On Saturday, University of Rhode Island fourth-year kicker Ty Groff hit a 43-yard field goal to send Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket into a frenzy.
Groff was the hero for Rhode Island; there is no doubt about that, but Groff’s game-winning kick doesn’t happen without a number of factors that set the Rams up for victory.
In four-down territory with under two minutes left in the fourth quarter, tied at 10, URI head coach Jim Fleming decided to punt on fourth down after a timeout.
Fifth-year punter Randy Leavitt followed through with a punt that pinned Brown University at its own 12-yard line.
“I was standing with our guys, and I looked up, and it was fourth-and-3,” Fleming said. “You put yourself in jeopardy of losing there, and that’s when I said in the timeout we were going to punt it.”
Instead of the Bears having 1:19 remaining from midfield after a potential turnover on downs, Fleming trusted the defense to stop Brown, backed up in its own territory.
The Rams were coming off a close loss to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, so they knew how crucial it was to play their cards right to avoid a third straight.
“We got ourselves in a similar situation last week,” Fleming said. “We moved the ball on the plus side of the 50 where we had a reasonable shot.”
The Rhode Island defense did its job and held the Bears to a three-and-out, with Brown’s quickest drive of the game, forcing the Bears to punt the ball back to the Rams with 32 seconds on the clock.
Third-year punter Malcolm Flynn only got off a 32-yard boot, setting up Rhode Island in great field position at Brown’s 46-yard line.
The Rams had the ball right back on the Bears’ side of the field with one timeout left.
Brown committed a costly roughing the passer penalty on a five-yard catch from fifth-year Marquis Buchannan, pushing Rhode Island into field goal range.
“The defense had a great stop,” Groff said. “Alex pushed the ball down the field and gave me an opportunity.”
In the end, it came down to one decision, one moment that ultimately paid off and sent Rhode Island back to Kingston with the Governor’s Cup.
