Can URI Coach Jim Fleming bring success against Herd as assistant to the Rams?

HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Much like a week ago, Marshall is flying blind, so to speak, as it heads into the home opener against Rhode Island. The Rams are under the leadership of new head coach Jim Fleming have a revamped coaching staff, scheme and quarterback. But for all Marshall didn’t know about Miami, The Herd wasn’t surprised by any of the Redhawks’ looks.

“We were pretty accurate last week. About ten percent we weren’t ready for 90 percent we were,” said defensive coordinator Chuck Heater. “You just try to track the coaches who are there now who you think are making the decision and calling the plays or putting together the schemes. So, you do your best with the places they’ve been before.

Rams’ coach Jim Fleming does have a history with The Herd. Fleming was the defensive coordinator at UCF, leading the Knights’ defense as the top-ranked scoring and pass defense in Conference USA in 2012. The Knights were also ranked 29th nationally in scoring defense that year.

In case you’re wondering, Fleming is 3-0 against The Herd as an assistant coach. He was masterminding the UCF defense in wins against The Herd in 2011 and 2012. He was defensive coordinator at Akron in 2004 when Marshall had an epic meltdown and saw a 28-7 lead and Mid-American Conference title slip away.

“He’s an excellent coach,” said coach Doc Holliday. “He’s going to have those kids playing extremely hard.”

Fleming’s success against The Herd was aided by talented athletic defenses. Now, he is trying to lay the foundation for a rebuilding the Rhode Island program. Rhode Island was shutout of the final two games of the 2013 season and has not scored a single point since the 5:51 mark of the third quarter on Nov. 2, 2013 against Old Dominion. Rhode Island averaged just 13.3 points a game last year while giving up an average of 33 points a game.

“We’ve looked at Kent film, we’ve look at UCF film, we’ve looked at FAU film but there’s no film on their people,” said offensive coordinator Bill Legg.

Marshall’s coaches can’t even go back to watch film from last season to gain some understanding of Rhode Island’s personnel. A third of the players on the roster this year weren’t with the team in 2013 and more than half of the roster has never appeared in an college football game.

To say Rhode Island is inexperienced may be an understatement.

“I am thrilled with where we are as a football team,” Fleming said. “The guys have bought in completely and are working extremely hard. They are understanding the expectations we have as a coaching staff. They are doing everything we are asking them to do.”

Don’t look for Marshall to get too complex on Saturday. Holliday doesn’t want to put anything on film for conference opponents to study and The Herd’s experience and talent should allow it to keep the offense and defense pretty basic.

Even if it hasn’t had the luxury of studying schemes and personnel on film.





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