Start the year unbeaten in conference play. Check.
Move up to No. 16 in the AFCA Coaches poll. Check.
Get a road win against a UNH team you haven’t beaten in Durham in 29 years. Check.
Another week, another boxed checked off for Jim Fleming’s URI Rams in the pursuit of ending a 39-year playoff drought.
In a season that continues to feel more and more special with each late comeback or big time win, the Rams have done an excellent job of staying focused on the present and not looking at the bigger picture. It’s gotten them to 6-1 and in first place in the CAA with a 3-0 conference mark. Only the Rams and Richmond Spiders are unbeaten in CAA games so far.
There’s still a long way to go, but the win in Durham was another massive step for this program and the biggest part was the fact that it was truly a team win.
“Winning,” Fleming said when asked what he liked most about the victory in Durham during his usual appearance on the CAA coaches call Monday morning. “That’s the first thing I liked. You’d like to think the law of percentages would catch up to you at some point in time. It was 30 years or so before we were able to go up there and win. But, after a weird, sloppy first quarter, I thought we settled in. What I was really pleased about was the contributions made by all three phases. We had challenged the kids – those that were on special teams’ units and might not be getting a lot of snaps – to be able to step up and make some big time plays.
“I think so far, that was our best total game. To be able to come out (finally) in the plus area in the turnover margin was a breath of fresh air for us. I felt really good about the overall demeanor of our football team. The focus they had in the practices they had going up into it, so I thought it was a big step forward for us.”
Things won’t get any easier for the Rams with a suddenly surging Maine team visiting Meade Stadium on Saturday. The Black Bears recently upset No. 5 Villanova just a couple weeks after picking off an unbeaten, FBS-bound Delaware program. Maine is 4-3 and now in its third year of a rebuild under Jordan Stevens.
In years past, these are the types of games where URI might slip up and lose focus. Fleming and his staff are doing their best to make sure this magic carpet ride doesn’t get derailed against the Black Bears.
“They’re good, really good,” Fleming added. “You look…Villanova had to travel up to Maine. I always think that’s a 14-point advantage for Maine. But, I think they’ve got a very active defense. They cover well. They’re doing a nice job in all phases on the defensive side of the ball. Offensively, I don’t know the kids that well, but their running backs are really impressive and I think their whole group is sold. I think the quarterback is good. I’m only a couple games into (film) so far, but I like their team.
“I think Jordan’s done a good job with that group. I think they’re believing right now. It’s a huge game. Their ability to get right back into this thing and jump up to the top is there for them. Put all that aside and it is Maine. You’ve seen some of those wild games (in the rivalry), Maine games are physical, They’re chippy and they’ve been wild.
“We’ve got to go ahead and play a very good football game and keep a lid on your emotions to some extent. We’re a hungry group and so are they. It’s going to be a good football game.”