Why is URI so bad?

[Mattymc727]

This discussion branches from the CAA pick em thread, but I think its a very interesting topic.

Why is URI so bad at football? You would think URI could compete just like UNH and Maine do.

UNH has had one of the worst FCS facilities over the past 30 years, shouldnt be URI's excuse. (I think Meade looks better than the current Cowell stadium).

I also dont buy the excuse that RI doesnt produce enough HS talent. NH and Maine arent Texas when it comes to HS football either.

I wont take the excuse that URI is a basketball school either. UNH and Maine are hockey schools, doesnt stop them either.

I could understand if URI was a smaller, private NE institution. However URI is is one of New Englands biggest state schools with 30k students.

Where is the issue?

[MR. CHICKEN]

19952.....RAMS....WERE HALF DECENT....IN DUH TRIPLE OPTIONS DAYS.......FEW YEARS BACK.........SO IT CAN BE DONE......xnodx...AWK!

[melloware13]

I think part of it has to do with when they were going to move down to the NEC, so they had a few years with limited scholarships and probably a bit lower caliber talent. Then, the results on the field since have probably not helped recruiting very much. However, I think this would be the last year for the NEC aimed class to be around.

[Mattymc727]

I think part of it has to do with when they were going to move down to the NEC, so they had a few years with limited scholarships and probably a bit lower caliber talent. Then, the results on the field since have probably not helped recruiting very much. However, I think this would be the last year for the NEC aimed class to be around.

Thats a good point, but URI was bad before their decision to move to the NEC too. There were years when URI wasnt this bad, but they havent sniffed the playoffs in quite some time. That shouldnt be.

Since 2002, the most wins URI has had in a season has been 5. They had 4 wins a couple of other years, and then nothing more than 3. Its been over 10 years of real bad football for a CAA team.

Just double checked, URI was 8-3 in 2001 with no playoffs. They won 3 games in 2000 and 1 game in 1999.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

They had hired a new coach in the 2007/2008? years, and I really thought they were turning things around. Then he left.
I can't remember the exact circumstances around it.....he either came from or went to Rutgers (I think)

I remember talking to some parents of incoming players from NJ. Their son(s) had been recruited by some northern teams and they were happy about making the shorter drive on Saturdays. It's a beautiful area far closer to the recruiting area that NH/Maine typically rely on. The "new" stands at Mead are a great place to watch a game from.

I think it goes back to no commitment from the school....I guess their happy being a Basketball school.

I do agree that the couple years talking of going to NEC may be what's hurting them now.
I hope they get things turned around. The CAA North is a far better place then it was a couple years back.

[Bill]

They had hired a new coach in the 2007/2008? years, and I really thought they were turning things around. Then he left.
I can't remember the exact circumstances around it.....he either came from or went to Rutgers (I think)



Yes, it was Darren Rizzi...standout URI alum, and fine coach with outstanding pedigree. He came from Rutgers...arguably would have been a Griffin-like "lifer". Problem is he got an offer he couldn't refuse - NFL special teams coach with the Dolphins (when Sparano was coach - they coached together before). He left, and they've been trying to recover ever since.

[danefan]

The NEC flip flop will hurt them for years.

I think they missed a great opportunity this year to hire Pete Rossomando. He's a great program builder.

[DoubleH]

I could understand if URI was a smaller, private NE institution. However URI is is one of New Englands biggest state schools with 30k students.

Where is the issue?

Wow, didn't know URI was that big.

I always thought they only funded a small portion of the football scholarships available, similar to NEC levels, which is why they were looking to move there. Having only 35 schollies vs. fully-funded or nearly fully-funded CAA schools is a significant competitive disadvantage. Am I wrong there? Does URI fund 63 or close to it?

[Lehigh Football Nation]

UNH does very well because they are extremely effective recruiting out-of-area. UMaine also isn't bad. I have always gotten the impression that URI has never done that particularly well for football.

[Mattymc727]

URi, UNH, and Maine actually recruit the same areas and often the same kids. URI isnt winning the battles.

Even when they had Rizzi they were a losing program. URI being a losing program isnt anything new regardless of their current scholarships. Seems to be systematic and I cant pinpoint why other than losing season after losing season.

[Sader87]

URI is not that big (30k)....more like 10-12K undergrad I believe.

Not much more to add....the Rams have only sporadically been good ovah the years at the FCS-level, very good in the mid-1980s.

The institutional support for football has nevah been there from what I've seen ovah the years. RI is not a big football state (either producing many players or in its support). URI, like GTown in the PL in some ways, is happy with having an FCS team but put more eggs in their basket with hoop so to speak.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

How long was Rizzi there?
Certainly not long enough to bring in his recruits and install a new system turn that program around.

[Mattymc727]

URI is not that big (30k)....more like 10-12K undergrad I believe.

Not much more to add....the Rams have only sporadically been good ovah the years at the FCS-level, very good in the mid-1980s.

The institutional support for football has nevah been there from what I've seen ovah the years. RI is not a big football state (either producing many players or in its support). URI, like GTown in the PL in some ways, is happy with having an FCS team but put more eggs in their basket with hoop so to speak.


ahhh, i incorrectly added up from wikipedia. Total students around 16k. 13k undergrad

[Bill]

How long was Rizzi there?
Certainly not long enough to bring in his recruits and install a new system turn that program around.

You can say that again. Riz was only there in 2008. One season. I have no doubt (in my mind) that URI would have turned things around...he was an excellent recruiter, and would have re-opened a strong pipeline outside of just New England.

[Go Green]

Culturally, I think the state of New Hampshire cares more about football than Rhode Island does. Brown football never captivated the state either.

RI always struck me as a basketball-first state.

[Fordhamanhattan]

Always seem to get a lot of transfers (most damaged goods) rather than build with freshmen.

[bostonspider]

I have been to a few games at Meade, and there is no real college football atmosphere. As far as I could tell, there was no real tailgating, and the stadium it self is pretty bad. The new stands next to the Ryan Center are not bad, but small. The old stands on the East Side are pretty bad.

Small but nice.
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/254/files/2014/09/Rhode-Island-Albany.png

Falling apart
http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/5406850_5750995_168154486_WebSmall_3_91_0/Image-5406850-168154486-2-WebSmall_0_0ffd438e3d2d27d32a14ca34adb89fe8_1

Just does not make a cohesive whole..
http://www.stadiumsusa.com/images/thumbs/fada4c0bab9e05094305d8f0c4efe89b5a94f9e0.jpg-590x1000.png

I remember seeing a rendering of a completely renovated Meade Stadium. It looked pretty sweet.

[ccd494]

How many scholarships are they offering?

[bostonspider]

Found the rendering. If they were ever to build this, and hire the right coach, I think the Ram Program could take off, as Rhode Islanders could definitely get behind the team, URI is a cool place to go to school, and the coastal area of Rhode Island rocks..

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7529/15651685546_281c039d9b_o.jpg

[Mattymc727]

Found the rendering. If they were ever to build this, and hire the right coach, I think the Ram Program could take off, as Rhode Islanders could definitely get behind the team, URI is a cool place to go to school, and the coastal area of Rhode Island rocks..

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7529/15651685546_281c039d9b_o.jpg

Wow that is pretty cool. When did you see that?

I went to school near Newport, RI....Beautiful area.

[heath]

I have been to a few games at Meade, and there is no real college football atmosphere. As far as I could tell, there was no real tailgating, and the stadium it self is pretty bad. The new stands next to the Ryan Center are not bad, but small. The old stands on the East Side are pretty bad.

Small but nice.
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/254/files/2014/09/Rhode-Island-Albany.png

Falling apart
http://cdn-2-service.phanfare.com/images/5406850_5750995_168154486_WebSmall_3_91_0/Image-5406850-168154486-2-WebSmall_0_0ffd438e3d2d27d32a14ca34adb89fe8_1

Just does not make a cohesive whole..
http://www.stadiumsusa.com/images/thumbs/fada4c0bab9e05094305d8f0c4efe89b5a94f9e0.jpg-590x1000.png

I remember seeing a rendering of a completely renovated Meade Stadium. It looked pretty sweet.
Reminds me of CCSU,with a lesser scoreboard.

[aceinthehole]

The NEC flip flop will hurt them for years.

I think they missed a great opportunity this year to hire Pete Rossomando. He's a great program builder.

Yeah, except URI wouldn't be any good in the NEC either. I'd argue SFPA this year would beat the Rams this season.

Rossomando is struggling in year 1 in New Britain. Not getting enough out of existing talent. I'm still optimistic that he was the right hire for us, but he is facing some challenges in first year. His offensive isn't impressive so far.

[jmufan999]

they need a really dynamic coach who is willing and able to TOTALLY change the culture.

that means a few things. first, you have to have the ability to find such a candidate. does URI have decision makers capable of doing this? and just as importantly, are they willing to spend the money to hire such a candidate? and then if/when that coach succeeds, are they willing to give him pay raises/incentives to keep him there?

bottom line, it's all about the commitment. everything can be improved (facilities, gameday atmosphere, etc.), just doesn't seem like it's important to them. if it IS important, then they're doing a god awful job of showing it.

[aceinthehole]

Reminds me of CCSU,with a lesser scoreboard.

They have about the same seating capacity , but CCSU's Arute Field has a new HD Video board, new field Turf and a much nicer tailgate scene steps from the West Grandstand.

http://www.ccsubluedevils.com/sports/fball/2014-15/photos/0002/index

[Sader87]

I know this was a disqualifier in the original post for a reason why URI football is bad....but the fact remains URI has been, is now and probably always will be a hoop school first and foremost.

URI football basically just exists year to year to play Brown and a few other local schools....I really don't see that changing.

[dgreco]

Like others have said, RI is a basketball-first state. Growing up in RI it was also PC and URI hoops. I think I had no idea about IAA football until I was a freshman at Bryant and learned Bryant had a DII team.

Another problem URI is facing is a small talent pool and too many programs, not just in RI but in the New England -- and to an extent the greater Northeast area. Arguably, another reason URI hasn't been picking up local fan interest can be attributed to the fact that Bryant has cornered the market on football and most local sports news. Outside of the PC hoops stories, Bryant has done a great job of making their sports programs the number one story for local papers -- from DI transition stories to early success in baseball and lacrosse to now having a football team that's sneaking into the rankings, if the papers are covering college athletics, it's almost always about Bryant.

From a purely recruiting or talent development standpoint, I am not sure what is making URI lag far behind. In regards to recruiting, the school has a great campus, a decent-to-good reputation and I've near met an alum who doesn't love the school. As far as coaching and development, I can't imagine a coach cannot get the team to at least put together a 4-5 win season. Even with reduced scholarships, URI should be able to snag some wins -- from time to time -- against other cellar dwellers in the CAA and its OOC games (sans the usual FBS game).

[dgreco]

They have about the same seating capacity , but CCSU's Arute Field has a new HD Video board, new field Turf and a much nicer tailgate scene steps from the West Grandstand.

http://www.ccsubluedevils.com/sports/fball/2014-15/photos/0002/index

Off-topic, but I didn't realize Central Connecticut made those types of improvements. I am envious; I wish Bryant would add permanent stands to the other side and/or upgrade the current scoreboard to a large HD video scoreboard.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Also worth mentioning that far and away the football game that seemed to get the locals riled up the most in regards to URI was UMass, who perhaps not coincidentally is also their conferencemate in basketball. Once UMass went to FBS, that has to have had an effect on interest.

The URI/Brown Governor's Cup is a long-standing rivalry and is still pretty cool and worthwhile for the Rams, but CAA games with UMass were rivalry games that meant more because they were conference games. Plus UMass was national-championship caliber many of those years, too. Brown is hit-or-miss in terms of how good they are in the Ivy, and they have been ranked very infrequently.

[Gordon Shumway]

That new stadium concept looks great, but it is the classic chicken or the egg dilemma. Does the stadium breed success, or does success breed the stadium? There is clearly something wrong there. They are the same size as UNH, with arguably better facilities, and yet they still flounder. In addition to the facilities, let's face it, the farther north you go, the more of a recruiting liability. Yet UNH & Maine succeed.

[Sitting Bull]

It is beautiful and would love to see URI move ahead. Seems strange through that it appears many of the seats in the rendition are empty? Why not just show the place full?

Have been to several games there and enjoyed them. I think both were Homecoming so both games were pretty full. Had nice lobster dinners on the coast after both. Would go back again.

[bkrownd]

I know this was a disqualifier in the original post for a reason why URI football is bad....but the fact remains URI has been, is now and probably always will be a hoop school first and foremost.


They've recently sucked quite a bit at b-ball, too.

Rhody occasionally has some cool uniform/helmet combos.

[Brad82]

I follow the program very closely. I agree with all posters points except game day atmosphere. They still draw well for a team with such a poor record.
The biggest thing is they lack confidence. Losing begats losing.