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Rice Football: Behind enemy lines with Baylor expert Sam Bradshaw

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The Baylor Bears are the last nonconference opponent Rice football will face this season. Sic’em 365’s Sam Bradshaw takes us behind enemy lines.

Rice Football is three weeks into their 2019 slate with one final nonconference test remaining. To get the inside scoop on Baylor, we talked with Sam Bradshaw of Sic’em 365.

Q: How is the rebuilding process going in Waco? What are the expectations for Matt Rhule in Year 3?

Sam — The rebuild is going well after winning a bowl in year two after a bare bones roster at key positions in 2017. He’s really rebuilt the roster across the board and installed a very different culture in Waco which was an important step given the circumstances.

As for expectations, that will obviously vary from fan to fan but easily making a bowl up to winning 8-10 games is what fans are thinking is realistic this year. Baylor returns a ton of talent and experience across the roster from a team that went 7-6 last fall but many fans think could have won up to three more.

Q: What’s the confidence level in quarterback Charlie Brewer? Can he take the next step and become one of the Big 12’s best quarterbacks?

Sam — Baylor fans have a lot of confidence in everything about Brewer except maybe his deep throws. He’s accurate, makes good decisions, is a capable runner, and will play very tough.

Most Baylor fans would argue Brewer has already taken that step into being one of the Big 12’s best. He’s at worst fourth best in the league and Baylor fans would argue much higher than that.

Q: Two games into the season, has the Baylor defense shown improvement over last year?

Sam — When the starters held their first two opponents to one combined score and around ten combined yards per drive it’s safe to say they look good. They have shifted from a 4-2-5 to what is more of a 3-3-5 defense to get more coverage flexibility and to limit big plays. It’s been successful and they ask a lot of their DL with some two gap techniques and ask their LB’s to take on a lot more action inside. It’s a big shift from their usual fronts which are a lot like Rice’s base looks. It will be interesting to see how well the new tactics hold up against Big 12 blockers.

Q. Who is are some under the radar players to watch?

Sam — On offense I would say that tailback Trestan Ebner is one of the most dynamic open field threats in the Big 12. He has the ability to reverse field like few Baylor players I have seen. Receivers Chris Platt and Tyquan Thornton are somewhat under the radar but are among the fastest sprinters at their position in the Big 12 with incredibly good track speed.

The Roost Podcast | Texas review and Baylor Preview

Sam — Defensively the jack of all trades is SLB/Nickel LB Blake Lynch. The former HS QB came to Baylor as a receiver where he played in 2016. That season he saw spot duty at RB due to injuries, then moved to corner in 2017, then to Safety, and finally to SLB last year. He’s 6-3 225 and still has the same speed and agility he had as a receiver and corner.

The biggest freak athlete up front is James Lynch (no relation) who was an unheralded recruit they’ve developed who is 6-4 285 with 9.5 career sacks and runs a 4.8. He can play inside or outside on the line.

Q: What’s the biggest question make for the Bears entering their Week 4 game against Rice?

Sam — Just how good is this team?

They dominated a rebuilding FCS team and an improved but clearly overmatched UTSA team that admittedly had played Baylor tough in 2018. Aside from that limited detail it’s not clear how good this team really is.

Last week we saw two 2-0 Big 12 teams with similarly dominant starts go on the road to play a P5 school and we found out a lot more about them. Texas Tech was humbled against an Arizona team that lost to Hawaii while Kansas State went to Starkville and won against an unbeaten Mississippi State squad. Furthermore that KSU game probably wouldn’t have been close had KSU not muffed two punt returns and an interception return. Which one is Baylor most like? Unless Rice makes it interesting this weekend we won’t really have an idea until Iowa State comes to Waco next week.

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The Roost Podcast | Episode 8 – 2019 Rice Football Texas Recap, Baylor Preview

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Three games down and plenty more to come, Carter and Matthew recap Rice Football vs Texas, preview Baylor and give some reasons to keep the faith.

Rice Football has had their ups and downs through three weeks of the 2019 season. The Owls have one game remaining in their nonconference slate. It’s time to keep moving onward, but if you want to check our work you can always find previous episodes on the podcast page.

In Episode 8, Carter and Matthew discuss what in the world happened in the Texas game and how concerned Rice fans should be about the showing on the field last Saturday. Once that conversation ran its course, the Baylor game took center stage. That one kicks off at Rice Stadium on Sep. 14 at 7:00 pm.

Give a listen to Episode 8 below.

Episode 8 Notes

  • News and notes — There were some notable Conference USA results, some which concern teams Rice has on the schedule in the coming weeks. Also, please don’t forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
  • Breaking down the Texas game — An honest assessment, within the context of where these two programs are in the present time, helped put some clarity around the one-sided result. There were some good things and some things to keep an eye on.
  • Previewing the Baylor game — The last game of the nonconference schedule will give Rice football a new challenge. The Bears are a balanced offense, willing to run the football. Physicality and an early effort will be key in this one.
  • State of the program — What should we make about this team after an 0-3 start? More on the culture, the coaches and the long term viability of what Mike Bloomgren and his staff are building at South Main.

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: Numbers show Owls headed in right direction

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An 0-3 start has been tough for Rice Football and their fans, but the numbers show the Owls are already improved in 2019.

The first three games of the Mike Bloomgren era of Rice football were played against Prairie View A&M, Houston and Hawaii. Houston finished with the No. 5 scoring offense in the nation. Hawaii was 49th. Both teams finished with scoring defense in the bottom 30 of college football. Praire View A&M is in the FCS.

The degree of difficulty for the 2019 schedule has gone up exponentially. Army, Wake Forest and Texas rank 24th, 67th and 62nd in scoring defense, respectively. Texas owns the 21st best scoring offense. Wake Forest checks in just below them at 47th.

With that backdrop, here’s how Rice has faired through the first three games of each year. Even if the Owls were to break even in some of these stats, it should be considered an improvement given the rigorous schedule which includes a Top 12 team (Texas) and another two receiving votes in the AP Poll.

Offense

OFFENSE                        2019      2018
Rushing Yards                 335        604
Rushing Attempts           98          132
Yards/Carry                     3.42       4.58
Passing Yards                  495        678
Passing Attempts            72          98
Completions                    41          56
Comp Perc                       57%       57%
Yards/Attempt                6.9       6.9
Yards/Completion          12.1    12.1

VERDICT: PUSH

The offense is operating at a level equal to their start last season.

The ground game is averaging about a yard less per carry. The loss of projected starting running back Juma Otoviano has something to do with that as does the difference between the defensive fronts of Prairie View A&M and Texas.

The passing game is a push. The split across two different starting quarterbacks in 2019 has been a challenge, making the upside to those numbers in play as Wiley Green returns to health and the offense continues to gel.

Defense

DEFENSE                        2019      2018
Rushing Yards                 643        559
Rushing Attempts           127        93
Yards/Carry                     5.06       6.01
Passing Yards                  703        883
Passing Attempts            69          87
Completions                    52          56
Comp Perc                       75%       64%
Yards/Attempt                10.19    10.15
Yards/Completion          13.52    15.77

VERDICT: IMPROVEMENT

The raw talent of the running backs who have toted the rock against the Owls this year compared to last year is night and day. That added challenge aside, Rice has actually allowed one year per carry less to their 2019 opponents — and that includes a triple option team that just ran for 340 yards against UTSA in Week 3.

The passing numbers look roughly similar with a few distinctions. Completion percentage is up while yards per completion is down. On the whole, Rice has allowed less players to get behind their defense, forcing opposing quarterbacks to look closer to the line of scrimmage.

On the passing front, Jamie Newman and Sam Ehlinger have carved up each of their other opponents thus far. Ehlinger torched a highly regarded LSU secondary. He and Newman are both Top 12 in the nation in passing yard per game and have combined to throw 18 touchdowns and one interception.

Other notable numbers

Rice played clean games to start the 2018 season and has continued to do so this year. Through three games, the Owls have cut their penalties from 18 to six and their total penalty yardage from 165 to 37. They have yet to throw an interception this year and are even in turnover margin equal to an even margin at this point last season.

As for the scoreboard, Rice has scored 41 points this year compared to 87 points last year. Again, no FCS teams and no sub-100 defenses on the schedule this go around. On defense, Rice has allowed 103 points compared to 116 last season.

Closing thoughts

There are no moral victories in this business. 1-2 is better than 0-3, but there are still games left to be played. The numbers suggest Rice is at least as good as they were last season, if not improved in multiple facets of their game.

Rice was one score away from knocking off Army on the road to start the year. Army took Top 10 Michigan to overtime the weekend after escaping with the win over the Owls.

More: Takeaways from Rice’s Week 3 game against Texas.

The offense, while not looking overly impressive yet, has reason to hope with players like Green, Zane Knipe and eventually Otoviano will be added back into the fold. Things are going to get better at South Main. The numbers seem to suggest improvement is already in the works.

**All stats from CFBStats ***
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Rice Football 2019: Week 4 Baylor Press Conference quotes

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Rice Football head coach Mike Bloomgren made his final comments on the Texas game as the Owls move onward to Baylor in Week 4.

Center Brian Chaffin and safety Naeem Smith joined head coach Mike Bloomgren at the podium on Tuesday. The trio made comments on the Owls’ performance against Texas, the progress they’ve seen so far and the adjustments the transfers have made since arriving at South Main.

From Mike Bloomgren
On the support from the student section…

“I want to start off by talking about our student section and how they’ve come out in full force at our first two home contests and really filled that thing up and how much we appreciate it… We look forward to having them in another great home game this weekend and hope we have their continued support all year.”

On what the big picture and the team’s progress…

“The toughest part of striving for greatness is the journey, very simply. And we know that. We acknowledge that and we all want to happen faster. I promise nobody’s in more of a rush for better than me. But we’re going to step back and keep working on the process and work on things that win games and know that we’re building a very solid culture.”

On the influence of Baylor coach Matt Rhule…

“I think coach Rhule and his football team are outstanding. I think the way he’s built them, the physical presence that they have, the physical mindset, the mental toughness that they exude on film, I’m just so impressed with what he and his coaching staff have been able to build there. Coach Rhule been a great friend and mentor me since I took this job.”

On the status of quarterback Wiley Green…

“Wiley [Green] practiced full yesterday and took some reps with the ones and has done some really good things to come back. He’s still getting treatment, but he is cleared to practice and we think that there’s a good chance — we don’t want to rush him back — but we think there’s a good chance he’s gonna play this Saturday… he’s trending the right way.”

On what he needs to see from his team against Baylor…

“Four quarters. And really being able to go with the model that we say, which is start fast, stay focused and finish strong. At no point have we really done that this year. We started really fast defensively against Army. Obviously, that was a great slugfest that was an epic game to be part of. Wake Forest, they scored 14 honest before we could blink and part of that was offensive turnover. So that’s tough.

So I look back and I just think if we can do that, if we can come out the gates and start fast and really get off the field on defense and punch one in that we do so much for our confidence right now as a football team. And I’m not saying that we’re fragile. I don’t believe we’re fragile because look at what happened when Wiley got injured and fought back against Wake, but we could use some good things to happen right now.”

On what the team is doing best right now…

“Fighting and staying together. The fact that again, at no point did we sack our bats and just go home. I think that’s the thing that would have been easy to do.”

From Brian Chaffin

On his experience since transferring from Stanford…

“It’s been awesome. I was really excited to come in here and see how much of a step they’ve taken from when we played Rice back in my days at Stanford. This program’s really headed the right direction. We got a lot of guys in here who are believing in this plan, believing in this vision and ready to continue following it and continue embracing intellectual brutality on and off the field.”

From Naeem Smith

On his adjustments since transferring from JUCO…

“I would say the biggest thing would be the mental preparation going into it. I’m definitely watching a lot more film than I ever have in my life. Just making sure that I take every day and really try to get better every day. When I’m watching film I always evaluate myself and, see if I’m really doing the best I can do.”

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Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Week 4 vs Baylor Bears

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Rice Football wraps up nonconference play in Week 4 with a home game against Baylor. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

It’s been a tale of two very different seasons for Rice and Baylor in 2019. The Owls are 0-3, recipient of losses to Army, Wake Forest and Texas. The most recent defeat at the hands of the Longhorns was painful, but Rice will do their best this week to glean some learnings from the defeat and move on.

The Bears were able to watch Rice play from the comfort of their own homes last weekend. The second Big 12 team to visit Rice in Houston this year, Baylor had the first off week in Week 3. They’d previously defeated SFA and UTSA, both by wide margins.

It’s another all-Texas tussle in H-town. Here’s what you need to know about both Baylor and Rice before their Week 4 battle.

Broadcast Info

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

Audio Preview

Catch the full preview of the Baylor game on Episode 9 of The Roost Podcast. 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

Baylor enters their game against Rice a step ahead of the Owls in their own rebuilding process. Matt Rhule went 1-11 in his first year in command in Waco, improving to 7-6 a year ago with a bowl victory over Vanderbilt to end the season. Now in Year 3, the Bears look to have recovered from a challenged state on the football field. They’ve come a long way.

Rice is in Year 2, coming off a two-win season under Bloomgren in 2018, in some ways a step ahead of the Bears with Rhule. That progress will be tested on the field on Saturday in a game which should feature a heavy ground attack from both teams.

Like Rice, Baylor likes to pound the rock. They’ve averaged 38 carries in their first two games compared to 30 pass attempts. Eight different players have at least one rushing touchdown, including starting quarterback Charlie Brewer who isn’t exactly a mobile guy. There’s no doubt Rice will be more committed to the ground game than Baylor, a strategy which served them well in a near-upset of Army in Week 1.

Series History

All Time | Baylor leads 49-30
Last Five | Baylor leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Home 2016, Baylor won 38-10

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Stewart – 31/53 (58.5 percent), 364 yards passing, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Walter – 42 carries, 170 yards (4.0 yards per carry), 1 TD
Receiving | Trammell – 16 receptions, 204 yards (12.8 yards per reception), 1 TD
Tackles | Alldredge – 21, Chamberlain – 20
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Alldredge – 2 PBU, Four others tied with 1

Baylor Stat Notables

Passing | Brewer – 33/47 (70.2), 362 yards passing, 6 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Bohanon – 13 carries, 177 yards (13.6 yards per carry), 1 TD
Receiving | Mims – 12 receptions, 147 yards (12.3 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Johnston – 11, Miller – 10
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Lynch – 1 INT/1 PBU, Five others tied with 1 PBU

Baylor X-Factor | Wide receiver play

The Rice secondary has taken significant strides from where they were a year ago. Texas got a receiver behind the back line and threw a deep ball for a run in touchdown, but the Owls defensive backs have kept most everyone else in front of them. Baylor will look to test that resiliency.

Denzel Mims (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) and RJ Sneed (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) each pose a size and height mismatch with the Rice corners. Baylor wants to run the ball, but they’ll look to keep the defense honest with this pair of elite playmakers. If the Bears can win through the air, it’s going to be hard for the Owls’ front seven to stay home and do what they do best.

Charlie Brewer isn’t a better quarterback than Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman or Texas’ Sam Ehlinger, but he’s more than capable of getting the ball to his playmakers. How effective he is in that endeavor and how Rice does in those matchups could be a telling factor in how this game will go.

Rice X-Factor | First down

The most important down for the Rice offense is the first one. Winning third down and staying on the field is an area the Owls’ need to improve in as well, but the effectiveness of the offense as a whole is dependent on what the team does on first down. When Rice is able to move the ball, setting up second and mediums they put their run-first offense on schedule.

Eventual third and short situations give Rice a wide-open playbook, something especially significant if they’re starting a backup quarterback again this week. Rice didn’t win first down against Texas until late in the second half. By the time Rice started to gain momentum in that department, the score was out of hand.

The running game will set the tone, but it’s going to take a team effort from the offensive line and receiving corps to ensure Rice can set the tone early. Opening things up from the start will change the complexion of this game.

Injury Report

Wiley Green has been cleared and will start for Rice on Saturday but Tom Stewart is still expected to be in the mix at quarterback. A full injury update is available here.

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 Baylor.

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. Will the Rice defense register their first interception?
    Yes / No
  2. Which team will throw more incomplete passes?
    Rice (or tie) / Baylor
  3. Who kicks the longest punt for Rice?
    Barnes / Nunez
  4. How many Rice players will have at least six tackles?
    Over 5.5 / Under 5.5
  5. Will Rice score more points in the first half or the second half?
    First Half (or even) / Second Half
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / Baylor

One Final Thing

This is the last in an arduous string of nonconference games for Rice in 2019. Keeping the active players healthy and getting injured plays back to full health should be at the top of the Owls’ priority list. While the strength and conditioning staff and medical team are focused on those efforts, the team will prepare for their last chance at a nonconference statement.

Losing to Baylor won’t doom the season, but the Owls are cognizant of the opportunity at hand. In their home stadium with three weeks of their own film to assess and improve on, Rice should put a better product on the field than they did in Week 3. That’s going to be critical for team morale as they enter into conference play the weekend following.

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