Football 9/22/2011 12:00:00 AM

Rhode Island Hosts Fordham in 2011 Home Opener

Sept. 22, 2011

KINGSTON, R.I. -- Rhode Island plays its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 24 when it hosts Fordham at Meade Stadium in a 1 p.m. kickoff.

The game can be heard live on WHJJ 920 AM, with Steve McDonald and Terry Lynch. The pre-game show is set to begin at 12:45 p.m. Fans can also tune into the audio stream via WHJJ.

RHODE ISLAND VS. FORDHAM - ALL-TIME SERIES
Rhode Island and Fordham have met 10 times with Fordham holding a 6-4 series advantage. The last meeting between the two teams was last season - Sept. 11, 2010 - in the Bronx. Fordham escaped with a 27-25 victory at Jack Coffey Field.

RHODY IN HOME-OPENERS
Rhode Island is 67-39-5 all-time in home openers. Dating back to 2000, Rhody holds an 8-3 record - including last year's 28-25 win over nationally-ranked New Hampshire on Sept. 28, 2010.

JOHNSON AT A LOSS
Junior linebacker Doug Johnson leads CAA Football in tackles for loss, averaging 3.25 per game for a loss of 17 yards. Last time out at UMass, the Warwick, R.I. native made five TFL for a loss of 22 yards. Johnson also leads the conference in sacks, averaging 1.5 per game.

DULANY DOING IT ON D
Senior safety Darrell Dulany made a single-game career high 13 tackles at UMass. His previous high was nine, set the week before at Syracuse. He ranks third among all defensive players - and first among defensive backs - in tackles, averaging 11.0 per game.

1981 TEAM TO BE HONORED AT SEPT. 24 HOME OPENER VS. FORDHAM
On Sept. 24, in conjunction with the home opener vs. Fordham at Meade Stadium, URI Athletics will honor the 1981 Rhody football team. That season, the Rams were Yankee Conference champions and advanced to the NCAA I-AA Playoffs against Idaho State under head coach Bob Griffin.

PROBST BLUE RIBBON
Following a year where he set single season career highs in virtuallly every passing category, quarterback Steve Probst continues to set new career marks in 2011. At UMass on Sept. 17, Probst set new career-bests in passing (279 yards), passing TD's (4), and longest reception (83). He completed TD passes to Brandon Johnson-Farrell (18 yards), Ty Bynum (39), Billy Morgan (48) and Anthony Baskerville (83).

HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLE
Senior Anthony Baskerville has had an exceptional start to the 2011 season. The 5-11, 189 lb. wide receiver leads CAA Football in receiving yards per game, averaging 111.0. The Newark, N.J. native set a new single-game high with 134 yards at UMass on Sept. 17.

TRAINER ANNOUNCES 2011 TEAM CAPTAINS
Prior to the Sept. 10 season opener at Syracuse, head coach Joe Trainer announced his six team captains - offensive linemen Kyle Bogumil and Jason Foster, defensive back Darrell Dulany, quarterback Steve Probst, and defensive tackles Matt Rae and Willie McGinnis. "These six senior captains represent the best leadership we have had since I have been here and I am confident this group will effectively lead this team in 2011," Trainer said. "I couldn't be happier with our entire senior class and what they bring to this team."

HAVE YOU HURD?
Travis Hurd - a 2010 All-CAA Football First Teamer as a returner - scored his first rushing touchdown at Syracuse to open the season. Hurd had previously recorded a TD last year on a 75-yard kickoff return at Delaware (Oct. 16).

BIG WILLIE STYLE
Senior Willie McGinnis registered two tackles for a loss at Syracuse. He ranked second on the Rams in TFL last year, with 10.5 and now has 22.5 for his career.

PROBST AND HURD SELECTED TO 2011 CAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
Senior quarterback Steve Probst and sophomore kick returner Travis Hurd were each selected to the 2011 CAA Football Preseason All-League Team. The selections were voted on by the league's 11 head coaches and media relations personnel.

RAMS WELL REPRESENTED ON THE PHIL STEELE ALL-CAA PRESEASON SQUAD
Five Rhode Island football players were selected to the Phil Steele Preseason All-CAA Team as part of its 2011 FCS Preview. Senior offensive lineman Jason Foster and sophomore kick returner Travis Hurd were named First Team. Earning Second Team honors for Rhody were seniors Kyle Bogumil (offensive lineman), Willie McGinnis (defensive lineman), and Matt Rae (defensive lineman).

ROAD ISLAND
For the first time since 1982, URI started a season with back-to-back road games. That season, the Rams played their first three contests away from Meade Stadium.

FUMBLE!
The Rhode Island defense gained 13 fumbles in 2010, which ranked second in the CAA. Since Joe Trainer took over as head coach in 2009, the Rams have recovered a league-best 28 fumbles.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MADE
In 2009, opponents averaged nearly 40 points a game against Rhode Island (36.9). Last season, Rhody limited its opponents to just 24.4 points per game.

GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM
This past year 13 players were selected to the CAA Football All-Academic team. In two years, the Rams have placed 23 players on the team - a number that ranks third in CAA Football during that period.

RHODY SPECIAL TEAMS
Last season, the URI special teams unit was instrumental in the Rams' five-win season. Under the direction of special teams coach Eddie Allen, URI ranked in the CAA's top five in four special teams categories. The Rams also held the league's top kickoff return average (23.8). It was Allen's special team unit that played a major role in the Rams' 17-14 victory over Villanova as it blocked a punt and returned it for the game-winning score over the 2009 National Champions.

NEXT UP: BROWN (OCT. 1)
Rhode Island plays Brown in the 97th meeting between the two schools. It is also the annual Governor's Cup game, which is now in its 30th year of being contested. The game can be heard live on WHJJ 920 AM, with Steve McDonald and Terry Lynch, while it is also being aired live locally on MyRI TV (Cox ch. 15/1015 HD).

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