KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Elon at URI Homecoming/Family Day Saturday October 21 @ 12 noon

Looks like a solid team, nothing is easy in CAA Football.

They brought in a new coaching staff this year. Amazing they didn't stay with the staff that went 7-27 in 3 years even though they jumped up to the CAA in 2014. And they almost beat UNH last year! I guess they believe in fixing something once it is broken - novel idea. New coach was at a D2 school - Indiana University of Pennsylvania - had a 55-17 record!

Elon has a nice stadium http://elonphoenix.com/sports/2010/8/17 ... aspx?id=49

I have not checked on Elon until today. Thought this one would be a win for the Rams.
Elon right now ranked #18 in the FCS Top 25 with a record of 4-1. This one is going to be a lot tougher than I thought..

Elon was off this weekend. Next up URI at Homecoming for URI

Elon is currently ranked #20 in FCS National Poll. Tied for 1st place in CAA with #1 ranked James Madison at 3-0, 5-1 overall.

Elon plays James Madison at home on November 18th - could be a great game for the CAA if both teams keep winning.

Elon's remaining games are:
Oct 21 @ URI
Oct 28 @ Villanova
Nov 4 Towson
Nov 11 @ New Hampshire

The CAA looks as strong as it ever was.

Top 25 team coming in here with an extra week to prepare. Hopefully Rhody can keep it within four touchdowns.

A year ago URI stomped Elon and now Elon is a top 20 team while URI remains inept. What is going on here? Well, Elon got a new coach but I don't believe they brought in all new players. So going out on a line - I think the new coach and his staff is what is going on. Is it too much for Thorr to learn how Elon identified and evaluated potential coaches and also find out how much they are paying for this new staff? I would think this would be useful information.

At the time Thorr hired our football coach, URI football wasn't given more than a few years of life by many. I don't know what kind of high quality coach was expected to come to URI at that time due to all the uncertainty (yes, Thorr created a LOT of that uncertainty with previous decisions).

The minimum term for football coach contract is 4yrs in practice, so the minimum was given.

Was the program going to be shut down regardless of how the new coach performed? In that case why fire Trainer? Or was the program going to shut down unless the new coach turned things around. If that was the case, then URI was trying to save the program with a less than high quality coach? Doesn't make sense...which is a good way to sum up URI football!

Hal, remember when you said there was a national buzz around our team this year?

Lol

With that being said I'll be attending Homecoming heckling the sh*t out of Elon after 3+ hours of tailgating.

Thank god we have football, homecoming and Rhodyville would be nothing without it. Pumped to see the band match down from the quad, play in front of Keaney and then onto the field. This team is unpredictable but it’s a great day. Go Rhody.

Rhody15 wrote:Hal, remember when you said there was a national buzz around our team this year?

Lol

With that being said I'll be attending Homecoming heckling the sh*t out of Elon after 3+ hours of tailgating.

In Hal's defense, URI did get national attention when Nick Saban crapped down our throats during a press conference...

What time is the picnic?

RhodyKyle wrote:

Rhody15 wrote:Hal, remember when you said there was a national buzz around our team this year?

Lol

With that being said I'll be attending Homecoming heckling the sh*t out of Elon after 3+ hours of tailgating.

In Hal's defense, URI did get national attention when Nick Saban crapped down our throats during a press conference...

Personally I did not take Saban’s comment as derogatory. Rhode Island, as the smallest state in the union gets picked on periodically in jokes, tv shows, movies. I liked that Saban even knew we had a team and I think he spoke for a lot of smaller FCS, D2 and D3 teams. The Alabama Program has huge expectations to live up to and I think that he was just trying to make a point for his own team/program. I did not take it as offensive at all. Fwiw

adam914 wrote:What time is the picnic?

I’ll be tailgating no later than 10am Saturday. Or if that’s a picnic so be it. Picnic with some special beverages

ramster, you'll probably need those beverages lol.....

If they win one more game that's it imo.....1-10 or 2-9 will get Fleming fired for sure.

We recap Maine and preview the homecoming game. A little URI and PC basketball towards the end for anyone interested. Thanks!

rambone 78 wrote:ramster, you'll probably need those beverages lol.....

If they win one more game that's it imo.....1-10 or 2-9 will get Fleming fired for sure.

Rambone,
Weather will be perfect
But I’m most excited to watch #6 tomorrow try to extend his own URI record with his 9th consecutive game with a TD Pass - a truly remarkable sophomore receiver.

Rhody15-Kyle is right,I am not the one who mentioned URI FB at national press conference or one of ones who booked hotel rooms 6 mos. ago!
I just reported it. I see one just opened up at Break. Don't give me that crap about HC and family weekend. There are plenty of other things to do in S. New England on a Saturday than see a 1 win FB team. Rhowdy is right on this one,you want to really send a message-stop going completely.
I will not be there Sat.,will be at Bama and PC hoops game. Cutting back a little will not do it,sends mixed message. Anyways,nobodys going to stop going to FB games totally anyways. Myself included. Dead horse.

What a day for some football and homecoming! Go ram.

Seems like a real solid crowd.

URI goes into half time up 27-21. Great crowd. People lined up along the fences.

With Harris out hurt, Lawson is in and doing a good job at QB, as URI has really dominated the time of possession. He is able to make plays with his legs when the pocket breaks down and avoid turnovers. Defense has given up some big plays. Elon has a real shifty running back and has been able to throw over the top. Penalties have hurt them.

Will be interesting to see how Elon adjusts at half time. With Lawson back there at QB, we've thrown some different looks at them that we haven't shown this season, and it seems as though Elon wasn't as prepared for a mobile QB. With the RB in the flat, it's really opened up the middle of the field for slants and QB draws.

Scoring explosion

Is it really 27-27 at half???? Lol
Hopefully the game ends on time so the picnic can start!
Isn’t that the reason why everyone is there??

I said early in the season Lawson should be starting QB. No doubt in my mind watching him today.
#6 with yet another TD Pass. A record 9 straight games.
Lawson can run, Pass and execute.
Parker with a very nice reception in 1st quarter that few guys catch.
I hope the missed extra point doesn’t hurt us.
East stands are packed.
Beautiful day
Moment of silence before the game
Not a single cloud in the sky
Rhody with wind at backs for third quarter
Pretty srtrong breeze and steady

This punt returner is terrible,he has muffed punts all year!
What is a frosh doing back there???

Another muff!!

First defense to two stops in the second half wins? Or will it take a third stop? Our offense needs to avoid turning it over here, they had a great first half

Hal Kopp wrote:This punt returner is terrible,he has muffed punts all year!
What is a frosh doing back there???

That's why!
LOL- but I agree with you. Fortunate the muffed one didn't hurt us in the 1st half.

Punt returner took one back-finally somebody learned from mistakes!
Kept playing!
I stand corrected (permanently i hope?)>

Penalties,dumb mistakes!

Wow- heartbreaking

I lost the feed. What happened ? A pick?
Poor play calling? Should they have gone for FG?

On about the Elon 17 3rd and six with 34 secs, URI throws interception. Elon runs out clock and wins 35-34.

Kicker has been inconsistent?
Did they not trust him?
Was there a way to avoid the pick?

Hal Kopp wrote:Kicker has been inconsistent?
Did they not trust him?
Was there a way to avoid the pick?

Seems to be what it was. We played it safe against CMU and he missed the kick that would have won the game.
It was an out route (I believe to Parker). Their inside line backer jumped the pass and picked it off. Probably could have returned it to the endzone, but went down so they could take a knee to finish it out.

Ughhhhhh

Rhody has not had good kicker since Shane Laisle-10+ years?

different day...same results...

Another kick in the balls ending, cursed I tell ya. It was a very exciting game and Rhody has some real playmakers, I still just don’t get how we don’t win. Heard a few people yelling “fire him!”. Otherwise it was a great day, hundreds and hundreds of people tailgating like I’ve never seen it before, tents, flags, games, truly a great environment, but we need to win.

URI has a talented dual threat QB in Harris. But unfortunately the Flemings(father and son) are inept at utilizing him. How does the offense that scored 4 touchdowns in the first half manage only 2 first downs until the final drive? Elon adjusted to URI and URI once again had no response. They have no idea how to utilize Cooper - he is an overrated back but he can do damage when he gets the ball in space. Today 7 carries and 13 yards! TE's are a non existent part of the offense. 2 receptions on the year - when they are on the field it is almost certainly a run. This team has talent but it continuously loses. Not good.

yawn......

Uncle Ed wrote:URI has a talented dual threat QB in Harris. But unfortunately the Flemings(father and son) are inept at utilizing him. How does the offense that scored 4 touchdowns in the first half manage only 2 first downs until the final drive? Elon adjusted to URI and URI once again had no response. They have no idea how to utilize Cooper - he is an overrated back but he can do damage when he gets the ball in space. Today 7 carries and 13 yards! TE's are a non existent part of the offense. 2 receptions on the year - when they are on the field it is almost certainly a run. This team has talent but it continuously loses. Not good.

Ed,
I think Lawson is more the talented dual threat QB than Harris. Harris is slower afoot and more of a pocket passer. Lawson scrambled away from defensive pressure many times today, threw accurately completing 20-34 for 247 yards, 16 rushing attempts for 80 yards. A good day, against a solid opponent in only his first start at QB
With 7 minutes to go in the 4th Q, TE Joey Kenney dropped a pass in an important 2nd and 10 situation. So you can say Tight Ends are non existent but that ball was right in Kenney's hands from Lawson and has to be caught in that situation. Then we punted (with the wind at our backs) bad snap, barely got punt off, flag thrown for roughing kicker but was cancelled since defense could not know that he was for sure punting. Punt was terrible. Shortly before the punt went from our 20 yard line to Elon's 13 yard line (67 yard punt because of the wind advantage) so the missed catch by the TE and the bad snap on the punt were tough.

Confusing Coaching move to me was after we missed the Extra Point on the 2nd TD making the score 14-13, we scored 3 more TDs but never once went for 2 points. Why keep going for 1 point when you are consistently behind by 1 point because of the missed Extra Point? So we lose 35-34 - by one point because of a missed extra. Why not go for 2 points? Makes no sense.

At the end, Lawson led a great drive. All the way down to the Elon 17 yard line, strong wind to our kickers back, then the dreaded interception on 3rd down! A time when we CANNOT have a turnover. The field goal attempt was right there to win the game, but the INT.
Lawson had a very good game, passing, eluding the defensive pressure, making clutch completions and running the ball well. A shame on the INT - but probably should have been a run or a short pass with no danger of an INT.

But a great day. 7200 fans, East stands were full all the way to the top. Most tailgating I have ever seen at a URI game. People had a great time on an absolutely perfect weather day. Look at the stands at URI with 7200 attendance and tell me how in the world Bryant had 7500 a few weeks ago - crazy.

Solid effort against a Top 25 FCS Team, co-leader of the strongest FCS League - the CAA. Defensive backs had a tough day against Elon Receivers - they made some great catches, some nice throws by Elon QB but we got beat more than we should.

Towards end of game with ball about the 28 yard line Elon went for it on 4th down. We intercepted in the end zone, but should have just intentionally dropped the ball and gotten the ball at the 28 - instead got it on the 20 with the touchback. Seems a lot to ask for the defensive back to know this but that is what Coaching staffs must instill.

ramster wrote:But a great day. 7200 fans, East stands were full all the way to the top. Most tailgating I have ever seen at a URI game. People had a great time on an absolutely perfect weather day.

These four sentences are a perfect illustration of why we haven't been to the playoffs since the mid 80's, why we've had 16 straight losing seasons with no real hope on the horizon. You can blame the administration, the ProJo, the General Assembly, but this is the root problem. People had a "great day" on the same day that their team lost. You can say the pregame festivities were great, you can say it was a very good game, but if you truly care about URI football then you can't have a great day when they lose. The final score should be the most important thing. Nothing's going to get better as long as so many people have this attitude.

RhowdyRam02 wrote:

ramster wrote:But a great day. 7200 fans, East stands were full all the way to the top. Most tailgating I have ever seen at a URI game. People had a great time on an absolutely perfect weather day.

These four sentences are a perfect illustration of why we haven't been to the playoffs since the mid 80's, why we've had 16 straight losing seasons with no real hope on the horizon. You can blame the administration, the ProJo, the General Assembly, but this is the root problem. People had a "great day" on the same day that their team lost. You can say the pregame festivities were great, you can say it was a very good game, but if you truly care about URI football then you can't have a great day when they lose. The final score should be the most important thing. Nothing's going to get better as long as so many people have this attitude.

Did you go to the game? Did you listen to the game?

There were questions I had for the Coaching staff that you conveniently left out and you only took out a select sentences about the crowd. You could connect that crowd was due to the great weather. Maybe it’s due to the combining of Family Day, Homecoming, Nice Day, and that URI Alums, students and fans will go see URI play in spite of their poor record and poor history. Maybe it shows the Administration what URI Football could really be and then some if we had better players, better Coaching, better East Stands, lighting, new stands, the vision of a stadium that was developed 15 years ago.
Why we didn’t go for two points after 3 touchdowns, when it was obvious we could end up losing by one point, was in my mind the entire second half. A huge question for the Head Coach and the Offensive Coordinator. Big reason we lost and did not go to OT.

It’s so easy to blame me, and the URI fans for URI’s football woes. URI fans and Alumni showed out in force yeasterday. That pisses people like you off because you want them all protesting and they are all part of why URI Football is bad. They should all stay home and send a message. I say that shows URI Administration what the program could be.

URI fans had no vote, no say, little or no influence on President Dooley or Thor’s choice of the Head Coach. URI fans had no influence on the Head Coach choosing his son as the Offensive Coordinator. That’s under Thor and Dooley. Is it my fault they were allowed to sit back and hire a HC of Fleming’s ability? And sit idly by while the OC calls plays that sometimes make no sense? I called out not going for two points to allow at least a tie game. So can the local press can also ask that question, and other posters here. Will the press ask that. No.

But if I’m to blame for the Coaching Staff and the state of URI Football, then I guess I’m to blame also for why Jim Baron was here for 11 years. Because I went to the games during that time and I allowed URI Admin to keep him that long. Makes no sense to me.

I think personally blaming the Fans is overdone and that will really not change the direction of the program. The fans are pretty much from the same group who has followed the team from the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, 10’s. It’s from local supporters, students, alumni, family members whose child is a current student there. Pretty much the make up. And will be in the future too.
Investment needs to occur. Plans need to be developed and marketed. New Hampshire can and does do it. So does Maine, Stony Brook, and many others. Columbia enjoying success now. Due to fans protesting? No - it was a brilliant hire by the Administration of a new Coach.

You can and do blame me and the URI fan group first and foremost for The State of URI Football. I get it loud and clear. Thor and Dooley therefore are allowed to have no future plans, no stadium investment, poor recruiting, can decide to drop to NEC level Conference, can allow the son of the HC to be OC, can hire a HC that is less than they would normally select -all because of the poor interest of the URI fan base. It’s not their fault, just blame the fans.

It’s not their fault either that Jim Baron stayed 11 long years, with a stellar Building like the Ryan Center that was one of the premier facilities in the East when completed. It was the poor attendance of the fans that allowed him to stay for a decade plus??? Never got a a Top 100 ESPN player in 11years. Posters here said often “why would a player of that level pick URI over UCONN? Harrick and now DH proved they could and would. If I get blamed as a fan for Those 11 years I should get credit for the last 5, but that would make little sense for me to get the blame or the credit.
What it shows is that the hiring decisions of the Administration are critically important as are the decisions to extend or not extend the contracts of those hiring decisions. Hiring Baron was one thing, extending him was another - and a huge missed opportunity as the hiring of Dan Hurley clearly shows. Hurley himself pushes Dooley and Thor and the Board to invest in Coaches Salaries, Video Room, Charter Flights, Weight Room and Facilities, Recruiting Budget, etc. not the fanbase who were the same fans during the 11 year drought. Shows the critical importance of the HC Selection.

Hiring Fleming was one thing, extending would another. If he gets extended some, as you, would blame the fans. I would put the blame for that on the two people who make the hiring decision.

If I was Thor and Dooley I would look at yesterday as what URI Football can be. Think big. Imagine. What an opportunity we have right here in Kingston.
I looked at the East Stands in which I was sitting, filled to the brim, some boards replaced, some in need of replacement and wondered why we purchased and installed stands of this type in the first place - who made that decision and why? Certainly not me or the fans sitting in them yesterday. Saying they need repair makes sense but we bought and installed a less than quality product from Day 1 - you get what you pay for.

Yes, great Post Ramster.
What URI football could become, I think contending for FCS playoffs, if URI thought big about URI football like it thinks about URI Basketball.
Also, why don't we have an outside track? East Stands, well, 41 years old and counting.
Recruiting is a struggle. I give Fleming credit for getting the talent that we have today.
My take is URI Admin does not want to spend an money on URI football that would get wrath of PRojo and Press, even though U. of RI is only funded by 8% from the State. However, I can't think of any college or university where its Admin has given its football program such low priority the last 40 years. . That's why we are where we are today.