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Football
Football Travels to Hofstra on Saturday
Sept. 18, 2008
KINGSTON, R.I. - The Rhode Island football team (1-2) heads to Hempstead, N.Y., on Saturday to faceoff against the Hofstra Pride. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at James M. Shuart Stadium. Rhode Island comes into the game with the hopes of rebounding from a 51-43 home loss to nationally-ranked New Hampshire this past Saturday. Despite the loss, the Rams rolled up a season high 517 yards of total offense, 480 of those yards came through the air. "We are just trying to improve after each week," said Rhode Island head coach Darren Rizzi on the CAA Football weekly teleconference. "Every game we play is going to be a challenge. It doesn't matter who you play because the CAA is the toughest conference in the country." Senior quarterback Derek Cassidy (Winter Haven, Fla.) led the way offensively as he threw for 436 yards completing 34-of-61 of his passes, while accounting for four touchdowns. Cassidy passed for three scores and ran for another. So far this season, the URI senior has thrown for five touchdowns and has passed for 893 yards. Cassidy currently leads all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) quarterbacks in total passing yards (893 yards). "Derek (Cassidy) is such a hard worker," Rizzi said. "He is such a competitor and he is always trying to get better. If you would have shown me the stats after three games, I would have been very pleased with where he was at right now. He is spreading the ball around to a lot of guys and he is also learning the offense more and more each week." Cassidy has completed passes to nine different receivers. Junior Tolbert Evans (Wakefield, R.I.) (96 yards), freshman Brandon Johnson-Farrell (Odenton, Md.) (83 yards) and junior Joe Bellini (Glendale, R.I.) (80 yards) led the way with eight receptions apiece. The eight catches for Evans, Johnson-Farrell and Bellini are career highs for each player. This season, Rhode Island is 0-1 on the road. In URI's first road game of the season back on Sept. 7, the Rams were shut out 16-0 by Fordham. "We will be ready for this week," Rizzi said. "I really think we took a step forward last week even though we lost. Our guys never quit and I am pleased with the way the guys are progressing each week." Hofstra is receiving votes in the Sports Network Poll. The Pride enters Saturday's contest after falling 22-16 at home against Albany. "I know (Hofstra head coach) Dave Cohen very well and he does a great job with his team," Rizzi said. "Hofstra's quarterback (Cory Christopher) is a great athlete and he has some weapons on the offensive side of the ball that can certainly present some problems. Defensively, (Hofstra linebacker) Luke Bonus is very impressive and he really flies around to the ball. If you look at their two-deep they have a lot of Division-I transfers, so it will be a tough challenge." Steve McDonald and Terry Lynch will provide the radio call live on the Rams Radio Network - WHJJ 920 AM and WJZS 99.3 FM.
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