More than bragging rights on line in football's URI match-up

After being manhandled by Harvard last Saturday, the football team will try to bounce back in its annual Governor's Cup grudge match against the University of Rhode Island. Brown has won the last two meetings, but in order to leave South Kingston with a third straight victory, it will have to get back to playing its physical brand of football.

"The biggest disappointment for us was that we've always been a very physical football team and we were not very physical on Saturday," said Head Coach Phil Estes. "We didn't tackle, we didn't block, we didn't catch, we didn't run, we didn't finish. We played like we were an uptight football team."

The aftertaste from the loss was bitter, but the Bears hung their heads for only a little while before getting ready for the Rams.

"We were all aware of how flat we came out and how bad we played (against Harvard)," said linebacker and tri-captain Zak DeOssie '07. "We understand what we need to do and how to respond. On Saturday, you'll see a lot of people flying around."

Rhode Island presents the type of offensive attack that will force Bruno to regain its physicality on defense. The Rams operate out of a triple option set, where the quarterback can hand off to the fullback, pitch to an outside man or keep it himself.

"The thing that makes this a good game for us is that Rhode Island is a rushing team," Estes said. "This is a game that comes right down to playing your responsibility and playing physical football."

DeOssie said the defense spent much of this week practicing without a football in order to emphasize that everyone needed to play their assignments and use good technique. He also echoed Estes' thoughts on what it would take to slow URI down.

"In college, everyone wants to run around, and they'll put their eyes in the backfield," DeOssie said. "(Against URI) you can't do that because there's so much misdirection. You have to play your responsibility, and if you don't they'll run right by you."

In last year's 45-35 shootout, the Rams gained 379 yards on the ground, 152 of which came from dynamic quarterback Jayson Davis. While Davis has since graduated, Estes is not overlooking his replacement, Derek Cassidy.

"A lot of focus last year came to Jayson Davis the quarterback because he made big plays," Estes said. "This year Cassidy is a little bit different. He may not be like Jayson Davis as a runner but he's very efficient. He adds a dimension of pass, and they're using the play action pass a lot more and using the run game to set up the pass."

As the defense has focused on sticking with its responsibilities in anticipation of the Rams' option attack, the offense will take the field on its first series Saturday hoping to generate early momentum, something that was missing in Bruno's first two games.

"With last year's team, we scored most of our points in the first half. It's early in the season but we need to get on the board early," said quarterback and tri-captain Joe DiGiacomo '07.

In order to rediscover the offensive prowess it displayed against Georgetown two weeks ago, Brown has to establish the run early and often to give a sense of balance to the offense. Against Harvard, the Bears managed just 35 yards rushing and were forced to go to the air on almost every play in the second half in an attempt to come back.

"We're trying to establish the run game early on, and when you struggle it puts you in a tough position," DiGiacomo said, adding, "We have the (players) to strengthen our ground attack."

DiGiacomo and the rest of the passing game showed signs of life in the second half of the Harvard game, but maintaining that momentum will not be easy against URI. Just like their offense, the Rams' 4-3 defense features a lot of team speed, especially on the corners, where highly-regarded defensive backs Virgil Gray and Raji El-Amin have made life tough for opposing receivers this season.

"Their corners are very good," Estes said. "They are very fast and athletic and play hard on every snap."

Up front Estes says Rhode Island does a lot of line twists and brings the linebackers with pressure. However, the success of the offense depends just as much on the Bears playing a fundamentally sound game as it does on keeping the Rams defense at bay.

"We have to get first downs and we have to put points on the board," Estes said. "You have to overcome all these things and know and react on the run. We have to get back to running the football and controlling the game and the tempo instead of it being dictated to us."

The Bears are hungry for a chance to prove that last week was not the best they could do. The Governor's Cup, which Estes has come to call the "state championship," is just the setting for Bruno to get back to its winning ways.

"The governor's there, he hands you the trophy and you see the fruits of your labor," Estes said. "The Georgetown win was a win, the Harvard loss was a loss, and this one you actually see what you're playing for. It's the state championship, and (our players) understand what it's all about."

Last year's thrilling victory over the Rams was the first of eight straight to end the season. Just like the 2005 squad, this year's team enters the game at 1-1. Could it be 2005 all over again?

"Last year we were able to hoist the Governor's Cup and at the season we hoisted an Ivy League Championship trophy," Estes said. "I believe in déjà vu, so why can't it happen again?"