The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking down the 2021 signees – Offense

By

The 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class features a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball, starting up front in the trenches.

Rice signed 18 players on the first day of the Early Signing Period. Of their new additions, 16 are current high school seniors. 7 of them play on the offensive side of the ball, the focal point of this update. They added one more on the last day of the three-day window. Subscribers can check out this position by position breakdown of the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
Quarterback (2) – Shawqi Itraish, Jake Constantine
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

Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking down the 2021 signees – Defense

By

The 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class has stocked with defensive talent at all three levels from a rangy secondary to powerful additions in the front seven.

Rice signed 18 players on the first day of the Early Signing Period. Of their new additions, 16 are current high school seniors. 11 of them play on the defensive side of the ball, the focal point of this update. Subscribers can check out this position by position breakdown of the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
Defensive Line (4) – Cal Varner, Jalen Hargrove, Elroyal Morris, Blake Boenisch
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

Rice Football 2020: NFL Owls Week 14 Stats Update

By

Rice Football is well represented on 2020 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 14.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

Week 14 results

Buffalo def. Pittsburgh (Boswell, McDonald), 26-15
Dallas def. Cincinnati (Covington), 30-7
Chicago def. Houston (Gaines), 36-7
Green Bay def. Detroit (Fox), 31-24
Denver (Anderson, Callahan) def. Carolina, 32-27
Washington def. San Francisco (Walter), 23-15
Baltimore (Willson) def. Cleveland (Sendejo), 47-42

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

Anderson drew the start for the Broncos against Carolina in Week 14. It was his second start of the season. He also was active on special teams. The Broncos host the Bills on Saturday in Week 15.

Vance McDonald – TE, Steelers

McDonald was targeted twice in the Steelers’ Week 14 loss to the Bills but did not have any catches. The Steelers visit the Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 15.

Austin Walter – RB, 49ers

Walter was not active for the 49ers’ Week 14 game against the Washington Football Team. The 49ers visit the Cowboys in Week 15.

Luke Willson – TE, Ravens

Willson missed the Ravens’ Monday Night Football win over the Browns with an injury. The Ravens host the Jaguars in Week 15.

Defense and Special Teams

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

For only the second time this season, Boswell did not attempt a field goal. He did convert his only extra point attempt of the day. The Steelers visit the Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 15.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Broncos

Callahan missed the Broncos’ Week 14 game against the Panthers after being placed on the injured reserve with a foot injury. The Broncos host the Bills on Saturday in Week 15.

Christian Covington – DL, Bengals

Covington had two tackles in the Bengals’ Week 14 loss to the Cowboys. He’s maintained his starting role on the defensive line since taking over in Week 4. The Bengals host the Steelers on Monday Night Football in Week 15.

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox punted three times with a long of 52 against the Packers in Week 14. He still ranks among the NFL best in most every punting statistic and could make a bid for a Pro Bowl spot this season. The Lions visit the Titans in Week 15.

Phillip Gaines – CB, Texans

Gaines did not travel to Chicago for the teams’ Week 14 game against the Bears. He was ruled out with a knee / shoulder injury. The Texans visit the Colts in Week 15.

Andrew Sendejo – Saf, Browns

Sendejo had two tackles in the Browns’ Monday Night Football loss to the Ravens. The Browns visit the Giants on Sunday Night Football in Week 15.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are others Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more detail on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 5 Takeaways from 2021 Early Signing Period

By

The first members of the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class signed this week, setting the stage for an exciting future at South Main.

The ink is starting to dry on the first day of the Early Signing Period and the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class is off to a great start. Rice signed 18 players, representing the majority of their scholarship additions to their 2021 class.

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

This class isn’t done yet — there are still a few more weeks before National Signing Day in February — but as it currently stands, here are a few immediate reactions from a group that could end up being pretty special for the Owls.

For those who aren’t subscribers yet, or even those who are, we’re running a special promo this holiday season. Purchase an annual subscription and get two months free.

1. Ratings boost

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

Rice Football Recruiting: Owls move from “needs” to “wants” with 2021 class

By

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class is stocked with talent, giving the Owls the luxury to fill some “wants” instead of scrambling for “needs”.

When Mike Bloomgren took the job, he had less than a week to get as many to assemble his first pass at a recruiting class. As a result, Rice ended its first Early Signing Period with six players in the 2018 Rice Football recruiting class. That class would fill out by the time National Signing Day arrived in February, but the chief priority in those classes was bodies first, flash second.

Rice found several impact players in that first class. Treshawn Chamberlain, Clay Servin, Antonio Montero … the list of multi-year starters goes on and on. Many of those guys are still here, still contributing vital roles to this team. Because of the strong foundations they started, the Owls were able to address other needs in their 2019 and 2020 classes.

Finally, with a fresh season ahead and pandemic (hopefully soon) behind them, Rice was able to do something with its 2021 class they hadn’t had the luxury to do in some time. Move past “needs”, to “wants”.

Rice signed five players that weigh 300 or more pounds on Wednesday. They have five players that large on their roster right now. Bloomgren referred to those new additions as “great pieces of clay” that he and his staff were willing to take the time to mold. This class wasn’t about filling urgent needs right now. It was truly focused on what Rice will look like on the field in 2022 and beyond.

More: 2020 Early Signing Period Live Tracker

“There’s no guarantees in this business that just because somebody’s strong they’re going to be better. But if everything is constant and I lift 100 pounds or 200 pounds more than you, and I have 20 pounds of good weight better than you, I should win. It’s just that simple,” Bloomgren said.

He’s not wrong.

In what will forever go down as the most pivotal game of Bloomgren’s tenure to date, Rice inserted 314-pound Izeya Floyd into the starting offensive line. The converted defender helped turn a line that caved inward the game prior into a unit that produced more than 100 rushing yards against a Marshall defense that hadn’t allowed an opponent to surpass the century mark on the ground all season.

One big body doesn’t win a football game on his own. But the more chances you can take to unearth that next key cog, the better. The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has the kind of top end talent that could play a massive role for this team quickly. The additions at linebacker are impressive. The wide receivers are going to be difference makers here.

But having the luxury to do both, to meet your current needs and expand your horizons to “wants” and “hopes”, that’s the mark of a program that’s established the baseline of talent it needs to compete. The Owls want these next pieces can raise the floor, and with it, the ceiling, too

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

Recent Posts