The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class secured its future starting quarterback in the Transfer Portal. Former UCF signal caller Jacurri Brown has committed to the Owls.
Following the departure of multiple quarterbacks in the offseason, the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class needed at least one veteran at the position to step in immediately. The Owls searched far and wide before finding their man. Former UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown has committed to the Owls.
Brown checks all the boxes the Owls had on their wish list and more. A former four-star recruit who signed with Miami out of high school, Brown played in 10 games for the Hurricanes with three starts, showcasing his talents in wins over Virginia Tech, Virginia and Georgia Tech. He then transferred to UCF, where he appeared in 12 games for the Golden Knights over the last two seasons.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Brown is a true dual-threat athlete, able to make plays in the open field as well as with him arm. In his four seasons of college action to date, he’s thrown for 906 yards and six touchdowns with 821 yards rushing and eight scores on the ground.
Whether any official pronouncements are made, Brown will enroll this semester in time for spring practices and have the inside track to the Rice football starting quarterback job in 2026. He has one year of eligibility remaining, one that both he and the Owls is his best season yet.
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Brown will be asked to do different things with the Owls’ gun option scheme than he did at Miami and UCF, but in many ways, that should only amplify his on-field success. His tape shows a player with a big arm who can strike downfield and a willing runner who can make plays in space and won’t go down on first contact.
