URI's Recruiting Class - 2018 National Signing Day

Today Jim Fleming, the head coach of the University of Rhode Island Football team, announced the 2018 recruiting class. The class includes 22 players, 14 of which are freshman, 7 transfers, and 1 graduate senior. The class had 5 players from NY, 4 from FL, 3 from PA and NJ, 2 from MA and CT and one from Maryland, South Carolina, and Delaware. The team signed 4 Linebackers and 4 defensive Lineman as the top two sought after positions. The Rams are still young in the front 7 and needed to fill gaps with 4 Defensive lineman and linebackers graduating this past season.

Coach Fleming started his presser off with the obvious: time. It is now year 5 of the Fleming era, and as his final contracted season is upon is he knows that the inevitable truth is also upon us.

"The message from staff was the time is now. We feel as though we've put a four-year foundation down that is rock solid. We've gotten progressively closer and closer to our goal which is to win a CAA Conference Championship.”

Coach talked about how much time a dedication had gone into recruiting and what was the general game plan for this year’s process. He mentioned how deep this recruiting class is and how they can have an immediate impact on this team, right away. 

He then continued with praises and thank you’s for his staff as well as some of the general University staff. Fleming talked about the praises that he has for his Director of Football Operations, Brandon Tuolozzo for his hard work, and how flexible he has been through this long process. He also thanked Chris Satoh (Assistant Director Football Ops, Video Coordinator) and Richard Johnson (strength and conditioning) among others. Fleming also took this time to introduce the team’s newest coaching addition, Donovan Varner, who will be in charge of coaching Wide Receivers.
Before the introduction of the 22 signees, Fleming remarked the successes of the basketball program. He then compared CAA conference foe Villanova, to URI. “Villanova has won a national championship at both basketball and football. There’s no reason that we can’t do that either. With the right people doing the right things, it is definitely possible.”

Then came the intorduction of the players, with groups of them being introduced by the different assistant coaches. Here are this years signees:

Christian Arrington – Linebacker, 6-2 225
Mechanicsburg, Pa. | Cumberland Valley

Kadin Booker - Offensive Line, 6-7 290
Burlington City, N.J. | Ball State

Dylan Brown - Defensive Line 6-3 310
Tampa Bay, Fla. | The Hotchkiss School

Brian Campbell - Safety 6-0 180
Baltimore, Md. | ASA College

Bryan Castillo - Linebacker 6-1  215
Scranton, Pa. | Lackawanna College

Nick Correia – Defensive Line 6-5 350
Nantucket, Mass. | Nantucket

Sebastian Delasoudas - Offensive Line 6-2 290
Ft. Lee, N.J. | Don Bosco

Ahmere Dorsey - Wide Receiver 5-10 175
Wilmington, Del. | Nassau CC

John Erby - Wide Receiver 5-10 185
Chester, S.C. | Chester

Hunter Gorgas – Tight End 6-5 250
Shrewsbury, Mass. | St. John's

Andre Johnson - Linebacker 6-0 205
Vero Beach, Fla. | Vero Beach

Naim Jones - Running Back 6-0 210
Coram, N.Y. | Nassau CC

Evan Lovell - Offensive Line 6-4 305
Thomaston, N.J. | Peddie School

James Makszin - Defensive Line 6-3 290
Norwalk, Conn. | St. Thomas More

Ryan McDonough - Defensive Line 6-4 250
Vero Beach, Fla. | Vero Beach

Isaiah Moak –Linebacker 6-0 205
Averill Park, N.Y. | Hudson Valley CC

Griffin Saks – Long Snapper 6-0 225
Durham, Conn. | Xavier

Perry Shelbred – Kicker/Punter 5-9 180
Waccabuc, N.Y. | John Jay

Lorenzo Thompson - Offensive Line 6-6 260
Syracuse, N.Y. | Cicero North

Caleb Warren - Tight End 6-3 235
Brandon, Fla. | Seffner Christian Acad.

Keith Wells – Defensive Tackle 6-2 280

Pittsburgh, Pa. | Lackawanna College

Malik Wilder – Cornerback 5-10 180
Bronx, N.Y. | Nassau CC

Fleming closed the press conference with more thank you’s for the people in the room. “We feel it. We feel the support and we appreciate it… We are very grateful for everyone in this room. We'll make you proud.” 

This will be a make or break year for the Rams. Can they continue to improve or will we see another roadblock? Rhode Island will open their season at the University of Delaware on August 30th, 2018.

The Rams of March

It has not settled in that the University of Rhode Island Rams have punched their ticket to a trip to the NCAA tournament. It has been 18 years the last time that the Rams did that, a time where URI was not a glint in my eye. But, for the years I have supported, rooting for Rhode Island has been a treat and nothing short of exciting.

The season probably didn't play out as one would expect. This was a team that had been ranked pre-season and made it all the way up to #21 in the nation in the AP Poll. Then, reality struck. Injuries, lack of motivation, poor coaching choices, whatever you may blame it on, this team was not in good shape. Duke, PC, Valparaiso, Houston, then in conference play La Salle, Richmond, Dayton twice. None of these loses are terrible, minus the loss to the Explorers, still, Rhody did not have the season we expected.

But they turned it on at the right time. With 10 games to go on the season, I predicted URI go 9-out-10 and make things interesting. They won 8 of those 10. Now a loss to Fordham at home definitely hindered this team during that stretch, but with a win against VCU, the Rams were suddenly back in tournament discussion. 5 straight wins going into the Atlantic-10 tournament could not have been more perfectly timed.

Right now, we are seeing the Rhode Island team that we expected to see. Now up to 8 straight wins, including their first conference title since 1999. Matthews, Martin, Terrell, Iverson and Dowtin have been great. Garrett and Robinson stellar off the bench, and Dan Hurley is showing what he is capable of as a coach as well.

As I sit here, about 30 hours out from the round-of-64 tipoff against Creighton, it is still surreal. The adversity this team has overcome is remarkable. They have made all of us proud to be Rhody fans, and regardless of their finish, their championship performance has proven to be astounding. Who knows, we could see another Elite 8 run.