Next up for Rice Football: a home tilt against Tulsa. Here’s what head coach Scott Abell had to say about the matchup and a few depth chart notes.
Head coach Scott Abell and a set of players met with the media for their customary weekly availability. They recapped the East Carolina game and looked ahead at their upcoming matchup with Tulsa.
Roost Podcast: What We Learned — Rice Football vs East Carolina
We touch on those items, then dig into the Rice football depth chart and what the team looks like heading into the weekend. First, the quotes:
Press Conference Quotes
I’ve thought about this a lot. Is that advantageous for them? Is it problematic? I don’t know. And the same thing for us. Is that advantageous that we do have film of them defending Navy last week? Or is that problematic for us? I think you can make an argument both ways. You possibly may see a few more things because they’ve played an option program before you, but there’s also some learning curve for your opponent when that happens. So I think there’s arguments both ways, whether that’s good, bad or different. – Rice Football head coach Scott Abell on Rice being the second of three straight option teams Tulsa will play
I think he’s a very confident young man. I think that’s the first thing he jumps out at me. He’s confident. He understands their system. He’s been with Coach Lamb. He’s a guy that understands that offense incredibly well. Experience in an offense is really important and he understands that. I think that’s his gift, and I think he’s a good athlete. He doesn’t get probably enough praise for the type of athlete he is, and he’s got good weapons around him. They bring a lot to the table for us to defend. – Rice Football head coach Scott Abell on Tulsa quarterback Baylor Hayes
This is certainly not a time where people are jumping up and down excited about what maybe the win-loss record looks, but I get a lot of positive messages from our alumni base and fan base because they’re watching our guys play hard, they’re watching guys probably having to play before they’re ready to play, and some of the circumstances we’re dealing with right now that are out of our control, and I just want to shout out to those people out there, to our alums, who have just been incredibly positive with our players, our staff. I really appreciate that.
We need your support. People always need your support during tough times more than they do during good times. We don’t hide from that. It’s been a tough road these last five weeks, because it’s hard when you give yourself a chance to win and you just can’t quite get over the hill, but we will get over that hill. I will tell everybody, stick with the Owls; you won’t regret it. You’ll be excited you did so. – Rice Football head coach Scott Abell on his gratitude for supporters in a tough time
Football will always be football. You’re going to have good plays. You’re going to have bad plays. The most important thing is the next play. Just because I didn’t make a play or didn’t catch the balls on those plays doesn’t mean the next play that I won’t be able to do it. When the next play comes, then I’ll be ready because I’m not focused on what had happened, I’m focused on what will happen or what I can do. – Safety Koa Akui on staying focused amidst challenging results
We are very close. The tides are turning. That’s something that coach Munch and Coach Abel talk about all the time. We watch film. It’s always like one play away. We have a lot of opportunities. We just have to continue to execute and make sure that we capitalize on those opportunities. – Slot Jordan Clark on how close the offense is to getting turned around
Press Conference
Depth Chart
Depth Chart Notes
For the first time this season, Rice football has released a depth chart without an OR designation. We have definitive starters across the board, none of which vary too far from how the team has lined up over the past few weeks.
The most noticeable change is the new starting kicker spot, with Tommy Bauchiero taking that role last week with a 2-for-2 showing against East Carolina. Also changing spots on the two-deep is corner Bailey Fletcher, who had already jumped Zach Cody in the pecking order prior to the release of this update. At linebacker, the Nevada transfers Stone Combs and Austin Harnetiaux have claimed those roles, too.
The real question is how many of those spots on the current two-deep will see action against the Golden Hurricane on Saturday. We’ll have updates for those subscribed to our Starting Lineup Tier on Patreon in our practice notes later this week. Among the most notable question marks are running back D’Andre Hardeman and receiver Barry Jackson, neither of whom was able to finish the game at East Carolina a week ago.