Program record 10 sacks propel Rams to victory over in-state rival
The defense led the way for the Rams, allowing for them to advance to 2-0 on the season. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
In football, defense is said to win championships. By that measure, the 2022 University of Rhode Island football team has had a successful start to their season through the first two games.
On Saturday, the Rams defeated the Bryant Bulldogs 35-21 in Smithfield to maintain their perfect record to begin the year thanks to a defensive outing that included a program-best 10 sacks and only seven points allowed in the second half.
Despite this, URI Head Coach Jim Fleming knows his team still has a lot left to accomplish going forward.
“We’ve handled business on the road two weeks in a row, but our goals are extremely high as a football program,” Fleming said. “We’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done at the University for thirty-seven, (thirty)eight years.”
Rhody found themselves down seven early, but responded on a seven-play drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run for Jaylen Smith. A missed point-after attempt kept the Bulldogs out in front by one.
The next two Rams scores came in style. Both Ed Lee and Kahtero Summers each had long catch-and-run scores from Kasim Hill down the sideline — 78 and 63 yards respectively — to give the visitors a 20-7 advantage. But it would be the Bulldogs entering the locker room with momentum, as a Hill interception set up Bryant with a short field, eventually finding the endzone to enter the half trailing by only six points.
After a slow start to the third quarter, URI began to pull away. Marques DeShields cashed in on a 16-yard scamper before Smith dashed 50 yards for his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter.
But the defense was the driving force behind the second half turnaround, only allowing Bryant to score once through five drives and capping off the night with a strip-sack safety in the end zone late in the fourth.
“I think the biggest thing for us is our culture, that’s our biggest thing that we set on a daily basis,” Rams linebacker Evan Stewart said. “We have a group of guys who love each other and want to play for each other, so I think that’s the biggest thing.”
Of those 10 sacks, 3.5 of them came by way of freshman linebacker A.J. Pena. The Branchburg, N.J. native saw his first significant action on defense in just his second game and did enough to earn CAA Rookie of the Week honors, but never hesitated to give his teammates credit for the win.
“I’m really happy I got the win with the team,” Pena said. “This team is a team defense, everything’s not meant for me, the plays come and go.”
The Rams also had four forced fumbles throughout the night, including a strip sack turnover from redshirt junior and former Bulldogs linebacker Jarrett Martin back in the first half. Jake Fire, James Makszin and Malachi Burby also jarred the ball loose.
Rhody will play in front of their home fans for the first time on Saturday, and it will be their biggest test of the season as they begin CAA play against the 9th-ranked Delaware Blue Hens, a matchup that Fleming described as “monstrous.”
“They’re gonna be prepared,” he said. “It’s a new coaching staff, that’ll be a different flavor. But it’s gonna be a CAA battle, and we’re gonna have to play extremely well to win.”
Kickoff from Meade Stadium is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be streamed on FloSports.