The Roost’s 2025 Rice Football Season Superlatives exist to honor exceptional Owls who made a difference on the field this season. Here’s the complete list.
There were many individual performances worth recognizing in the 2025 Rice Football season. In addition to the more traditional awards below, stay tuned for The Roosties, our seventh annual award show from The Roost Podcast, which offers a unique perspective on postseason honors. From our favorite plays to the players that surprised us the most, we cover some of the more creative superlatives on the show. This list comprises the more traditional recognitions.
Offensive Newcomer of the Year — Slot Aaron Turner | Full Story
Excerpt: “Lines blur between rushing and receiving in this offense, with pop passes that function like sweeps and reverses being awarded as receptions and receiving yards, even though the ball is hardly airborne for any material length of time. No matter how you slice it, though, Turner finished as the Owls’ leading receiver and had more scrimmage yards than any offensive player outside of workhorse running back Quinton Jackson.”
Defensive Newcomer of the Year — DL Tony Anyanwu | Full Story
Excerpt: “Anyanwu had become much more than a situational edge rusher. He was a essential cog in the Rice defense besieged by injuries. The unit limped to the finish line and was in danger of a collapse had it not been for a handful of indomitable players like Anyanwu who refused to go out without a fight.”
Rising Star — RB D’Andre Hardeman | Full Story
Excerpt: “Hardeman did not play in the opener against Louisiana, but saw in every game from that point forward. And it wasn’t just token snaps. Hardeman was the most active member of the 2025 signing class, playing 12 of the Owls’ 13 games. Only two freshman played in every contest, Semaj Pierre and Ty Thames, much of which came on special teams.”
Special Teams Player of the Year — K Enoch Gota | Full Story
Excerpt: “Even with the misses from deep, Gota posted the most successful season from a Rice place kicker since Chris Barnes knocked through 8-of-10 attempts in 2019. No kicker since then had been better than 75 percent, with many delivering extremely underwhelming seasons to the point where the Owls often opted to go for it on fourth down rather than put the game on the foot of their specialists.”
Iron Man — LB Andrew Awe | Full Story
Excerpt: “Awe leaves Rice with 195 tackles, more than half of which he accrued in his final season. The redshirt senior stuck it out, battling through two early years without seeing a snap and a coaching change. And as it turned out, Rice football needed him more this year than either he or the program could have ever imagined as recently as two years ago.”
Defensive Player of the Year — SAF Marcus Williams | Full Story
Excerpt: “Not one to showboat or make a scene, Williams quietly shattered his career statistical highs. He became one of the select few Owls to play in every game, starting 12 of the 13 games. Williams finished third on the team in tackles and third in passes defended, a testament to how well-rounded he was as a player and how necessary he had become all over the field.”
Team MVP, Offensive Player of the Year — RB Quinton Jackson | Full Story
Excerpt: “Jackson battled through injuries, lined up wherever he was needed and wasn’t one to complain. He even saw snaps at wildcat quarterback during the Armed Forces Bowl after starter Chase Jenkins opted out on a week’s notice. Jackson ended the season with 889 rushing yards, 74 receiving yards, eight passing yards and the respect of all his teammates and coaches.”
Jackson was the focus of an in-season player feature, shedding some light on his path from a utility player to feature back and so much more for the Rice football offense.
Check out the 2024 Rice Football Season Superlatives here.
