HARRISONBURG — When Rhode Island visited James Madison last fall, it wasn’t a good day for the Rams.

JMU set a school and Colonial Athletic Association record for points in a game with its 84-7 blowout victory.

Individually, a few Dukes set school records, including quarterback Bryan Schor, who had a 95-percent completion rate against URI’s defense.

“Obviously, it was an abomination of a football game,” Rhode Island coach Jim Fleming said.

And though that trip to Harrisonburg for Fleming was the ugliest part of a 2-9 year, the coach said there are reasons Rhode Island can be optimistic about his fourth season at the helm.

Rhode Island won one game in each of his first two seasons at the school.

“It’s been a three-year strain, without a doubt,” Fleming said. “But our recruiting has helped our football team with the talent we have gotten on the field. It’s gotten to be more representative of CAA play and the CAA-type of kid you can get.

“There were 23 true freshmen out on the field at one time or another during the course of the [JMU] game. Those guys are a year older, a year stronger and will be more prepared. So I’m excited about the fact that we’re coming into this season after a three-year labor of getting this thing in striking range.”

Rhode Island, Fleming said, returns everybody but two key players from last year’s squad.

JMU travels to Rhode Island on Nov. 4 for a noon kickoff.

Fleming also acknowledged how his team was within reach of winning some games it ended up losing.

The Rams took a lead into the fourth quarter against Stony Brook before the Sea Wolves used two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally for the win.

Towson converted a 55-yard field goal as time expired to beat Rhode Island 32-31. And Maine, which was one win shy of reaching the FCS playoffs, only beat the Rams by a touchdown.

“We were ahead, tied or down by seven points in the final quarter of six football games,” Fleming said. “If you’re able to close those games, you’ve got to what I anticipated being our mark last year, which is to get on the plus side of .500. And we were unable to finish those games.”

URI was also minus-16 in turnover margin, which was the second-worst mark in all of FCS.

“You boil down the season to those two components that I hope my kids would be able to regurgitate,” Fleming said. “Hopefully, they’ve been instructed well enough to understand the importance of finishing because it’s something we’ve emphasized in winter conditioning and spring practice.”

As far as the personnel, Fleming said he’s encouraged by the development of sophomore quarterback Jordan Vazzano.

Vazzano made his first-career start in October, and held onto the job. He threw for 1,195 yards and seven touchdowns, but also tossed 15 interceptions.

“I like the fact that he’s gone through the growing pains,” Fleming said. “But I’m most interested to see how his command of the team and leadership of the team takes shape over the rest of summer and training camp.”

Around Vazzano, Rhode Island returns four wide receivers that started at least one game, six offensive linemen that started at least one game and two running backs that started at least one game.

Senior running back Harold Cooper was a team captain as a junior, and a second-team All-CAA choice as kickoff-return specialist. He led Rhode Island in rushing with 463 yards, and he had a 99-yard kickoff-return touchdown at JMU for URI’s only score of the game.

Fleming said Cooper would continue his role as the kickoff return man again in 2017.

On defense, six defensive linemen that all started at least once are back, including third-team All-CAA selection Jose Duncan. The Rams also return three linebackers, two safeties and three corners with starting experience.

Rhode Island opens its season against FBS Central Michigan on Aug. 31.

“If you look at our schedule, we have to get off on the right foot early,” Fleming said. “If we can get to November with a little momentum, then we got James Madison, Villanova and Towson to finish it out. It’s a monster November, but if we can position ourselves to be in the mix in November, then it’ll be an interesting finish to the year.”