Year built 1999 Field surface Grass Head coach James Perry Arena/Stadium Bulldog Stadium League Division I (NCAA) | Seating capacity 5,500 Founded 1999 Division Division I (NCAA) First season 1999 | |
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The Bryant Bulldogs football program represents Bryant University in college football. The Bulldogs are members of the Northeast Conference and compete at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. Since its inception in 1999, the team has played its home game at Bulldog Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
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History
Bryant University football was created in 1999 joining the Division II Northeast-10 Conference which they had been charter members of since the conference's inception.
Bryant has only had 2 coaches since its inception. The first Bulldog coach was Jim Miceli who coached the team from 1999 until 2003. The second Bulldog coach is Marty Fine, who has coached the team since 2004. Before becoming the Bryant head coach, Fine was an assistant head coach at Iowa State University. In his third year as Bryant head coach, Fine led the Bulldogs to the playoffs. Fine resigned from his position on December 1, 2016.
Bryant made the playoffs in its 8th season as a team, hosting the first-round game against West Chester University. The crowd was the largest recorded in Bryant's short history with 5,434 fans in attendance. The game came down to the final drive with Bryant in possession,but came up short after an interception, sealing the game and the win for West Chester University.
With Bryant's success not only in football but in all sports, Bryant began its transition to Division I. Bryant considered three conferences; The Northeast Conference, The Patriot League and The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. With the move to Division I, Bryant would have the ability to offer scholarships to its football players for the first time in program history. After a long search, Bryant accepted an invite to the NEC and started competing Division I in 2008-09. They have been playoff eligible and a full member of the NEC by 2012.
The beginning, the Miceli era
Bryant Bulldogs football started in the fall of 1999. They played their first season in front of great support. In their home opener on against Mount Ida College the team packed the stands with 4,817 fans. From 1999-2002 the team operated at around .500, they showed signs of great play, but still showed that they were a young team. The team was showing improvement and the fans were enjoying it. Bulldog Stadium has been drawing fans since the beginning, on the other hand the team was not doing as well. In 2003 it was an all-time low and the end of the Miceli era. The team posted a 3-7 record, with two losing streaks of three. With the resignation of Coach Miceli after the 2003 season. Which led to the time of change at Bryant and in athletics it began with the addition of coach Marty Fine.
The time of change, the Fine era
Marty Fine took over the football team in the 2004 season. 2004 was a major year for Bryant, it went from Bryant College to Bryant University, this change was the stepping stone to all future university moves. One of those included athletics; and coach Fine was a piece to the puzzle. In his first season, he posted a .500 record, but everyone around the program saw the direction he was taking the team. Being an assistant head coach at Iowa State University, he brought the drive and expectations of a Division I program with him. During the next two seasons under Marty Fine the team has posted 7-3, and a 8-3 records (0-1 in playoffs). He has also brought the hype to the program that was needed.
Under Marty the team has brought in many Division I transfers the most notable is Lorenzo Perry, a transfer from UMass Amherst. Lorenzo Perry in just two years broke almost all the rushing records at the university. He was also a finalist in the Harlen Hill Award, the Heisman Trophy for Division II, while he did not win the trophy he did make the NCAA All-American Team. During his short four-year tenure, he has become the all-time leader in wins for Bryant football and has turned the program around and brought in great recruiting classes.
The biggest move in the Fine era was the move to Division I. Under coach fine they had three consecutive winning seasons before the move to Division I. The team also had its longest win streak at seven straight to start the season. All these accomplishments sent the team up perfectly for the transition. In 2008 the team began to give its first scholarships and began play in the top division of college athletics.