Great Expectations. Charles Dickens wrote about them in 1861. Jim Fleming harbors them in 2025.
So do Fleming’s University of Rhode Island football players and coaches. Plus, administrators, students, alums, boosters and fans.
Nine months after their historic 11-3, championship playoff season — their first since 1985 — the Rams return with bigger goals: another Coastal Athletic Association title, a deep run in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision tournament, and post-season honors.
The quest begins tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Meade Stadium against Campbell University.
Fleming is beginning his 12th season as head coach of the Rams. That’s third in URI football history after Frank Keaney’s 21 years and Bob Griffin’s 17. He is beginning his 41st season as a college coach. Yes, he has seen a lot of football.
So have I. My first URI football story appeared in the Woonsocket Call in 1975. That’s right. A half-century ago. Jack Gregory was the coach. Meade Stadium had not changed much since its opening in 1928. The Rams were not good: 2-8 overall, 1-4 and tied for last in the Yankee Conference.
A decade later, I was fortunate to chronicle URI’s drive to the 1984 NCAA I-AA semifinals and their remarkable 1985 championship season, when they finished 10-3, won the Yankee Conference title again, and collected numerous post-season honors. We’ll skip the lopsided loss to Furman in the I-AA quarterfinals.
That August 50 years ago was the last time I recall expectations for URI football as great as they are for the 2025 Rams. And why not have high hopes for this team? They have had five consecutive winning seasons and are favored to win the CAA championship. They are ranked No. 10 in the American Football Coaches Association poll and No. 9 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll. They are the highest ranked FCS team in the Northeast in each poll. They have star players returning on offense and defense.
No wonder the Rams are dreaming of a national championship. Fleming gets it.
“You always want to better your best,” he said, “and certainly one of the things that everybody sets out for is to be able to win their last football game. At this level of football you have to win the national championship. Is that a reasonable expectation? That’s left to be determined week-in and week-out. We have mentioned it one time and then put it in the rear-view mirror. . . . It’s a long season, so we’re a long way off from talking that level of ball.”
And, Fleming warned, this is a new season.
“This is a new team. We got 46 new players. They all come in with different reasons for being here, but I think share the same goal, which is to go out and play very good football and represent Rhode Island the right way,” he said Monday during the weekly CAA coaches zoom call.
“We’re excited for the season. We take great responsibility to play well for our state and the people who have been with us through thick and thin over the years,” he said.
To understand why CAA coaches and media types think so highly of these Rams, look no further than the depth chart.
Linebacker A.J. Pena was an All-American last season and is the heavy favorite to earn CAA defensive player of the year recognition this season. Pena is the anchor on defense. He returned to URI after a spring semester at Memphis.
Wide receiver Marquis Buchanan of Providence (Classical) is one of the best in the nation, a pre-season All-CAA and a member of the Walter Payton Watch list. Ditto for offensive linemen Tre Alexander and Brock Bethea.
Dual-threat quarterback Devin Farrell has recovered from the hand injury that cost him the last four games of the 2024 campaign. He received pre-season CAA honorable mention. So did defensive back Ayinde Johnson.
Wide receiver Greg Gaines III is a solid second option after Buchanan.
Three Rhode Islanders are starting on defense: lineman Patrick Conserve from Cumberland and linebacker Moses Meus and safety Andre DePina-Gray, both from Pawtucket (St. Raphael). Here’s what Fleming said of them:
“Andre had a steady camp, is healthy, feeling good, roaming around the back end, holding down his spot, the free safety spot. Looking for him to have a good year. Moses Meus developed tremendously as a leader and full-time starter for us in the middle of our defense. Big body. Runs around well. Looking for a big year from him as well. Pat Conserve had a great, great summer. Put on some weight. Got bigger, stronger. Physical kid. Good hands, developed his body. I’m excited to see what he can do.”
Lofty expectations for this team are justified, but they can fall apart in a hurry. Injury is a constant stalker. Just ask Farrell. Who will rush for the 1,426 yards and 13 touchdowns that Malik Grant produced last year? Which of Rhody’s 12 games will be a dud? There’s always one. Does this team with 46 new players have the discipline to play one game at a time, to not look ahead or back?
Fleming likes the leadership, chemistry on offense and defense, focus, practice habits and preparation this team has demonstrated. “All those things are good,” he said.
Tomorrow night, when URI kicks off its 130th football season, all those factors will be tested before what should be a near-capacity crowd of 6,500.
“We’ve done our chances of looking back,” Fleming said. “I think for the fans to get to come to Meade for the first time this year, they get to look in the north end zone, they get to see that banner that represents we’ve been able to return to the playoffs and win championships. I think that’s fairly special, but no big hoopla going into this. It’s a new year.”
A new year with great expectations.
