It’s no secret the Rams have been a shock to most people in the FCS football world through the first quarter of the season. They started the year with an upset victory over the No.15 Delaware Blue Hens. Follow that up with a blowout victory over the Great Danes of Albany in the home opener, and a shootout loss to FBS opponent UConn. There is a palpable buzz about University of Rhode Island football for the first time in a while.
A huge reason for the renaissance of Rhode Island football this year and their 2-1 record which has them ranked No. 22 in the country, is the offensive output the Rams have produced. Led by senior quarterback JaJuan Lawson, a transfer last year from New Mexico, a receiving core that makes the rest of the CAA jealous, and a great play caller in Will Fleming, son of Head Coach Jim Fleming, the offense is poised to continue their great play.
The engine that drives the Rams offense is Lawson. Lawson this season has two CAA offensive player of the week awards, for his efforts against Albany and UConn. Lawson also earned the Gold Helmet from the New England Football Writers Association following his performance against Albany, a game in which he went 22-28 passing, and threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns. Lawson’s performance against Albany was tied fourth for the most accurate performance in Rams history, at a completion percentage of .786. Lawson followed that performance up against the UConn Huskies with another four-touchdown performance through the air, and threw for 351 passing yards, a new best for the senior.