Cobblestone
November 1st, 2007, 08:32 AM
For years the QB in Stowers type of offense has taken a beating, every season we lose our starter due to his inability and/or stubbornness to adjust his play calling. Not to mention the pounding the RB's take in this type of offense. NOW we are without our all-conference FB Joe Casey and as usual... our starting QB.
As always our defense sucks because he can't seem to hire or keep a decent DC. One winning season in 7 years, 0 playoff appearances in seven years, sorry Tim but your coaching sucks. GONE! xsmhx
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College Football: Shoulder injury shelves URI’s Casey
09:19 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
One play from the double-overtime URI-Brown game last month stands out as typical of Joe Casey, the Rams’ no-nonsense, hard-charging, gutsy fullback.
Brown had just taken a 42-35 lead on a 5-yard run by Jonathan Edwards and Steve Morgan’s PAT, and the Rams needed to match it to send the game into the second overtime. On Rhody’s first snap, quarterback Derek Cassidy spun and handed the ball to Casey, who bolted through the line and ran untouched for a 25-yard touchdown. Bryan Giannecchini’s kick tied the score, and a few minutes later the Rams scored again, held Brown and celebrated a 49-42 victory for the Governor’s Cup.
That touchdown was classic Casey. Give him a little daylight, and he’s gone. Rhody’s game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was also classic Casey. He pounded the middle of the Brown line for 9 yards, 11 yards, 9 yards and 1 yard, setting up Cassidy’s 1e-yard TD run with 1:01 remaining.
“He’s a tough player, without question,” URI coach Tim Stowers said yesterday after confirming that Casey will miss the remainder of this season because of a shoulder injury suffered on Saturday at New Hampshire.
Casey, a junior, two-time all-conference first-team selection and the 2005 Atlantic 10 rookie of the year, injured his shoulder late in the third quarter with UNH clinging to a 28-24 lead. He rushed for 13 yards on three consecutive plays, and on the fourth consecutive play, a third-and-2 at the UNH 49, he carried again, was hit and fumbled. The Wildcats recovered and three plays later scored for a 35-24 advantage.
Casey had left the game early in the third quarter, but Stowers said that departure had nothing to do with his shoulder. He returned and played until that last series of the quarter. John Pitt-Coombs replaced him for the fourth quarter.
Casey gained 782 yards this season, seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association, and scored two touchdowns. He ran 23 times for 105 yards at UNH, his 12th 100-yard game.
Casey has run for 2,119 yards at URI and has tied former quarterback Jayson Davis for fourth on the school’s all-time rushing list. He trails the career record-holder, Pat Abbruzzi, by 488 yards and should break that 53-year-old record next season.
Casey will probably have surgery on the shoulder, Stowers said. He played most of the 2006 season with an injured shoulder but still gained 874 yards and scored six touchdowns. He had surgery in the offseason, skipped spring practice and when training camp opened in August said his shoulder was fine.
Casey wasted no time establishing himself as the best fullback in the league. As a freshman, he gained 1,245 yards and scored eight touchdowns.
Joe Casey is the type of player on whom coaches love to build programs. He goes about his business with neither glamour nor glitz. He shows up for every practice and game and gives his best effort. He never complains, even when he’s hurt.
“Not once,” Stowers said.
Casey is also a good student.
“He is the epitome of student-athlete. He’s a pleasure to coach,” Stowers said.
That pleasure is on hold for now.
“We need to do what’s best for Joe,” the coach said. “It’s a severe loss for the team. He’s the heart and soul, the bread and butter (of the offense). That’s where it all starts.”
As if Casey’s loss wasn’t bad enough, the Rams (1-7, 0-5 CAA) will have to face third-ranked UMass (7-1, 5-0) Saturday without their starting quarterback. Cassidy injured his ankle with 54 seconds remaining in the first half at UNH and did not play in the second half. Stowers is hoping Cassidy will be able to return to the lineup next week for the trip to Maine.
Cassidy’s injury occurred on a pass. Cassidy usually takes a beating running or pitching the ball. This time he took a hit while completing an 18-yard throw to Shawn Leonard.
Cassidy has rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns this season. His gross rushing yardage is 444, but he has been hit for 252 yards in losses. He has passed for 854 yards, been intercepted five times and thrown three touchdown passes.
Sophomore D.J. Stefkovich will call the signals Saturday. He relieved Cassidy last week and gained confidence as the game wore on. Stefkovich is 17 for 41 passing for 206 yards. He has no touchdown passes and has been intercepted once. His completion percentage is 41.5.
Stowers plans to switch Jimmy Hughes to fullback. The sophomore from Connecticut is having a solid year with 456 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He is averaging 8.1 yards per carry and rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns at UNH.
Pitt-Coombs, a sophomore, and redshirt freshman Anthony Ferrer of West Warwick will also play fullback, and sophomore Tim Allen will replace Hughes at halfback. Senior Jerell Jones is the other halfback.
As always our defense sucks because he can't seem to hire or keep a decent DC. One winning season in 7 years, 0 playoff appearances in seven years, sorry Tim but your coaching sucks. GONE! xsmhx
==================================================
College Football: Shoulder injury shelves URI’s Casey
09:19 AM EDT on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
By MIKE SZOSTAK
Journal Sports Writer
One play from the double-overtime URI-Brown game last month stands out as typical of Joe Casey, the Rams’ no-nonsense, hard-charging, gutsy fullback.
Brown had just taken a 42-35 lead on a 5-yard run by Jonathan Edwards and Steve Morgan’s PAT, and the Rams needed to match it to send the game into the second overtime. On Rhody’s first snap, quarterback Derek Cassidy spun and handed the ball to Casey, who bolted through the line and ran untouched for a 25-yard touchdown. Bryan Giannecchini’s kick tied the score, and a few minutes later the Rams scored again, held Brown and celebrated a 49-42 victory for the Governor’s Cup.
That touchdown was classic Casey. Give him a little daylight, and he’s gone. Rhody’s game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was also classic Casey. He pounded the middle of the Brown line for 9 yards, 11 yards, 9 yards and 1 yard, setting up Cassidy’s 1e-yard TD run with 1:01 remaining.
“He’s a tough player, without question,” URI coach Tim Stowers said yesterday after confirming that Casey will miss the remainder of this season because of a shoulder injury suffered on Saturday at New Hampshire.
Casey, a junior, two-time all-conference first-team selection and the 2005 Atlantic 10 rookie of the year, injured his shoulder late in the third quarter with UNH clinging to a 28-24 lead. He rushed for 13 yards on three consecutive plays, and on the fourth consecutive play, a third-and-2 at the UNH 49, he carried again, was hit and fumbled. The Wildcats recovered and three plays later scored for a 35-24 advantage.
Casey had left the game early in the third quarter, but Stowers said that departure had nothing to do with his shoulder. He returned and played until that last series of the quarter. John Pitt-Coombs replaced him for the fourth quarter.
Casey gained 782 yards this season, seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association, and scored two touchdowns. He ran 23 times for 105 yards at UNH, his 12th 100-yard game.
Casey has run for 2,119 yards at URI and has tied former quarterback Jayson Davis for fourth on the school’s all-time rushing list. He trails the career record-holder, Pat Abbruzzi, by 488 yards and should break that 53-year-old record next season.
Casey will probably have surgery on the shoulder, Stowers said. He played most of the 2006 season with an injured shoulder but still gained 874 yards and scored six touchdowns. He had surgery in the offseason, skipped spring practice and when training camp opened in August said his shoulder was fine.
Casey wasted no time establishing himself as the best fullback in the league. As a freshman, he gained 1,245 yards and scored eight touchdowns.
Joe Casey is the type of player on whom coaches love to build programs. He goes about his business with neither glamour nor glitz. He shows up for every practice and game and gives his best effort. He never complains, even when he’s hurt.
“Not once,” Stowers said.
Casey is also a good student.
“He is the epitome of student-athlete. He’s a pleasure to coach,” Stowers said.
That pleasure is on hold for now.
“We need to do what’s best for Joe,” the coach said. “It’s a severe loss for the team. He’s the heart and soul, the bread and butter (of the offense). That’s where it all starts.”
As if Casey’s loss wasn’t bad enough, the Rams (1-7, 0-5 CAA) will have to face third-ranked UMass (7-1, 5-0) Saturday without their starting quarterback. Cassidy injured his ankle with 54 seconds remaining in the first half at UNH and did not play in the second half. Stowers is hoping Cassidy will be able to return to the lineup next week for the trip to Maine.
Cassidy’s injury occurred on a pass. Cassidy usually takes a beating running or pitching the ball. This time he took a hit while completing an 18-yard throw to Shawn Leonard.
Cassidy has rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns this season. His gross rushing yardage is 444, but he has been hit for 252 yards in losses. He has passed for 854 yards, been intercepted five times and thrown three touchdown passes.
Sophomore D.J. Stefkovich will call the signals Saturday. He relieved Cassidy last week and gained confidence as the game wore on. Stefkovich is 17 for 41 passing for 206 yards. He has no touchdown passes and has been intercepted once. His completion percentage is 41.5.
Stowers plans to switch Jimmy Hughes to fullback. The sophomore from Connecticut is having a solid year with 456 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He is averaging 8.1 yards per carry and rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns at UNH.
Pitt-Coombs, a sophomore, and redshirt freshman Anthony Ferrer of West Warwick will also play fullback, and sophomore Tim Allen will replace Hughes at halfback. Senior Jerell Jones is the other halfback.