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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Netane Fehoko commits to Owls

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The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class has a second pledge from the same JUCO. Offensive lineman Netane Fehoko has committed to the Owls.

Just days after landing a commitment from JUCO fullback Colin Giffen, the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class has doubled down at the very same institution. Giffen comes from the College of San Mateo, the 2022 JUCO National Champions. He’s going to be an Owl, now. So is his teammate, offensive lineman Netane Fehoko, who made his pledge soon after.

Fehoko chose Rice over a half dozen other offers since he entered the portal last fall. On the day he received an offer from Rice, he was also offered by Texas State, but the Owls had the edge. He’s yet another player that has picked Rice over a Sun Belt school in recent days.

“Honestly, it just felt like home,” Fehoko told The Roost.  “The culture at Rice is very similar to [the College of San Mateo] and the coaches preach the same things we do. That’s how I really knew I was at the right place.”

Rice was clearly in the market to find someone to help along the interior of the offensive line following spring practices and Fehoko fits the bill. Better still, he can play both center and guard spots, providing further flexibility for the Owls down the road.

In the short term, guard looks to be Fehoko’s quickest path to playing time, but it wouldn’t be surprising for him to get looks at both spots during fall camp.

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On the film, Fehoko’s suddenness stands out. He’s quick off the ball and moves well for a man of his size. And at 6-foot-2, 295-pounds he brings a strong frame with him to South Main. He has the requisite size and skillset to play anywhere along the interior of the offensive line. The Owls hope to add further develop those tools and turn him into a building block for the offense for years to come.

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Rice Baseball 2023: MLB Owls update – May 25

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The 2023 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

J.T. Chargois – Miami Marlins

Chargois saw his first MLB action in more than a month this week, returning from an extended stint on the injured list to make three appearances in the span six days. He earned his first win of the season on Saturday against the Giants and picked up his second hold against the Nationals. His first earned runs charged to his ledger came this past Monday, against the Rockies.

Through May 25, Chargois has a 2.57 ERA with a 0.571 WHIP. He’s averaging 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – Atlanta Braves

Luetge also returned from an injured list stint this past week, making his first appearances since April 12. He threw one scoreless inning against Seattle on Saturday and another scoreless frame against the Dodgers on Monday. Altogether, he struck out three of the seven batters he faced.

Through May 25, Luetge has a 6.23 ERA with a 1.500 WHIP. He’s averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

Injured List

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon, who was placed on the 10-day Injured List on May 15, received some positive news this week. Manager Phil Nevin said the Angels “don’t think it’ll be very long at all” before he returns to the lineup.

Through May 25, Rendon is hitting .301 with five extra-base hits, 19 walks and 15 strikeouts. His OPS is .784 and he’s collected 20 RBI.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto did not appear on the Rangers Opening Day roster despite making 27 starts for the club last season. Instead, he began the year on the injured list, landing on the 60-day IL on March 30 with a right shoulder strain. He will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.


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Rice Baseball blasted by DBU in Conference USA Tournament Opener

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Rice Baseball fell to Dallas Baptist in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament on Wednesday by a final score of 13-2.

Parker Smith walking off the mound with no outs in the fourth inning was not part of the script Rice baseball was hoping to see in their return to the postseason. The Owls — who hadn’t played in a Conference USA Tournament game since 2019 — had high hopes after watching lower seeds win each of the first two games on Wednesday morning. Those dreams met an abrupt ending.

“It’s not how we drew it up. They set the tone early. We had some opportunities to make some plays and we did not,” head coach Jose Cruz Jr said. “That’s how baseball goes sometimes. Unfortunately, it was here at the conference tournament.”

Dallas Baptist struck for three in the first after a full-count walk and a bunt single that left nobody covering first base put the first two runners on. Back-to-back RBI singles spotted the No. 1 seed Patriots to a 3-0 lead. Rice clawed back with a run in the second and the third innings, punctuated by a booming long ball from Connor Walsh to get the Owls back within one.

More: Parker Smith’s journey from hometown kid to Rice Baseball ace

From there, the route was on. Dallas Baptist scored three in the third and four in the fourth, the latter including a three-run home run that drove Smith from the game. It was at that point Rice opted to save their higher-leverage bullpen arms and play for tomorrow.

“Everybody’s hot. The whole bullpen is hot. Everybody’s on red alert immediately,” Cruz said. “Hopefully, JD [McCracken] comes out and performs and gets us deep into the game. I like our chances if that happens.”

Rice baseball will play the loser of Wednesday’s nightcap between Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic. If the Owls prevail they’ll live to fight another day. If they don’t, they’ll be watching the remainder of the tournament from the stands.


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Rice Football Recruiting: JUCO DB Max Ahoia commits to Owls

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The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class continues to add its finishing touches. Most recently, the Owls landed a pledge from JUCO defensive back Max Ahoia.

When it came to putting the finishing touches on the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class, getting veteran help in the defensive backfield was near the top of the to-do list. The Owls checked that box with the commitment of JUCO defensive back Max Ahoia, who has made his pledge to the Owls.

The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Ahoia had 10 pass breakups and one interception last season where he played traditionally on the outside at corner. He did showcase some versatility along the way, though, moving into the slot and inside on occasion.

Ahoia’s market began to heat up in earnest this summer. In the month of May alone he received offers from Georgia Southern and Arkansas State. As Rice prepares to make the move from Conference USA to the American, edging out a couple of Sun Belt programs on the recruiting trail is a nice plus.

The corner room looks a bit more seasoned with Ahoia in the mix. Jordan Dunbar and Sean Fresch are still in line to be the starters at this point, but that’s a position where Rice knows from experience that depth is worth the investment.

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On the film, Ahoia’s initial burst and aggressiveness stand out. He’s quick to commit to the play break on the ball and that eagerness extends to his willingness to tackle, too. He’s got the tools and has the potential to be an impact player for the Owls in the future.

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Rice Football Recruiting: FB Colin Giffen commits to Owls

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The rare Rice Football recruiting fullback find is here. The Owls have landed a commitment from transfer Colin Giffen.

Colin Giffen is a football player. That might be the best possible way to describe the newest addition to the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class, which secured a pledge for his services this week, plucking him out of the Transfer Portal. Now Giffen will be a Rice Owl.

Originally from Palo Alto, California, Giffen walked on at UNLV in 2020 where he played linebacker. He spent last season at junior college, playing a hybrid h-back and tight end role. When he makes the move south to Texas, he’ll be a fullback at Rice.

Giffen, who has three seasons of eligibility remaining, tells The Roost he’s excited for the opportunity. “Right when I got there, you could tell that the culture they have is special and something I wanted to be a part of,” he said. And the position change? Giffen thinks his journey to this point has already set him up for success on that front.

“Previously being a linebacker at UNLV. it helped me be able to see coverages really well and see things before they happen.”

Rice beat out North Texas to land Giffen’s commitment. Giffen is the second portal addition for the Owls in the last week and a half. They most recently added a commitment from Duke transfer defensive tackle Michael Larbie.

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On the field, Giffen says he idolizes 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, a seven-time pro bowler. While he might not be at Juszczyk’s level quite yet, the willingness to hold a block and power through oncoming rushers should get Rice fans excited. His film has plenty of highlights with him out in space, too. Standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scales at 240 pounds, he’s a powerful force when he gets on the move.

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