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Football
Football Heads to No. 23/23 William and Mary on Saturday
Oct. 22, 2008
William and Mary Game Notes | KINGSTON, R.I. - The Rhode Island football team (2-6 overall; 0-4 CAA Football) returns action on Saturday as it heads to Williamsburg, Va., to face No. 23/23 William and Mary (4-2 overall; 2-1 CAA Football). Kickoff is set for Noon. Rhode Island's game against William and Mary marks the first time the two teams have played since Sept. 17, 2005. In that game, the Rams defeated the then No. 7 Tribe, 48-29. Rhode Island and William and Mary have met 11 times with the Tribe holding a 9-2 series advantage. This season, the Tribe are once again ranked in the top 25 in both Football Championship Subdivision polls. "William and Mary's front four has been really impressive," said head coach Darren Rizzi on the CAA Football weekly teleconference. "Their defensive ends have been playing great. They have been really solid playing team football. Offensively, they are scoring 35 points a game and certainly their special teams have had some big plays." Saturday's game will mark the fourth nationally-ranked FCS opponent that Rhody has faced this season. In the previous three games, the Rams have posted 1-2 record, while averaging 29.0 points and 367.7 yards per game. William and Mary enters the game with the league's top passing defense. Through six games, the Tribe have limited their opponents to just 152.7 yards per game through the air. "They are getting great production in all three phases of the game and anytime you're playing a team that's doing that, it certainly presents a challenge," Rizzi said. Rhode Island will counter the league's No. 1 passing defense with its conference-best passing attack. In 2008, the Rams have passed for 200-or-more-yards in seven out of eight games, including a 480-yard performance against nationally-ranked New Hampshire back on Sept. 13. URI enters the game in search of its first road and CAA Football victory this season. Last week against nationally-ranked Villanova, the Rams were unable to capture their first conference win as they fell 44-7. "Villanova was very well prepared last week and it showed," Rizzi said. "Their defensive line is very good and they did a great job putting pressure on our quarterback. "We have had problems here winning on the road consistently in the past. We all say every week, it doesn't matter which team you play or how they're ranked, your going to get some good football." Despite the loss, the Rams received another 10-plus tackle performance from sophomore linebacker Matt Hansen (Providence, R.I.) as he registered a team-high 11 tackles against the Wildcats. This season, Hansen has tallied 10-or-more tackles on five separate occasions. "I have nothing, but great things to say about Matt (Hansen)," Rizzi said. "He has made a nice transition from safety to linebacker. He really bought into what we asked him to do. He put on the weight that we asked him to and he has played the position very well." This season, Hansen leads the team with 74 tackles and leads CAA Football with four forced fumbles. The URI sophomore also ranks third in the league in tackles. "The beautiful thing about Matt (Hansen) is that he is only a sophomore so we have got him for two more years," Rizzi said. "We are really going to build the defense around him over the next couple of years. The sky is the limit for him." 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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