URI Announces Fans’ Choice Rhody Grand Football Team

URI Rams news release…

KINGSTON, R.I. – In
conjunction with the 1,000th football game in program history being played
Saturday, Oct. 5 at Brown, the University of Rhode Island Athletics Department announced
the members of the Fans' Choice Rhody Grand Team Wednesday.

The squad – chosen by fans in a series of polls on GoRhody.com throughout the
summer – consists of the 50 greatest players in program history, along with
legendary head coach Bob
Griffin. More than 50 seasons of Rhode Island football are represented by
players on the team, dating as far back as 1951. Every season from 1973 through
2012 is represented by at least one player. Running back Pat Abruzzi – who
played from 1951 through 1954 – is the player who reaches furthest back into
history. Abruzzi was the top vote getter at his position and remains the
school's all-time leading rusher 59 seasons after his career with the Rams
ended.

The Fans' Choice Rhody Grand Team list includes 14 players who earned a combined
37 All-America honors from various organizations. Quarterback Tom Ehrhardt,
running back Joe
Casey, tight ends Brian
Forster and
Darren Rizzi, wide receiver Cy Butler and linemen Dustin Bayer, Rich Pelzer and Bob White earned
All-American honors on the offensive side of the ball. Rizzi – now the special
teams coordinator for the Miami Dolphins – earned a combined nine All-American
honors from seven different organizations, the most for any player in school
history.

Defensively, linemen Tony
DeLuca, Lou D'Agostino and Frank Ferrara each were recognized as
All-Americans during their respective careers, as were defensive backs Mike Cassidy, Lance Small and
Kevin Smith.

Of the 51 members of the Fans' Choice Rhody Grand Team, there are 17
individuals who have been enshrined in the University of Rhode Island Hall of
Fame. An additional six men are in the Hall of Fame as part of the 1984 and
1985 football teams that were inducted in 2005. Griffin, one of eight men in
URI's Hall of Fame as an individual and as part of the 1984-85 squads, won a
school record 79 games in 17 seasons. He coached the Rams to three Yankee
Conference titles, winning first in 1981 and then back-to-back in 1984 and
1985.

Four members of the Fans' Choice Rhody Grand Team also were selected in 1996 to
the Yankee Conference 50th Anniversary Team. Forster, Smith, defensive lineman Steve Furness and
offensive lineman Jeffrey
Williams are all considered among the best players in the history of
the Yankee Conference.

Not surprisingly, the 1984 and 1985 squads are well represented on the Fans'
Choice Rhody Grand Team. There are 13 players from the 1984 squad and 11 from
the 1985 team. Five players – Pelzer, DeLuca, linebackers Mark Brockwell and Mark
Dennan and defensive back Cal
Whitfield – represent the 1981 Yankee Conference championship squad.

More than 5,000 votes were received through a series of online polls, helping
to create an all-time two-deep depth chart for Rhode Island football. Active
players were not eligible for the team.

Many of these all-time greats will return to Kingston for a special pregame
ceremony at Meade Stadium as part of the Homecoming Weekend festivities
Saturday, Oct. 26. Rhode Island takes on Delaware at noon that day.

Fans' Choice Rhody Grand Team                           

OFFENSE
QB      Tom Ehrhardt (1984-85)            Larry Caswell (1966-68)               

RB      Pat
Abruzzi (1951-54)               James
Jenkins (1996-98)               

RB      Joe
Casey (2005-09)                 Rich Moser
(1975-77)

OL       Tom
Cataldo (1968-70)             Dustin Bayer
(2001-04)                 

OL       Jeffrey
Williams (1973-76)         Kyle Bogumil
(2008-11)

OL       Jason
Foster (2008-11)             Greg Sturgis
(1982-85)

OL       Bob
White (1982-85)                Rich Pelzer
(1980-82)

OL       John
Bush (1995-98)

TE       Brian
Forster (1983-85)             Darren Rizzi
(1989-92)                  

                                                              Tony
DiMaggio (1983-85)
WR     Dameon Reilly (1983-85)           Bobby
Apgar (1993-95)               

WR     Shawn
Leonard (2006-09)         Brandon
Johnson-Farrell (2008-12)

DEFENSE
DL       Tony DeLuca (1980-83)            Brad Carson        (1983-85)          

DL       Steve
Furness (1969-71)           Charlie Bounty
(1983-84)

DL       Frank
Ferrara (1995-98)           Lou D'Agostino
(1993-95)

DL       Willie
McGinnis (2008-11)         Victor Adesanya
(2008-10)

                                                              Charlie
Gibbons (1954-56)
LB       Mark Dennan (1981-83)            Mark Brockwell (1981-84)                

LB       Matt
Hansen (2007-10)             LaJhon Jones
(1994-97)

LB       Jared
Elwell (1994-97)              Paul
Picciotti (1998-01)

DB      Kevin
Smith (1987-90)              Ray Williams
(1983-86)

DB      Tony
Hill (1982-85)                   Lance Small
(1998-01)

DB      Guy
Carbone (1982-85)            Mark Cruise
(1978-80)

DB      Mike
Cassidy (1983-85)            Cal Whitfield
(1979-82)

KR      Cy
Butler (1993-95)                  Wendall Williams (2000-03)          

K         Matt
Walker (1995-98)             Chris Cassara (1988-91)               

P          Shane
Laisle (2000-03)

Coach
Bob Griffin (1976-1992)