The source for Rice sports news

Update from The Roost – June site updates and patron news

By

This is the first of a few updates that we’ll be rolling out over the next few weeks to our Patreon subscription service at The Roost. We’ve got some improvements planned for our subscribers that we’re really excited about.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen the majority of our interaction with the Rice faithful occurs on social media (you can follow on any of those platforms — Twitter, Facebook or Instagram) and via comments on our Patreon page. To that end, we’re funneling all the non-social conversation into one place.

As a part of the change, and in an effort to streamline conversation in one place, the forum on the main site will be phased out over the next month. Subscribers will have one portal to discuss the latest stories, ask questions and communicate — directly on Patreon. You can always reach out via a message or respond to stories directly in the comments. Meanwhile, your Patreon login will get you access to stories on the main site as well all subscriber-specific content hosted on Patreon.

Stay tuned for further details on the upcoming 2021 Rice Football Season Preview as well as a few additional perks we’re adding to our existing tiers. And as always, if you have any questions, please reach out.

If you not a subscriber on Patreon, now is a great time to jump on board. We have a few special projects lined up for the summer and another announcement regarding some new perks for our patrons coming soon. Subscribe today so you don’t miss out.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

The Roost Podcast | Ep 78 – Previewing North Texas Football with Matthew Brune

By

Matthew Brune of Mean Green 247 joins us this week to preview the 2021 North Texas football season. What can we expect from the Mean Green this year?

The 2021 Rice Football is still a ways away, but we’re getting a head start on the Owls’ opponents this summer. This week Matthew Brune of Mean Green 247 joins the show to talk North Texas football. We take a step back to the Mason Fine years and walk through a brief history of how the program came to be where it is now, with brief tangents into recruiting graphic mishaps, viral Tweets and more.

Be sure to stick around for the lightning round and check out his answers to a selection of North Texas and Conference USA related topics. You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 78.

Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping
    • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
    • Please support us on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes our debriefing series on spring football, recruiting news and more.
      Become a Patron!
  • Matthew Brune joins the show — Matt shares his insight on North Texas football under Seth Littrell and what to expect from the Mean Green this coming season, including:
    • What to make of North Texas’ down 2020 season
    • Littrell’s hot seat
    • Jace Ruder, Austin Aune and C-USA quarterback situations
    • Expectations for the Mean Green in the upcoming season
    • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Baseball: “Dreams do come true” for Jose Cruz Jr.

By

Rice baseball officially welcomed Jose Cruz Jr. as its 22nd head coach, a moment that sparked hope and excitement in the Owls’ fanbase.

Flanked by his family, Jose Cruz Jr. was officially welcomed as the 22nd Rice baseball head coach on Tuesday evening. Donning a No. 22 jersey just like his playing days, the newest Owl coach flashed a familiar smile, delivering a confident, almost whimsical remark: “Hey, dreams do come true.”

In his introductions, athletic director Joe Karlgaard was crystal clear regarding the significance that Cruz has already had on South Main, calling him “one of the architects” that built Rice baseball into an Omaha-caliber program. Cruz didn’t stray far from his roots in his return to Houston, and in Karlgaard’s own estimation, “there weren’t many people who’d seen more Rice baseball games over the past five or six years than Jose.”

Cruz will have a much closer view the next time he walks through the gates of Reckling Park. For the time being, he’s been on the phone with his team. He already knows a good portion of the roster from his time around the ballpark. Now he’s going deeper, sharing his vision and talking about what he intends to build at South Main.

As for his coaching style, Cruz tipped his cap to former Houston Astros’ manager and current Detroit Tiger skipper, AJ Hinch for his teaching in recent months, saying he’s learned a lot from Hinch and others over his career in baseball.

More: Roost Podcast – Rice baseball to hire Jose Cruz Jr.

When it comes to how Cruz intends to run the ship, he plans to draw from several of those lessons learned along the way. “There’s some old school to it.” Cruz said of his coaching philosophy, “but it’s more of a modern style.” He went on to add that he’s “not going to be a big yeller about stuff”, stressing instead that he’ll focus on development and giving his players “the best possible opportunity” for success.”

With the pleasantries exchanged and opening remarks nearly finished, Cruz still wore his resolute smile. “We’re going to be closer to what we’re talking about being here at Rice,” he said, looking expectantly toward the future. A day both Jose Cruz Jr., and the Rice baseball family, are eager to embrace.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking down the Luke McCaffrey commitment

By

The 2021 Rice football recruiting class picked up its marquee player this week with the addition of former Nebraska quarterback Luke McCaffrey.

Luke McCaffrey, a bonafide blue-chip quarterback recruit, has decided to don the Blue and Gray and play for Rice football. That decision will have ripple effects on the Owls and Conference USA, starting with the impact McCaffrey’s arrival will have on the overall talent level of the Rice roster.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

The Roost has you covered in season and throughout the offseason. Get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one. Subscribe on Patreon and unlock them all today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

BREAKING: Transfer Quarterback Luke McCaffrey commits to Rice football

By

Rice Football has a quarterback. Former Nebraska signal-caller Luke McCaffrey has committed to play for the Owls.

On the surface, the Rice football roster looks more or less complete. The Owls have one of the best defenses in Conference USA. They’ve got talented wide receivers, a couple of good running backs and an offensive line that’s been reasonably effective. What they’ve lacked, for multiple years now, is a surefire quarterback. Enter Luke McCaffrey.

McCaffrey’s college football career began in 2019 with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He played in 11 games over two seasons in Lincoln, throwing for 608 yards and three touchdowns with six interceptions. He added 540 yards and four touchdowns with his legs. He would later transfer from Nebraska to Louisville, but shortly after arriving on campus at Louisville, decided the fit wasn’t right for him.

It was at that point the Owls swooped in. Head coach Mike Bloomgren coached Luke’s older brother, Panthers’ running back Christian McCaffrey, while the two were at Stanford. That connection, combined with McCaffrey’s interest to start and the Owls nebulous quarterback situation, made for a perfect pairing between McCaffrey and Rice.

At the time of his original recruitment, McCaffrey was the No. 1 athlete in the state of Colorado, the No. 13 athlete in the nation and a four-star rated recruit. From a pure composite score perspective, when McCaffrey takes his first snap he’ll become the most highly-rated player to ever play for Rice football. That distinction is currently held by safety Gabe Taylor, who took over the top spot last season.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

McCaffrey instantly becomes the favorite to be the quarterback for the Owls in 2021. He’ll have to get caught up on the playbook and work diligently to understand the scheme, but his talent level, particularly as a runner, has the potential to revolutionize the Rice offense. This was a big get for the Owls.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts