guys.

Hurley will succeed in time, now it's Fleming's turn.

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

Ramulous wrote:The fact that some people care about it and spend money on it doesn't change my opinion that they are exhibition games

Since their fans consider these Bowl Games more important than most all of the regular season games would then make most of the season exhibition games. Ask someone going to the Ohio State - Clemson game if it is like an Exhibition.
I agree there are a lot of fans that think of these the same way you do as exhibitions and there a lot of fans that don't.
Maybe it's 50-50
This will change even more when they go to the playoffs next year - those games not in the BCS Playoffs will be viewed even more as exhibitions then I would imagine

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

The bowl games are mostly valuable for coaches to get their younger players an extra few weeks of practice.

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