Seven URI Rams Earn All-CAA Football Honors

University of Rhode Island Press Release

KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island placed seven players on the 2021 CAA Football All-Conference Team, including first-team selections Joey Kenny, Coby Tippett and Caleb Warren. In addition, Nick Correia, Jordan Jones and L.B. Mack III earned second-team honors, while guard Evan Lovell and Tippett were on the third team.

It is the first time since 1998 that Rhode Island had three first-team selections. The eight overall selections are the most since 1995.

Kenny earned first-team honors for the second consecutive season. As the Rams starting fullback, he caught seven passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The burly battering ram also helped Rhode Island average 133.6 rushing yards per game with his lead blocking. A redshirt senior, Kenny played in 51 games over the course of his career at URI.

Warren is a first-time honoree, getting the CAA’s first-team slot at tight end. Despite missing three games with injury in the second half of the season, Warren was sixth among all conference players with his 16.7 yards per catch average. He emerged as one of the team’s top receiving targets, catching 23 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns before he season ended prematurely.

Tippett made the all-conference team for the third straight season, this time earning honors at two different positions. He was the first-team punt returner after leading the CAA and finishing sixth in the country with 12.6 yards per return. He had two returns of 50 yards or longer, including a 50-yarder that proved to be the game winner at UAlbany, which earned him CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Tippett’s 226 return yards were the fifth-highest single-season total in program history.

Tippett also earned third-team honors as a safety, the third time he has been on the All-CAA Football squad on defense. He finished the season with 41 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, six pass break ups, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 10 games.

Guard Nick Correia, cornerback Jordan Jones and outside linebacker L.B. Mack III both earned second-team honors. Guard Evan Lovell was a third-team selection. Correia and Lovell both started all 11 games at the guard spots. Correia was the right guard, while Lovell manned the left side. They spearheaded a line that allowed just 2.3 sacks per game while helping quarterback Kasim Hill rank third in passing yards and passing yards per game.

Mack led Rhode Island with 11 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He ranked fifth in the league in sacks and seventh in TFLs, while also finishing fourth on the team with 51 total tackles. In URI’s win over Delaware, Mack returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. He was the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week after recording 4.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks in a win at Massachusetts. Mack wrapped his career second in program history with 38.0 TFLs and fourth with 22.0 sacks.

Jones started every game at cornerback for the defense and finished with six interceptions and eight pass breakups. He led an effort that resulted in the team breaking up 51 passes, the second most in program history. Jones had a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against Brown, and two interceptions against Stony Brook. The second pick came in the end zone, preventing a game-tying touchdown.

2021 CAA Football All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Cole Johnson, James Madison
Defensive Player of the Year: Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
Special Teams Player of the Year: Ethan Ratke, James Madison
Coach of the Year: Mark Ferrante, Villanova
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Darius Wilson, William & Mary
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Josiah Silver, New Hampshire
Chuck Boone Leadership Award: Davis Cheek, Elon

First Team – Offense
QB – Cole Johnson, James Madison
RB – Ty Son Lawton, Stony Brook
RB – Karl Mofor, UAlbany
FB – Joe Kenny, Rhode Island
WR – Jackson Parham, Elon
WR – Kris Thornton, James Madison
WR – Antwane Wells, Jr., James Madison
TE – Caleb Warren, Rhode Island
OL – Michael Corbi, Villanova
OL – Nick Kidwell, James Madison
OL – David Kroll, Delaware
OL – Clayton McConnell, Richmond
OL – Andrew Trainer, William & Mary
PK – Ethan Ratke, James Madison
KR – Aaron Dykes, Richmond
PR – Coby Tippett, Rhode Island

First Team – Defense
DL – Bryce Carter, James Madison
DL – Nate Lynn, William & Mary
DL – Jared Verse, UAlbany
DL – Josiah Silver, New Hampshire
DL – Kobie Turner, Richmond
LB – Tyler Dressler, Richmond
LB – Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
LB – Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, James Madison
LB – Tristan Wheeler, Richmond
CB – Christian Benford, Villanova
CB – Greg Ross, James Madison
S – Cole Coleman, Elon
S – Kedrick Whitehead, Delaware
P – Tyler Pastula, Delaware
SPEC – Kyle Davis, James Madison

Second Team – Offense
QB – Davis Cheek, Elon
RB – Justin Covington, Villanova
RB – Dejoun Lee, Delaware
FB – Luke Hamilton, Towson
WR – Andre Miller, Maine
WR – Thyrick Pitts, Delaware
WR – Rayjoun Pringle, Villanova
TE – Todd Summers, Villanova
OL – Nick Correia, Rhode Island
OL – Colin Gamroth, Villanova
OL – Mike Gerace, Maine
OL – Aaron Grzymkowski, Towson
OL – Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook
PK – Cole Bunce, Villanova
KR – Devin Young, Maine
PR – Jourdan Townsend, Delaware

Second Team – Defense
DL – Malik Fisher, Villanova
DL – Mike Greene, James Madison
DL – Darius Reynolds, Richmond
DL – Isaac Ukwu, James Madison
LB – Johnny Buchanan, Delaware
LB – Tyler King, Stony Brook
LB – L.B. Mack III, Rhode Island
LB – Ray Miller, Maine
CB – Nijuel Hill, Delaware
CB – Jordan Jones, Rhode Island
S – SJ Brown, Towson
S – Noah Plack, Delaware
P – Shane McDonough, Towson
SPEC – Bryce Colee, Maine

Third Team – Offense
QB – Daniel Smith, Villanova
RB – Jerry Howard, Jr., Towson
RB – Bronson Yoder, William & Mary
FB – Steve Petrick, Maine
WR – Jaaron Hayek, Villanova
WR – Caleb Smith, Towson
WR – Devin Young, Maine
TE – Shawn Bowman, Maine
OL – PJ Barr, Maine
OL – Tim Coleman, Richmond
OL – Patrick Flynn, New Hampshire
OL – Evan Lovell, Rhode Island
OL – Colby Sorsdal, William & Mary
PK – Ryan Coe, Delaware
KR – Solomon Vanhorse, James Madison
PR – D’Ago Hunter, Towson

Third Team – Defense
DL – Gunner Gibson, New Hampshire
DL – Artis Hemmingway, Delaware
DL – Will Kiely, William & Mary
DL – Chase McGowan, Delaware
LB – Jackson Ambush, UAlbany
LB – Kelvin Azanama, James Madison
LB – Amin Black, Villanova
LB – Christian Dixon, Towson
LB – Colby Reeder, Delaware
CB – Tre’Von Jones, Elon
CB – Ryan Poole, William & Mary
S – Evan Horn, New Hampshire
S – Coby Tippett, Rhode Island
P – Harry O’Kelly, James Madison
SPEC – TD Ayo-Durojaiye, Villanova