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Rice Football: Owls believe C-USA offers even playing field

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After four grueling battles, Rice Football has finished nonconference play. The Owls hope for better fortunes as Conference USA play begins.

The positive side for Rice Football is clear. Mike Bloomgren sees his team as battle-tested. As he said following four games against teams who hold a combined 13-2 record, “who the heck are we going to be scared of?”

The Owls might not be scared, but they do need to find their offense.

Rice football averaged 6.0 yards per carry in their season opener against Army. The Owls’ executed their gameplan to a tee, controlling the game and putting themselves in position for a game-winning drive. That drive stalled out just outside the redzone. The Rice offense stalled with it.

In subsequent games against Wake Forest, Texas and Baylor the Owls averaged 1.8, 2.8 and 1.8 yards per carry, respectively. Rice just wasn’t winning in the trenches against those three Power 5 opponents to the same degree they did against Army.

On the basis of talent alone, that makes sense. All three of those programs ranked inside the Top 60 in weighted four-year recruited rankings. Rice checks in at No. 119 and Army at No. 103. So, in theory, once the Owls resume playing opponents of a similar caliber, the offense should get back on track. At least, that’s what Rice offense coordinator Jerry Mack is counting on.

“The speed of the game is just so much different when you play those upper-tier top 25 teams,” he said, “Those guys are still really talented in Conference USA, but the size of the guys is a little bit different… Now those guys are a couple of inches smaller or 20 pounds lighter. So it should balance out a little bit more just from a physicality standpoint.”

More: Rice vs Louisiana Tech Game Preview

Closer to even in terms of team talent. Rice will stick to their guns and run the ball. They’ll have the benefit of tackles Clay Servin and Justin Gooseberry, both of whom missed the Owls’ most recent game with injuries. Not having bruising fullback Reagan Williams will be a big loss, but the Owls have a stable of backs ready to give it their best shot.

Mack is sticking to his guns. “You can’t panic. You have to stay the course. I think at the end of the day, we know want to have a physical brand. We know we want to be a run-first style of offense and we have to stay committed to that.”

The Owls are committed. On Saturday we’ll see whether or not that resolve is well placed.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 9 – 2019 Rice Football Baylor Recap, Louisiana Tech Preview

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Conference USA play is here. Carter and Matthew recap Rice Football vs Baylor before jumping into the Owls’ Week 5 game with Louisiana Tech.

The Rice football nonconference schedule was brutal. Sitting at 0-4, the Owls are ready to flip the script and have that opportunity against a familiar opponent. Miss part of the journey? You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page.

In Episode 9, Carter and Matthew assess the good and the bad from the Baylor loss and breakdown how that should translate into the start of Conference USA play. Saturday’s game kicks off at Rice Stadium on Sep. 28 at 6:00 pm.

Give a listen to Episode 9 below.

Episode 9 Notes

  • News and notes — Thanks to TFW for writing a review on iTunes. Your words and your stars help! Leave a review wherever you listen, we might just read it on the show.
  • Breaking down the Baylor game — What’s the problem with the Rice offense and can conference play offer a respite from the heightened level of athleticism the Owls have faced thus far. Should there be significant concerns or will things get better soon? And what do you do with two quarterbacks?
  • Previewing the Louisiana Tech game — How do the Owls matchup with the Bulldogs? What will the team need to do to keep the Louisiana Tech offense from having a big game led by quarterback J’Mar Smith. That and a few names to note on the defensive side of the ball for the Bulldogs.

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.

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Rice Football 2019: Week 5 LA Tech Press Conference quotes

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Rice Football head coach Mike Bloomgren made his final comments on the Baylor game as the Owls move onward to Louisiana Tech in Week 5.

Running back Charlie Booker and safety Treshawn Chamberlain joined head coach Mike Bloomgren at the podium on Tuesday. All three made comments on the end of nonconference play and what the team expects as the begin their Conference USA schedule this coming week against Louisiana Tech.

From Mike Bloomgren

On the team’s goals…

“The team’s goals are very clear. We want to win the conference. That conference trophy is at the very top. The other goal is to go to a bowl game and win. That’s what we want to do.”

On where the program is right now…

“I just believe so much in the steps we’ve taken. I don’t know if anybody outside of our program thought two years ago that we could be here. Standing toe-to-toe with an Army team that’s going to play the way they do for 60 minutes and fighting with Baylor and giving ourselves a chance in the end. I’m really proud of the progress. But, like I told these guys yesterday morning, it’s about time to win.”

On the current quarterback dynamic…

“I probably hoped that someone would really separate in the last game. The reality is they both played really well. So, we’re going to continue to do what we did last game. Wiley (Green’s) going to start. He’ll get take two series and then Tom (Stewart) will come in and we’ll see where it goes from there.

“We’re going to treat it, really right now until it defines itself completely, like any other position on our team. I think that they can all do everything we asked, but each of them brings something different to the table.

“Wiley’s time in our system allows him to be more comfortable with any change that we can make on the sideline. Obviously, pre-snap Wiley is still, not light years ahead, but he’s still ahead of him. What Tom does better is Tom elongates plays to keep them alive and when Tom runs with the ball he runs with a passion to get in the end zone. We’ve seen him do it on multiple occasions now. He’s a determined runner.”

On the redshirt rule and the recent decisions at Houston…

“I love our kids and our culture and I’m so glad we’re not dealing with it. It wouldn’t be good for our football team right now if a starter decided not to continue to play. It would make me question what we were doing”

From Charlie Booker

On how he hopes to contribute to the team this year…

“From my standpoint, I’m just going to do whatever I can do. I’m going to go out there — my job is every week when I get out there, I’m supposed to make the right reads and I’m always supposed to break the first cycle. So that’s my main focus right now.”

From Treshawn Chamberlain

On how the defense can improve…

“The next step would be to eliminate explosive plays. Most of the explosive plays are due to your own mistakes so being able to take this in and going to this week with the mindset of perfecting every personnel every formation that they’re giving us so we can basically be a step ahead of the offense without them knowing.”

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Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Week 5 vs Louisiana Tech

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Rice Football kicks off conference play in Week 5 with a home contest against Louisiana Tech. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

Rice football saw another fourth quarter rally fall short as the Owls closed out nonconference play with a loss to Baylor last Saturday. The close loss was hard to swallow, but the shift from a string of Power 5 opponents to Conference USA play will be welcomed with open arms at South Main.

Louisiana Tech enters the game on the heels of their first conference victory. The Bulldogs dispatched a struggling FIU team, outscoring the Panthers 43-31. Here’s what you need to know about both Louisiana Tech and Rice before their Week 5 battle.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venu | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We previewed the Louisiana Tech game on Episode 9 of The Roost Podcast which was released on Wednesday. Find us on the podcast page or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (And consider leaving us a 5-star review while you’re at it.)

Sizing up the contenders

An 0-4 start wasn’t what Rice was hoping for, but expectations remain high at South Main because of the competitive nature of those defeats, particularly against Army and Baylor. There weren’t many outside of Houston who expected Rice to win any of their first four contests. The mere fact that they were a touchdown away from two big upsets was telling.

Like Rice, Louisiana Tech was beaten handily by Texas. Unlike Rice, Louisiana Tech won their other three games, including their Conference USA opener in Week 4 against FIU. The difference between the Bulldogs and the Owls early starts was the quality of the competition. Louisiana Tech has only played explicitly great team — they lost.

Saturday these two divergent storylines converge at South Main. Rice is out to prove they’re better than their record says while Louisiana Tech hopes to continue to stockpile on their winning resume as they build a case toward what they hope will be a C-USA West crown.

Series History

All Time | Louisiana Tech leads 8-4
Last Five | Louisiana Tech leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2018, Louisiana Tech 28-13

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Stewart – 36/61 (59.0 percent), 414 yards passing, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Walter – 56 carries, 181 yards (3.2 yards per carry), 1 TD
Receiving | Rozner – 15 receptions, 250 yards (16.7 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 29, Montero/Chamberlain – 26
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Alldredge/Smith/Thornton tied with 2 PBU

Louisiana Tech Stat Notables

Passing | Smith – 97/143 (67.8), 1108 yards passing, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Henderson – 35 carries, 277 yards (7.9 yards per carry), 4 TD
Receiving | Hebert – 15 receptions, 218 yards (14.5 yards per reception), 2 TD
Tackles | Jackson – 30, Scott – 28
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Robertson – 7 PBU, 1 INT

Louisiana Tech X-Factor | Stopping the run

For Louisiana Tech, the formula for beating Rice starts with controlling the ground game. The Bulldogs have been solidly mediocre against the run this season. On the plus side, they were able to hold Bowling Green to 119 yards on 47 carries (2.5 yards per carry). In their other three games against Texas, Grambling State or FIU under they allowed an average of 167 yards rushing (4.7 yards per carry).

Rice has been the most successful on offense this season when the ground game is moving. Churning out a respectable rate on the ground opens everything else up. No ground game and the offense has struggled to get moving until the second half, at the earliest.

Louisiana Tech can’t afford to let Rice dictate the pace of the game in their own stadium. The Owls are frustrated with the 0-4 start and itching to impose their will on whoever shows up on their field next.

Rice X-Factor | Winning in the redzone

Beyond running the football successfully, Rice needs to finish drives. The Owls kicked their first two successful field goals in their last game against Baylor, but both game inside the redzone. Their final field goal came after the team squandered three straight attempts from the 6-yard line.

Assuming the offense is going to take more than one more week to work out the kinks, Rice needs to find a way to capitalize on their opportunities. As good as the defense has been early on, 13 points isn’t going to be enough to win many games. Turn those two field goal opportunities into touchdowns and Rice will be near the threshold it takes to grind out wins.

Louisiana Tech ranks first in Conference USA with a 50 percent touchdown rate in redzone possessions. They’ve turned their opponents away without any points on eight of 18 redzone trips. It’s going to be a tall task for the Owls.

Injury Report

Justin Gooseberry, Clay Servin and Reagan Williams highlighted a few somewhat surprising inactive for Rice against Baylor. We’ll be watching them closely this week. On a positive note, kicker Zach Hoban made his debut, handling kickoff duties last weekend.

Need More?

The Roost’s 2019 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth chart, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for each foe. Better yet, it’s not just speculation, each profile was created with insight from local experts who cover those teams day in and day out. Pick up your copy today and get four pages and more than 1,000 words on every foe.

Pick ‘Em Contest

If you haven’t yet, make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and submit them on the forum thread to enter.

  1. Which team has more rushing yards?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech
  2. How many field goals are made by both teams?
    Over 3.5 / Under 3.5
  3. Will both teams score in the first quarter?
    Yes / No
  4. How many third downs will Rice convert?
    Over 5.5 / Under 5.5
  5. Will Blaze Alldredge register at least two tackles for a loss?
    Yes / No
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech

One Final Thing

Opening conference play with a loss would be deflating for the Owls, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The Rice offense is still very much a work in progress and they might have more questions at quarterback than they thought they would at this point of the season.

And Louisiana Tech is a solid football program which has won five consecutive bowl games. Rice would pick up the pieces and move on.

But, a win on Saturday would speak volumes. It would serve as validation, of sorts, to the Owls’ meticulous dedication to process and effort. If this team is as good as they believe themselves to be, there’s no reason the Owls can’t be a factor in Conference USA this season.

One game won’t definitely prove that one way or another, but those inside the Patterson Center could use some confirmation they’re on the right track. Bloomgren himself said it best. “We got a new season on the horizon. Every goal that our players put on the covenant is intact.”

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Rice Football: Perspective needed after Owls’ tough start

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Rice football has been on the losing end against four talented teams, most of which are earning national attention. What does that tell us about the Owls?

The Week 5 polls are out. Rice football fans will recognize several names on the ballots. Three of the Owls first four opponents are ranked inside the Top 31 in both major polls (AP and Coaches). Rice took two of those teams to deep water, possessing the ball with the chance to tie (or win) the game in the fourth quarter against Army and Baylor.

Here’s how those teams have fared in their games this season:

3-1 Army (def Rice 14-7)

No. 7 Michigan (L, 24-21 OT), UTSA (W, 31-13), Morgan St (W, 52-21)

4-0 Wake Forest (def Rice 41-21)

Utah St (W, 38-35), North Carolina (W, 24-18), Elon (W, 49-7)

3-1 Texas (def Rice 48-13)

Louisiana Tech (45-14), No. 6 LSU (L, 45-38), Oklahoma St (W, 36-30)

3-0 Baylor (def Rice 21-13)

SFA (W, 56-17), UTSA (W, 63-14)

Collectively, in games against non-Rice opponents, the Owls’ four nonconference foes are 9-2. Their two losses have come to No. 7 Michigan in overtime and No. 6 LSU in a one-score game. For the most part, the Owls played their opponents, particularly against Army and Baylor.

Army average 314 rushing yards and 4.3 rushing touchdowns per game against non-Rice opponents. The Owls held them to 231 yards and one rushing score.

Wake Forest allowed more points to Rice than North Carolina, who was in the conversation to be ranked prior to their close loss to the Demon Deacons.

Texas equally overmatched the Owls and fellow conference foe Louisiana Tech, who Rice meets to start C-USA play this coming weekend. The Texas offense was just as explosive, if not more so, against No. 6 LSU who was expected to have one of the nation’s better defenses entering the season.

Baylor was the nation’s No. 1 scoring offense entering their game against Rice. The Owls shut the Bears out in the second half and held them to 21 total points. Baylor scored 21 or more points in eight of 12 games last season, falling under that mark to only ranked Texas, West Virginia and Iowa State teams and Gary Patterson’s stingy TCU defense.

More: Takeaways from Owls’ close loss to Baylor

Rice has no interest in losing well. But the level of competitiveness the Owls have demonstrated combined with the results their opponents have against other teams prove to be powerful data points. Yes, they’re 0-4, but they haven’t lost to bad teams, quite the contrary. Now it’s on the Owls to take the next step and turn positive momentum into tangible wins.

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