Heading into Saturday’s first playoff game since 1985, URI football is on solid footing

“Our ability to win games relies primarily on our ability to run the ball effectively and stop the run – any coach would tell you the same thing,” URI coach Jim Fleming said. “We have dynamic systems on both sides of the ball. Offensively, we have the ability to strike quickly, but last weekend we lost nine minutes on a (13) play drive in the fourth quarter (in a 35-21 win over Bryant). I will do that every time.”

URI’s resurgence is also based on a solid economic foundation, as donors contribute to improvements to Meade Stadium, including an artificial turf field and lights in 2019. Next up is a $42 million investment in the East Stand, together with a video board, thanks to the Rhode Island Capital Improvement Plan.

“I think about just standing here on this field, and when you talk to our donors about the $4 million we raised to put this field in place, that was a big statement,” URI athletic director said Thorr Björn. “It said people believed in our football program and all of these different factors came into play to say that Rhode Island football is important, is important to us and we can be very good at it.”

However, Björn needed more Ws to stimulate investment.

“Winning is the best marketing tool there is,” said Björn. “We’ve always had some support but as we’ve grown and won more games you can see more and more people wanting to be a part of it. I knew we could do it, but you have to have everything under control and to win football you need a lot of support and a lot of financial resources.”

We thank Bjorn and URI for keeping the faith while the L’s piled up. Fleming went 1-11, 1-10, 2-9 and 3-8 in his first four seasons.

“Back then (in 2009), Northeastern and Hofstra quit football and we decided to limit scholarships so we could keep football,” Bjorn said. “I thought that was important – let’s stay in the game so we can adapt.

“When Jim was hired, he inherited a program that was probably at the bottom of the FCS tier, and that doesn’t just magically change. People used Rhode Island recruiting against us and said, ‘Why would you go there?’ They’ll just give up football.”

“When we made a $4 million investment, that argument disappeared. Now that we are making a $42 million investment, these arguments disappear.

“I always believed in (Fleming) and I felt like once we got things going – it’s like turning a barge around, it takes a long time to turn a barge around – but all of a sudden you’re constantly changing coaches “It’s you.” Start again from the beginning. And Jim didn’t deserve that.”

Fleming, 65, had two years of head coaching experience before URI and led Sacred Heart to a 21-1 record.

“It’s no secret that the 2014 program was primarily focused on life support,” Fleming said. “It was a heavy burden to carry the responsibility of keeping football here on campus because you could hear the echoes – like, ‘You should give up football.'” Why did you? You stink.’ There was no pride in the program.”

Fleming said his wife was taking a campus tour and when the group walked by they were told, ‘That’s our football team.’ And they stink.”

“We finally achieved a winning season in 2018, the first time in 17 years,” Fleming said. “That’s when you start to see the little light at the end of the tunnel.”

After the 1985 season, the Rams lost their footing and were almost forgotten. Over the next 39 years, URI experienced 30 losing seasons. However, over the last seven years, Fleming has led the Rams to six .500-plus records, including five straight that set a program record.

These numbers have changed URI’s image.

“I knew this was a competitive group and I definitely wanted to be part of a winning program,” wide receiver Marquis Buchanan said.

URI might have been a tough sell if Buchanan, who grew up in Providence, had been part of an earlier generation. Then again, maybe not.

“Maybe I like being close to my hometown, close to home,” Buchanan said. “I would have embraced it and wanted to fight for change and turn the program around.”

Not that Meade Stadium has been entirely dismal since it opened in 1928. Signs commemorate appearances in the 1955 Fridge Bowl (a 12-10 loss to Jacksonville State spoiled an undefeated URI season); the 1973 Turkey Bowl in Frankfurt, Germany; and three playoff appearances (1981, 1984, 1985) that ended with a 59-15 loss in a visiting Furman despite Ehrhardt passing for 494 yards on the day.

“That’s a long time before any of us were born,” Smith said. “We are happy to be a new number on the banners there. But the season isn’t over yet, so we’re excited to keep going.”

Frank Dell’Apa can be reached at [email protected].