Press Release
ABOUT THE RAMS
Rhode Island travels to Villanova on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Villanova Stadium. The Rams enter the game after falling 28-16 at home against Hofstra on Oct. 17.
SERIES INFORMATION
Rhode Island and Villanova have met 15 times with the Wildcats holding a 13-2 series advantage. The two teams met a year ago in Kingston, R.I., where Villanova defeated Rhode Island 44-7. URI's last win over the Wildcats was a 48-30 victory at Villanova on Oct. 22, 2005. Rhody's win in 2005 was its lone victory at Villanova.
LAST WEEK: RAMS COME UP SHORT ON HOMECOMING
-The Rhode Island-Hofstra matchup served as the 83rd Homecoming game. Rhode Island is 37-45-1 on Homecoming.
-Junior quarterback Chris Paul-Etienne returned to the lineup - after missing the last two weeks with an injury - to throw for a career-high 207 yards. He also ran for a touchdown.
-Sophomore wide receiver Ty Bynum posted a career-high six receptions. He finished the game with a team-high 75 yards receiving. Bynum currently leads the team with 279 receiving yards.
TRAINER RETURNS TO VILLANOVA
Saturday's game at Villanova will serve as the Wildcats' homecoming game. It also will serve as a homecoming of sorts for head coach Joe Trainer. Trainer was an assistant coach at Villanova for eight years, serving as the defensive coordinator from 2000-2004 and the linebackers coach from 1997-1999. During his tenure at Villanova Trainer helped the Wildcats to two conference championships, two NCAA Playoff appearances and two wins over Division I-A schools (Rutgers and Temple).
RAMS FACE TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
With six league teams ranked in the Top 25 of the FCS polls, each week in the CAA presents a significant challenge. In Rhode Island's next three games, the Rams will face nationally-ranked teams No. 4/4 Villanova, No. 5/5 William and Mary and No. 9/8 New Hampshire. Each of the Rams' next three opponents have victories over a Football Bowl Subdivision team, defeating Temple, Virginia and Ball State, respectively this season. The Rams' next three opponents also hold a combined record of 16-3.
LEONARD CONTINUES HIS CLIMB AMONG THE URI CAREER LEADERS
Senior wide receiver Shawn Leonard continues to climb up the all-time Rhode Island career receiving chart. The Massachusetts native currently ranks ninth in receiving touchdowns (12), ninth in receptions (115) and sixth in receiving yards (1,743). This season, Leonard leads the team in receptions (19). He also is second on the team in receiving yards with 248.
SCOUTING VILLANOVA
The Wildcats (6-1; 3-1 CAA) enter Saturday's contest in the hopes of remaining close behind CAA South Division leader Richmond (6-0; 4-0 CAA). Villanova currently sits in second place behind the Spiders. The Wildcats feature the CAA's top rushing offense (204.6) and scoring defense (13.7). Villanova's lone loss the season came by four points (28-24) at New Hampshire (Oct. 10). Junior Matt Szczur leads the team and the CAA with 1,018 all-purpose yards (311 - rushing, 234 - receiving, 473 - return) averaging 145.4 per game. Villanova has three players, which have rushed for 300 yards or more this season. Junior quarterback Chris Whitney leads the way with 437 yards on the ground. Defensively, the Wildcats have forced opponents into 16 turnovers. As a team, the Wildcats hold a plus 11 turnover margin. Junior linebacker Terence Thomas leads the way with 52 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
CRACKING THE 100 YARD MARK
On Oct. 17 against Towson, freshman running back Ayo Isijola totaled a career-high 100 yards on the ground. Isijola also scored his first career touchdown as he raced in from 48 yards out in the first quarter. Isijola also become the first URI running back since Anthony Ferrer (Nov. 17, 2007) to rush for 100 yards or more in a single game.
DON'T PASS ON ME
Junior safety Jarrod Williams had two interceptions on Oct. 17 against Towson. In Rhody's last three games, the Pennsylvania native has picked off opposing quarterbacks three times. As a team, the Rhody secondary has recorded seven interceptions, which ranks sixth in the CAA.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Seven weeks into the college football season, Rhode Island holds a plus five turnover margin, averaging 0.83 takeaways per game, which ranks fourth in the CAA and 21st in the NCAA Football Subdivision.
FUMBLE!!!
This season, Rhode Island has made a habit of forcing fumbles. Through six games, URI has forced 12 fumbles and has recovered nine of those miscues. In 2009, Rhody forced four against Connecticut (Sept. 26), four versus Fordham (Sept. 5), three against Massachusetts (Sept. 19), and one versus Towson (Oct. 10).
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
Through six games this season, the URI offensive line has allowed eight sacks. Currently, the unit ranks fourth in the CAA in fewest sacks allowed. Through five games in 2008, the Rams' offensive line had allowed 17 sacks. On Oct. 3rd against Brown, the Rhody offensive line held its opponent without a sack for the second time this season. The offensive line's first shutout of the year came against Fordham in the Sept. 5th season-opener. Prior to this season, the last time URI held an opponent without a sack was back on Oct. 28, 2006 against Maine.
ANOTHER GAME ANOTHER CAREER-HIGH FOR DAMON
Junior linebacker Rob Damon recorded a career-high 19 tackles at Connecticut (Sept. 26). Damon's 19 tackles surpassed his previous career-high of 16, which he set the week before against Fordham (Sept. 5). Over the offseason, the Piscataway, N.J., native moved from defensive back to linebacker.
THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Junior linebackers Rob Damon and Matt Hansen have combined for 132 tackles this season for the Rams (72 - Damon; 60 - Hansen). Damon (12.0) and Hansen (10.0) rank first and tied for second in the CAA in tackles per game. Additionally, Damon's per game total ranks fifth in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.
HANSEN POSTS DOUBLE-DIGIT TACKLES FOR THE 10TH TIME IN HIS CAREER
Against Hofstra on Oct. 17, junior Matt Hansen recorded 12 tackles, which marked the second time this season he tallied 10-or-more tackles in a single game. Hansen's first 10-plus tackle performance came against Connecticut on Sept. 26 where he registered 13 tackles. Dating back to 2007, the Rhode Island native has posted 10-or-more stop in 10 games, including a career-high 15-tackle performance against nationally-ranked Maine (Nov. 15, 2008).
ANOTHER GAME ANOTHER DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN
The Rhode Island defensive unit has scored at least one touchdown in three games this season (Brown, Massachusetts, Fordham). On Oct. 3 against in-state rival Brown, junior linebacker Rob Damon returned his first career interception 75 yards for a score. Against Massachusetts (Sept. 19), junior safety Jarrod Williams recovered a fumble and raced it 68-yards for his first career defensive touchdown. In the Rams' season-opener versus Fordham (Sept. 5), senior defensive end Steve Weedon picked up a fumble and returned it 15 yards for the touchdown.
RAMS SURPASS 400 YARDS IN TOTAL OFFENSE FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON
On Oct. 3 against Brown, the Rhode Island offensive unit put up 416 yards of total offense (214 - passing; 202 rushing). In the Rams' home-opener against Fordham (Sept. 5) URI posted 455 yards of total offense en route to a 41-28 victory.
PAUL-ETIENNE SHINES IN URI DEBUT
In his first career start as a college quarterback, junior quarterback Chris Paul-Etienne accounted for three Rhody touchdowns and 245 all-purpose yards (164 passing and 81 rushing). The Rutgers transfer passed for two scores and ran for another in helping the Rams to a 41-28 victory over Fordham. Paul-Etienne's 81 rushing yards were the most by a URI quarterback since Sept. 29, 2007.
RAMS EXPLODE FOR 34 POINTS IN ONE HALF
Rhody's 34 points in the first half in week one against Fordham were the most URI had scored in one half of play since its 56-10 victory over Central Connecticut State on Sept. 10, 2005. In that contest, URI scored 35 second half points.
RAMS' DEFENSIVE UNIT FORCES FIVE TURNOVERS IN SEASON-OPENER
The Rhode Island defensive unit held Fordham scoreless for 29 minutes in its season-opener as Rhody jumped out to a 34-0 lead. The Rams also forced Fordham into five turnovers. Senior Rodney Mitchell picked off one pass, while his defensive teammates forced four fumbles, recovering four.
A LOOK BACK
Prior to the 2008 season, Rhode Island has surpassed 200 yards in passing just four times since 2003. This season, Rhody has passed for over 200 yards in three games, including last week against Hofstra (207). Earlier this year, Rhody passed for 214 yards at Brown (Oct. 3) and 226 yards in the squad's home-opener versus Fordham (Sept. 5). In 2008, Rhode Island threw for 200-or-more yards against Monmouth (257), Fordham (200), New Hampshire (480), Hofstra (248), Brown (298), Towson (265) and William and Mary (225).
WELCOME BACK COACH
Three months after he left Kingston for an assistant coaching position at Bowling Green, Joe Trainer was called back to Rhode Island and was named the school's 19th head coach. In 2008, Trainer served as URI's Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator where his defensive unit recovered 11 fumbles, which ranked in the top five of CAA Football.
RAMS WELCOME THREE TRANSFERS FROM RUTGERS
Over the offseason, Rhode Island acquired three transfers from Rutgers University. Quarterback Chris Paul-Etienne, tight end Tom Lang and defensive back Robenson Alexis all will suit up for the Rams in 2009. Paul-Etienne and Lang both have two years of eligibility at URI, while Alexis has three years remaining.
URI TO CELEBRATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS 1984 NCAA PLAYOFF TEAM
Throughout the 2009 season, the Rhode Island Department of Athletics will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its 1984 URI football team, which reached the semifinals of the NCAA Playoffs. The 1984 squad finished the year with a school-record 10 wins and featured two All-Americans, six All-New England honorees and 12 All-Conference players. Each week, GoRhody.com will highlight the 1984 season with week-by-week game stories and interviews from former URI head coach Bob Griffin in a 13-part series. The URI athletics department will honor the 1984 team at halftime of the Rams' Oct. 31 game against William and Mary.
RHODE ISLAND ATHLETICS, CLEAR CHANNEL AGREE TO MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION
The University of Rhode Island athletics department and Clear Channel Radio have agreed upon a multi-year extension, it was announced Sept. 1 by Thorr Bjorn, URI's director of athletics.
RHODE ISLAND ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES NEW TAILGATING POLICY FOR FOOTBALL
The University of Rhode Island athletics department announced a new tailgating policy for home football games, effective with the upcoming 2009 season. Beginning with the season opener on Sept. 5 versus Fordham, athletics donors and the general public will have the opportunity to enjoy a traditional tailgating experience with alcohol. Recognized donors - at the Captain's Society level ($250 and above) - will have access to the Ram Lot, located directly in front of the Thomas M. Ryan Center, as well as the Ellery Pond area, adjacent to Keaney Gymnasium. Donors at this level may provide their own alcohol in the Ram and Ellery Pond lots. For more information on access to these parking areas and giving to athletics, please call the Athletic Development office at (401) 874-7536.
RAMS PICKED SIXTH IN CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rhode Island was picked to finish sixth in the North Division of the CAA. CAA Football consists of two six-team divisions - North and South.
NEXT UP FOR THE RAMS: WILLIAM AND MARY (OCT. 31)
Rhode Island returns home next week against nationally-ranked William and Mary. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The game can be heard live on the Rams Radio Network at WHJJ 920 AM.
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yeah,Rhode Island acquired three transfers from Rutgers University.
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