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Football
Rhode Island Football Spring Practice Roundup - Issue 3
April 7, 2008
KINGSTON, R.I. - The University of Rhode Island football squad wrapped up its sixth practice of the spring Monday afternoon under sunny yet windy skies on the practice fields which lay in the shadows of Meade Stadium. Rain washed away last Friday's practice and pushed back Saturday's scheduled scrimmage to Sunday morning, and first-year head coach Darren Rizzi had the student-athletes in just helmets and shoulder pads for the first of four scheduled workouts this week. "It's great to have had a scrimmage last weekend and another one this weekend," said first-year secondary coach Ryan Crawford. "We can treat them like individual games and see the progress leading into the spring game." After previewing both the quarterback and offensive line last week, we're switching over to the defensive side of the ball this week. Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Joe Trainer takes over a defense which ranked next to last in both scoring defense (32.7 ppg) and total defense (408.5 ypg allowed). The Rams ranked seventh against the run (173.6 rushing ypg allowed) but struggled in the secondary, allowing 234.8 yards per game through the air, which placed them 10th in the conference. That's where Crawford will rely on his coaching stints at Bucknell and Davidson to help turn around the URI secondary. "With new systems and schemes, we're really teaching everything from the ground-up," said Crawford. "These first four practices which led up to the scrimmages, we installed a few different coverages and pressures - basically, we were installing something for them to learn every day, so it's been a lot. They've had to work hard at it and do their homework. We have no intention of slowing down, though. We want to get everything in and then go over it and re-teach it and see them get better every week."
Rhode Island graduated three starters in the defensive backfield last season - Raji El-Amin, Ki'Ameer Johnson, and Adrian Owen. Johnson finished third on the team with 64 tackles (39 solo), led the team in pass breakups (six), and tied for the lead with three interceptions. Owen placed fourth with 42 tackles (20 solo) and also picked off three passes while El-Amin - who struggled with injuries throughout the season - recorded 34 tackles (24 solo), two interceptions and two pass breakups. While the Rams return two senior (Jimmy Young, Alex Francois) and two juniors (Antonio Johnson, Rodney Mitchell) in the defensive backfield, none have been full-time starters. "There is not a seasoned guy back there that's been through a 10 or 12 game season and is battled-tested," explained Crawford. "The guys that are back there in the first group - Rodney Mitchell and Antonio Johnson, for instance - started a few games here and there, but we don't have anyone we'd call a `seasoned veteran.' They are learning a lot on the fly and taking a lot of reps, which is good for them because we're going to need it." Redshirt sophomore Matt Urban is the team's leading-returning tackler in the defensive backfield, having collected 17 tackles (11 solo), one pass breakup and one INT in his first season in the keaney blue and white. With sophomore Matt Hansen - the team's leading returning tackler - moving from defensive back to linebacker, Johnson is the team's next leading returner in the secondary, posting 14 tackles (11 solo) and one interception. Francois (11 tackles), Mitchell (10 tackles), and Young (three tackles) join Johnson in helping mentor the underclassmen on and off the field. "It's been kind of a blue for all of us. Everything has been happening very fast," said Young. "We're installing a new defense, and while some of the concepts and covers are the same, we're adding a few new packages, which takes some getting use to. Everyone is doing a good job and getting better every day. We're all on each other's backs and competing, but we're all good friends. We get better through it." Sophomore Terence Glenn was recruiting as a quarterback, but first-year head coach Darren Rizzi hopes to utilize Glenn's athleticism as a defensive back. Classmate Jarrod Williams spent the 2007 season as a running back but has also been moved over to the secondary, while junior Rob Damon shifts from linebacker to safety after notching 33 tackles at LB last season. Additionally, former East Providence high school all-state standout Ronald Woodley joins fellow recruit Robert Walker (Chesire Academy) in the mix for playing time this fall, along with Aaron Brown-Smith, Anderson Nance, and Frank Saile. |
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