Joe Conlin wants to win as much as his football team at Fordham University. But the first year head coach and the Rams are still looking for their first win after their 24-13 loss to Central Connecticut State Saturday afternoon.
So the Rams still seek their first win in four games. This was Homecoming Day up at Rose Hill but for the coach this was a loss in a season that was expected to be a struggle. The Rams are young and Chase Edmonds, the Fordham career rushing leader, is now showing his skills in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals.
“We just gave them the ball one more time then they gave it to us ,” Conlin said. “Plays we could have back in the first half.”
In a nutshell this is expected. A young team on offense and the defense in the first three games gave up 114 points in losses to Charlotte, Richmond, and to Stony Brook last week. The focus is to improve and the Fordham offense in the first quarter scored. That was the first time in four games when points got on the board.
The bye week is here. That will provide more time for Conlin and his coaching staff to make more adjustments before the next home game against Georgetown in two weeks.
“I want them badly,” Conlins said. He referred to executing plays better and blamed himself for not calling a better game which is all good because this rookie coach is not faulting the effort. This is a Fordham team that starts two freshman on the right side and it will be a learning process as the Patriot League schedule gets more intense in weeks to come.
There were many positives. Tim DeMorat, the freshman quarterback passed for 184 yards and threw a touchdown pass in the second quarter. That sent a message that Fordham was going to be in this one because those first three games it was just about over and early.
Less than three minutes that opened the second half, they narrowed this deficit to 17-13. Zach Davis ran for a 25-yard touchdown and there was a punt that was forced on the next series of plays.
“Tim did some positive things,”Conlin said. “Got away from the rush. Excited about Zach and his future with this program. He’s matured into a leader and a tremendous player.”
Though Davis is no Chase Edmonds there is that potential for the sophomore. And overall as Conlin said, “The question to this team is what team do you want to be? Think they want to be that right type of team.”
And Colin said, “I think you can always learn from losing than from winning.” That homecoming crowd up at Rose Hill does not want to hear that. Of course, winning is the only thing but this loss had those positives going into that bye week.
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