Bronx, N.Y. – It was a bit colder today than when they started the spring practice schedule last week but the 2024 Fordham football Rams were on Murphy Field for their fourth session of the spring.
 
The Rams return eight starters on both sides of the ball. The offense will be led by senior running back Julius Loughridge, a First Team All-Patriot League selection last fall when he rushed for 1,146 yards and ten touchdowns, becoming the eleventh player in Fordham history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.
 
Loughridge is joined on offense by junior quarterback CJ Montes, a 2023 Walter Payton Award finalist and Second Team All-Patriot League pick. He completed 241 of 376 passes for 3,000 yards with 26 touchdowns and just one interception, leading the League and ranking seventh in the NCAA FCS in passing touchdowns.
 
Montes will have three of his top four wide receivers back in 2024, led by seniors Garrett Cody and Mekai Felton. Cody, who was named Second Team All-Patriot, caught 54 passes for 856 yards and seven touchdowns while Felton hauled in 48 passes for 513 yards and a team-high eight scores.
 
Three of the five starters on the offensive line return: seniors Ryan Joyce, who started every game at right guard last fall, David Evbomenya, who started all eleven games at left tackles, and Cody Johnson, the starter at center in 2023.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker James Conway returns as he attempts to become Fordham's all-time tackles leader. The 2023 First Team All-Patriot League pick, recorded a team-high 129 tackles, 55 solo, last fall, ranking second in the Patriot League and fifth in the NCAA FCS in tackles/game (11.7). His 129 stops brought his career total to 386 career tackles, third on the Fordham career list, 40 behind Ryan Greenhagen's career record of 426.
 
Senior defensive back Nahil Perkins and senior defensive lineman Matt Jaworski, who both earned First Team All-Patriot honors in 2023, are also back. Perkins recorded 62 total tackles, 37 solo, along with 16 pass breakups and three interceptions, both team-highs. Jaworski closed out 2023 with 44 total tackles, 27 solo, leading the team with 13.5 tackles for loss of 86 yards.
 
Junior defensive lineman Claudy Robinson, who was named Second Team All-Patriot, returns to anchor the defensive line wit Jaworski. He notched 24 total tackles, five solo, last year including 3.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.
 
The Rams will kick off the 2024 season on Thursday, August 29, with a trip to Ohio to face the FBS Bowling Green State University Falcons.