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Rhode Island Shuts Down Blue Hen
Offense, August 30, 2001 NEWARK, DE -- The University of Rhode Island suffocated the No. 4 ranked University of Delaware, holding the Blue Hens offense to just 166 total yards to post a 10-7 Atlantic 10 Conference football victory in the season opener for both teams Thursday night at Delaware Stadium. The Blue Hens, coming off a 2000 season in which they went 12-2 and advanced to the NCAA I-AA semifinals, lost their season opener for the first time since 1994 and fell to Rams for the first time since 1988 after 10 straight victories. Rhode Island is coming off a 3-8 season in 2000.
The game was delayed for 44 minutes with 9:39 left in the third quarter due to heavy rains and lightning in the area. Delaware, which ranked among the national leaders in 2000 when the Hens averaged 40.9 points and 451.9 yards per game, was held to just 166 total yards, the lowest total by the Blue Hens since 1990. The Hens were held under 200 yards for only the 10th time in head coach Tubby Raymond's 36 seasons. Rhode Island held a 15 minute advantage in time of possession. "This is the biggest win since I've been here," said second-year URI head coach Tim Stowers. "We came into their backyard, with all their tradition, and won ugly. We got down and dirty and that's the way you have to play. We needed every ounce of effort to win this game and we got it. We had to reach deep inside for this one." Rhode Island got on the board first when Shane Laisle capped a 10-play, 43-yard drive with a 22-yard field goal with 1:24 left in the first quarter.
Delaware came back two possessions later to score their only points of the night. Senior Butter Pressey broke away on a career-long 62-yard run to take the ball to the two-yard line. Senior Butch Patrick went around right end for a two-yard scoring run on the next play and the Hens were up 7-3. Rhode Island got the ball back and proceeded to hold the ball for 20 plays and nine minutes and 17 seconds, capping the 71-yard drive on a one-yard dive by quarterback Vince Nedimyer with 3:09 left before halftime. The Rams converted on two fourth down situations to keep the drive going, including a fourth and one on the touchdown. Following the lightning delay, the Hens drove to the Rhode Island 31-yard line but Scott Collins' 48-yard field goal was blocked by Eric Gray. Delaware had its best chance to score in the second half when Mondeario Pinckney recovered a fumble at the URI 23-yard line with 11:59 left to play. But on the Hens' first play, Brett Veach fumbled the ball back to the Rams with Marc Zlotek recovering. Delaware fifth-year quarterback Sam Postlethwait struggled in his first varsity start, completing just 6 of 14 passes for 31 yards. Pressey rushed for a team-high 66 yards on three carries. Fullback David Jamison was a workhorse for the Rams, carrying 33 times for 99 yards. Nedimyer hit on just 6 of 11 passes for 64 yards.
"It was a rough start," said Postlethwait. "We had a hard time getting anything going, didn't put together any long drives, and really left the defense out to dry. We've got a lot of work to do." "We just didn't play with any authority," said Raymond. "The defense didn't play aggressively enough. We could have been more dominant. It all goes back to us having so many new people. We have to buckle up and make a football team." The Hens will continue play next Saturday when they travel to Statesboro, GA to take on two-time defending NCAA I-AA national champion Georgia Southern. AGATE: Rhode
Island.......3...7...0...0.......10 Scoring Summary 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter Attendance: 20,794 TEAM STATISTICS..............Rhode Island..............Delaware First
Downs...................................................16...............................9 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing - Rhode Island: David Jamison, 33-99, Vince Nedimyer 16-30, Luther Green 6-28, Moses Tajong 4-22, Curtis Horne 1-13, Jason Ham 3-8, Wendall Williams 1-7, Team 2-(-6). Delaware: Butter Pressey 3-66, Antawn Jenkins 10-34, Sam Postlethwait 13-28, Jamin Elliott 1-10, Butch Patrick 3-8, Sean Bleiler 1-2, Brett Veach 1-(-13). Passing - Rhode Island: Nedimyer 11-6-0-64. Delaware: Postlethwait 14-6-0-31. Receiving - Rhode Island: Horne 3-25, Green 1-18, Cameron Eberheim 1-13, Tajong 1-8. Delaware: Veach 3-16, Jenkins 2-(-1), Elliott 1-16.
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