While the rest of the Colonial Athletic Association ushered in the spring 2021 season, and Elon and James Madison continued theirs, Jim Fleming joked that Rhode Island “went to the beach.” 

Practicing football amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been a tenuous proposition coaches and players around the nation have had to navigate. Fortunately for Villanova’s Dan Smith and Rayjoun Pringle, 49 yards are considerably more than the six feet the CDC recommends for social distancing. 

The unknown has defined the past 12 months, evident in no small part with the 2020 Colonial Athletic Association football season unfolding in spring 2021. The historic spring campaign offers some certainty, however: Quarterback play around the CAA promises to be excellent.