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Rice Football 2021: New faces emerge prior to UTSA game

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Rice football took full advantage of its bye week, evaluating the depth chart and prepping for UTSA. The latest from practice, here.

The bye week is in the books and it was a beneficial time for Rice football. The Owls got a little bit healthier and saw some new faces rise in the extra sessions. We could see a freshman debut this week and others move up the depth chart soon.

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Practice reports are reserved for our subscribers. If you want updates on how Rice football plans to deploy its quarterbacks, position battles, standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. You can get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one when you subscribe to our All-American Tier on Patreon today.

Scouting the “Opportunity Bowl” 

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Rice Football 2021: UTSA presser quotes, injury updates and depth chart

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Rice football returns to action this weekend against UTSA. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren had to say about it, injury updates and practice notes.

This is the first of a couple of updates coming this week as Rice football prepares to take on UTSA. We’ll include updates from head coach Mike Bloomgren’s midweek press conference, then dig further into the details on the depth chart and what the team looks like on the field headed into the weekend.

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The depth chart looks a decent amount different from where things left off against Southern Miss. There are a variety of reasons for that, and a couple of notable injury updates that coincide with some of those changes. This update will focus on those, with some more in-depth practice notes coming later in the week. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“It was a great week because we were able to get healthier. Nobody is healthy in Week 7 of the season. But, we got some guys back and they looked great. We also got some young guys some work…. So I would say it was a very good bye week. We got exactly what we needed out of it.” – Mike Bloomgren on the bye week

“I don’t know that our conference has seen a defense like this since maybe 2018 UAB. It is just a dominant group out there. It’s an old, veteran group. I think nine of their 11 starters are seniors or super seniors. They are a very good group. They’re very well-coached.” – Mike Bloomgren on the UTSA defense

“I think, with a win like this, people will really start to wake up and understand Rice is here to play. We didn’t ahve the best start to the season, but like we said whenever we started out first confernece game against Southern Miss, it’s a new season… our goals are still attainable.” – Jordan Myers on the significance of the UTSA game

“I got to rest my legs a bit and heal up some minor bruises. It was good to get off your feet for a couple days, but I’m excited to be back in this building and back to work. It got a little boring over the weekend, just not playing in the games, watching games on tv. I want to be out there right now, playing.” – Elijah Garcia on the significance of the UTSA game

Depth Chart

The Rice football depth chart looks slightly different after the bye week. Here’s how the two-deep the Owls will trot out against UTSA on Saturday.

Rice Football

Pitre poised for return

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 95 – Midseason Conference USA Roundup with Eric Henry

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Rice football was off this week, giving us the perfect opportunity to catch up with Eric Henry and discuss Conference USA at the midway point of the season.

Fresh off two consecutive victories, Rice football went into the bye week on a high note. While the Owls recharged and worked to get healthy, the rest of Conference USA whirled around and around. We were joined this week by Underdog Dynasty’s Eric Henry to help us uncover the real contenders and separate them from the pretenders.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 95.

Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping
    • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
    • Check out the Blue and Gray Preview Show every Wednesday at Noon, hosted by Matthew and Rice radio broadcaster JP Heath on the Rice Athletics Youtube Channel
    • 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 updates from fall camp, practices and more.
      Become a Patron!
  • Conference USA midseason check-in 
    • Is 5-win UTEP for real?
    • Can Charlotte sustain their early success?
    • Who should be considered the front runner in the East? Is Marshall a year away?
    • UTSA and UAB are red-hot, who’s in the driver’s seat at the midseason mark?
    • How big of a threat is Western Kentucky?
    • Which teams have been the biggest surprises thus far?

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 2021: NFL Owls Week 5 Stats Update

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Rice Football is well represented on 2021 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 5.

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

Team NFL Owl(s) Week 5 Result Week 6
Los Angeles Chargers Christian Covington (DL) at Seattle W, 47-42 at Baltimore
Denver Calvin Anderson (OL)
Bryce Callahan (CB)		 at Pittsburgh L, 27-19 vs Las Vegas
Pittsburgh Chris Boswell (PK) vs Denver W, 27-19 vs Seattle (SNF)
Detroit Jack Fox (P) at Minnesota L, 19-17 vs Cincinnati
Tampa Bay Nick Leverett (OL) vs Miami W, 45-17 at Philadelphia (TNF)
Indianapolis Andrew Sendejo (Saf) at Baltimore (MNF) L, 31-25 vs Houston

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

Anderson has appeared in all five of the Broncos games so far this season, exclusively playing on special teams. That meant three snaps for Anderson against the Steelers this past weekend.

Nick Leverett – OT, Buccaneers

Leverett remained inactive for the Bucs’ Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins. He still awaits his first regular season snaps.

Defense and Special Teams

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell converted both of his field goal attempts against the Broncos, including a long of 48-yards. He also added three extra points on three tries. He’s 8-of-9 on field goals so far this season.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Broncos

Callahan started his first game of the season this past weekend against the Steelers. He made a season-high three solo tackles with his first tackle for a loss and this big third-down stop:

Christian Covington – DL, Chargers

Covington tallied two tackles in the Chargers’ Week 5 win over the Browns, marking the fifth consecutive game he’s recorded multiple tackles.

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox made history midway through the Lions’ Week 5 contest:

He would go on to attempt four punts, averaging 51 yards for the game on those kicks with a long of 67 yards, tied for the longest punt of his career.

Andrew Sendejo – S, Colts

Sendejo made two tackles against the Ravens on Monday Night Football before exiting the game after his second, a hit on Ravens’ receiver James Proche.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other 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.

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Conference USA Football 2021: Week 6 C-USA Roundup

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Conference USA Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron in Week 6.

Team Week 6 Result Week 7
Charlotte at FIU W, 45-33 — OFF —
FAU at UAB L, 31-14 — OFF —
FIU vs Charlotte L, 45-33 — OFF —
LA Tech — OFF —  — at UTEP
Marshall vs Old Dominion W, 20-13 OT at North Texas
MTSU at Liberty L, 41-13 — OFF —
North Texas at Missouri L, 48-35 vs Marshall
Old Dominion at Marshall L, 20-13 OT vs WKU
Rice — OFF —  — at UTSA
Southern Miss vs UTEP L, 26-13 vs UAB
UAB vs FAU W, 31-14 at Southern Miss
UTEP at Southern Miss W, 26-13 vs Louisiana Tech
UTSA at WKU W, 52-46 vs Rice
WKU vs UTSA L, 52-46 at Old Dominion

Notable Week 6 results – Standings

CharLIT catching fire

With wins under their belt over Duke and Middle Tennessee, Charlotte had already gotten off to a strong start. Taking care of business against FIU in Week 6 boosted their record to 4-2 (2-0), putting them in first place in the East. The 49ers struggled to a 2-4 finish last year among several COVID-related challenges. So far, they look like they’ve quickly moved past that.

POINTS!!!

UTSA and Western Kentucky was an absolute barn burner. The two teams combined for more than 1200 total yards and 98 points with Hiltoppers’ gunslinging quarterback Bailey Zappe somehow throwing for 523 yards and five touchdowns in defeat. Sincere McCormick was fantastic. Frank Harris played one of his best games ever. UTSA is 6-0.

Marshall escapes

Old Dominion has been a tough out in recent weeks. They lost to Buffalo by a point, UTEP by a touchdown and fell on Saturday to Marshall in overtime. The Monarchs might be feisty, but Marshall was expected to win comfortably at home. Sitting at 3-3 this team doesn’t look anywhere near the level of a conference title contender. Not yet.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

Time for a break

The bye weeks are here in earnest. Four conference teams won’t play in Week 6, a prequel to another quartet of open weekends for C-USA schools in Week 7. That means fewer intraconference matchups, but fortunately still a handful of notable pairings, several of which could have conference title implications. For those in action, the stakes are as high as ever.

Rice in waiting

UTSA’s Week 6 matchup with WKU was a highly anticipated C-USA bout, but the Roadrunners won’t have much time to recover. Next week they draw a Rice squad they haven’t seen in two seasons, and a lot has changed at South Main over that time period. Winners of six of their last nine conference games, Rice will be eager to return to the Alamodome on Saturday.

Bowling Miners?

Perhaps not one of the games circled as a must-watch entering the season, UTEP vs Louisiana Tech has the makings of a sneaky-good game, with significant ramifications for both programs. UTEP can win their sixth game, the most in any season since 2014 and maintain top position in the conference standings. Meanwhile, if Louisiana Tech has true C-USA title aspirations, they’ve got to win this one, too.

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