The source for Rice sports news

Rice Baseball 2020: Texas A&M outlasts Owls at Reckling Park

By

Rice baseball led No. 22 Texas A&M early, but couldn’t seal the deal, falling to the Aggies in their final game before conference play begins.

The early innings breezed by as Rice baseball traded three scoreless frames with Texas A&M (14-3) in a crucial midweek game. The Owls were hosting the No. 22 Aggies looking for their Tuesday victory of the young season.

Rice took a one-run lead in the fourth. Texas A&M responded quickly, pounding out back-to-back doubles in the fifth inning to take their first lead of the night. Rice leveled the score in the bottom half of the inning, holding the score at 2-2 before Texas A&M jumped ahead 3-2 in the seventh. The Aggies would add a decisive three additional runs in the eighth before winning 6-2.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Pop, pop

Entering Tuesday’s game Rice baseball was dead last in C-USA in home runs. The Owls have several players in their lineup with power — they ranked fifth in doubles with 28 — but those big hits weren’t leaving the yard.

Justin Collins and Rodrigo Duluc each blasted their first home run of the season against Texas A&M. Collins put Rice ahead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo shot. Duluc followed an inning later, tying the game on a solo bomb of his own after the Aggies had moved ahead in the top of the fifth.

The bullpen at their best …. and their worst

Rice has been at their best this season when their starting pitching led the way. Rather than ride one arm as long as he could, Matt Bragga opted for a bullpen game, trusting a slew of relievers to be at their best against a dangerous Texas A&M lineup. Things started out well enough but trusting eight pitchers to all be at their best proved untenable.

Brandon Deskins and Kel Bordwine threw four hitless innings to start the game. Matthew Santos and Cristian Cienfuegos had scoreless frames. Garret Zaskoda was okay. Caleb Burgess barely scraped together three outs. Josh Larzabal allowed three hits before Andrew Kane came on and surrendered what felt like the backbreaking 2 RBI single in the eighth inning.

Dealt a tough hand, Kane’s short outing ended with a 6-2 Rice deficit. The bullpen which seemed thin entering the game lived up to that expectation. Rice has a few really good arms, but there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of consistency and pitchability.

Thank goodness for conference play

The 2020 series has been a series of heartbreaks for Rice baseball. Sitting at 2-10 prior to the Texas Tech series, Rice was incapable of holding on to a pair of 5+ run leads. They could have won that series. They could have won a few more games here and there. But from a macro-level view, Rice did not pass their brutal nonconference test. They open conference play 2-14.

The Owls have a half dozen proven arms and about that many trustworthy bats. The rest of the pitching staff and lineup could get there, but the rigors of games against Texas, UC Irvine, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and others were akin to a trial by fire. Everything is a bit singed.

Conference USA play marks a fresh slate. As disappointing as the first month has been, Rice baseball has plenty to play for, starting this weekend against Marshall.

Up Next | Marshall (Fri-Sun)

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 Defensive Lineman Blake Boenisch commits to Owls

By

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class is growing quickly. After a recent visit to campus, defensive lineman Blake Boenisch has committed to the Owls

Sometimes good things come in waves. Two days before Blake Boenisch committed the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class was a blank slate, waiting for prospective Owls to add their names to the list. On Sunday March 8, offensive lineman Faaeanuu Pepe made his pledge. He was the first of multiple new Owls to make their decisions public.

Less than 24 hours after Pepe came on board the Owls added another big man in the opposite trenches. Needville offensive lineman Blake Boenisch has committed to Rice Football. This 6-foot-4, 300-pound bruiser is the latest in a growing line of torchbearers for the Intellectual Brutality culture being established one man at a time.

Like Pepe, Rice was the first to extend an offer to Boenisch. That offer came on National Signing Day while the staff was putting the finishing touches on their 2020 haul. One of the Owls’ primary targets in their current class, Boenisch reciprocated the Owls’ interest following his visit during spring practices. He hit it off with defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun and came aboard soon afterward.

Boenisch prides himself on his strength in the trenches. “I’m best at just out-powering the opponent,” he said. His walk matches his talk, check out Boenisch deadlifting 625 pounds.

https://twitter.com/JamesSmithey10/status/1228154862514376704

Boenisch’s strength is part of what endeared him to the Rice coaching staff. For him, it was the atmosphere and the energy of the program as a whole. “I just loved the vibe at practice,” Boenisch said, adding that he “loved how much energy [the team] had” on the field.

When it comes to defensive lineman, particularly ones that play inside like Boenisch, moving people is the primary objective. Getting past the line and wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks is the icing on the top. Boenisch brings that kind of athleticism.

Take a quick peek at his highlights below. He takes up space, forces mistakes and knows where to put his hands to add an extra layer of protection. Boenisch is going to be a great fit at South Main.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2020: Spring Practice Week 2 Notes

By

Two weeks of Rice football spring practice are in the books. We’ve got standouts on both sides of the ball and updates on the quarterback battle in this week’s notes.

The first scrimmage of spring ball is in the books. Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren liked what he saw. “I think we’re probably a little bit ahead in both systems. And I guess we should be,” Bloomgren said, “Offensively right now, from an assignment standpoint, we’re probably a little bit better [than last spring]. We’re doing things better.”

The offense finished with a handful of touchdowns drives. No field goals were kicked, all units went for it on fourth down. When adding in for those additional scoring opportunities, the defense edged the offense by a factor of roughly 2-to-1.

Like last year, the defense was clearly the more formidable unit. But this time the offense was able to celebrate touchdowns and explosive plays somewhat regularly — it wasn’t a “once in a blue moon” kind of success. That’s not to say the offense has grown by leaps and bounds. At this point, even baby steps has to be taken with some eagerness.

Bloomgren credits the wins on both sides of the ball, at least in part, to the understanding of the scheme and familiarity with what the coaching staff is asking players to do. “I think that I now have more than my 10 assistant coaches,” he surmised. “I’ve got old heads that have played a lot of football in this system that are coaching younger guys, because they’re so willing to and they so want to help and they just want to make our football team better.”

Quarterbacks

How the quarterbacks perform will continue to be the focal point of the spring. As of now, there appears to be a slight bit of separation occurring. Mike Collins took the majority of the reps with the first team offense during the scrimmage. JoVoni Johnson also saw action with the starters, too, albeit less time with the ones than Collins.

TJ McMahon and Wiley Green were mostly in charge of second and third team duties behind the aforementioned Collins and Johnson. Those two have the leg up in terms of experience, both at the D1 level and, in Johnson’s case, running the Owls’ offense.

The Roost Podcast | Evan Kravetz and C-USA Asst. Commissioner Clifton Douglas

Collins flashed early on in the scrimmage. There was a sequence where he took a keeper around the left side of the line, sprinting 30 yards up the sideline for a first down. He then followed that by hitting a receiver in the flat who caught a block and raced another 30 yards up the field. Rice has 18 plays of 30 yards or more in 12 games last season. Stringing two such plays together in succession was eye-popping.

Johnson had his moments too. Although it’s probably fair to say the offense looked marginally more fluid under Collins, it was Johnson who led the only touchdown drive with the first team offense. He drove the team the length of the field, setting up a fourth-and-goal touchdown run.

Both have struggled with accuracy, particularly on throws down the field. Their advantages come through their legs. Collins is surprisingly mobile for such a big frame and what Johnson is capable of doing on the ground has been well documented on the field already.

Bloomgren’s evaluation remained level. “There was some good and bad with all of them,” he said. Translation: there’s no announcement on a definitive QB1 in the works any time soon.

Competition on the offensive line

This is the first spring during Bloomgren’s tenure that the Owls have had a surplus of players along the offensive line. Rice football is running with a full two-deep, plus some during spring. Only center/guard Shea Baker is pulling double duty, primarily because of his versatility rather than a lack of options.

Here’s roughly what the first team (bold) and second team looked like during the first scrimmage

Left Tackle – Clay Servin | Derek Ferraro
Left Guard – Cole Garcia | Adam Sheriff
Center – Isaac Klarkowski | Shea Baker
Right Guard – Shea Baker | Izeya Floyd
Right Tackle – Brandt Peterson | Jovaun Woolford

The most notable shift is at the right tackle spot where Brandt Peterson is getting an extended look. Bloomgren praised his efforts this spring, saying Peterson is playing “the best football he’s ever played since I’ve been here.” That’s high praise from a man who cut his teeth coaching the offensive line.

Jovaun Woolford is having a great spring as well, so how the starting line shakes out is still very much so a work in progress. Woolford seems to be transitioning well. He said he feels as if he hasn’t missed a beat. “It’s a lot like Colgate, a lot of ground and pound which I like to do.” He’s shuffled back and forth with the first and second team so far.

At left guard, a few guys have been in the mix. Cole Garcia, Adam Sheriff and Regan Riddle have all been seen some reps. That spot is TBD as well. Meanwhile, the shift to the offensive side of the ball is going well for Izeya Floyd. He’s already cracked the two-deep and is running with the second-team as a guard.

Kindling sparks

Explosive plays came at a premium for Rice football in 2019. The defense is still ahead, but there have been a few breaks in their aura of superiority. Several of the offense’s best moments came on singular plays.

  • Cam Montgomery broke two 50+ yard touchdowns, one on the ground and the other via a screen pass. He’s fast, and his acceleration is incredible. Fully healthy with a thinned out depth chart ahead of him, he could see more run if he continues to protect the football
  • Jawan King ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run of his own.
  • Jack Bradley hauled in a 40+ yard reception on a beautifully thrown ball by Wiley Green. He went up over the defender and snatched the ball with his hands. His development will be one to follow in a crowded tight end room.

Standouts on defense

There was some concern on the defensive line with Floyd moving to offense. The young guys on defense are doing just fine. Beyond the usual suspects on the first team, Kebreyun Page has been wreaking havoc off the edge.

The linebacking corps are going to be special. Blaze Alldredge and Antonio Montero are as good as advertised, but Myron Morrison is coming on strong as well. Garrett Grammer is as steady as ever, giving Rice football plenty of options in the middle of the field.

In the secondary, Kirk Lockhart and Jason White have caught my eye on multiple occasions. Lockhart plays tough and has delivered some jarring blows from the safety spot. White constantly outplays his smaller stature, making plays on the ball against receivers who have the height advantage over him. He’s a guy I could see sticking as a slot corner.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 OL Faaeanuu Pepe commits to Owls

By

Orange, California offensive lineman Faaenanuu Pepe has committed to the Owls. He is the first commitment of the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class.

The ink had hardly dried on the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class before the Owls turned their attention to 2021. On National Signing Day Rice added four new members to their 2020 class. They issued seven offers to 2021 players. One of those seven was Orange, California offensive lineman Faaenauu Pepe.

The first commitment of the 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class, Faaenauu Pepe is a big addition — literally. Some listings have put him in the neighborhood of 320 to 330 pounds. After walking past him on a visit he looks bigger than that. Pepe is a people mover in the trenches and the perfect man to kick off the Intellectual Brutality culture of the upcoming class.

Much like their strategy with their 2020 class, Rice was the first to offer Pepe. Before anyone else could throw their hat in the ring, Pepe made his pledge. For him, the decision was easy. “I felt like Rice was the perfect place for me because the environment felt ‘home-like'”, he said, adding that the coaches and staff “made it feel like I was apart of the family.”

Pepe prides himself on his technique, which he credits much of to his uncle Jesse Sapolu who spent 15 years in the NFL, all with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a four-time Super Bowl champion and went to two Pro Bowls.

Having Sapolu as a mentor from his early years was huge for Pepe’s growth. That skill, plus an innate aggressiveness that comes with spending time in the trenches make Pepe an exciting prospect. Rice football preaches an NFL Curriculum. Pepe has already been living it.

Pepe pushed people around in the trenches in high school. That’s what people of his caliber should do against the defensive lineman unlucky enough to line up in front of them. Then he took it a step further, depositing would-be tacklers on their backs with impressive regularity. He’ll be a force for Rice on the offensive line for years to come.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Baseball 2020: Owls swept by No. 2 Texas Tech

By

Rice baseball pushed No. 2 Texas Tech to the wire on multiple occasions but left Lubbock without a win. More on the good and bad from the wild weekend.

THREE FOR THE ROAD | Texas Tech wins series 3-0

1. The starting pitching is gradually getting better

Texas Tech scored in droves over the weekend, but the Rice bullpen was the primary victim of the rain of runs. Starters Alex DeLeon (5 IP, 3 ER), Blake Brogdon (3.2 IP, 1 ER) and Drake Greenwood (5 IP, 2 ER) were able to battle and keep the potent Texas Tech offense at bay.

It wasn’t all positive. Although all of the Owls starting pitchers surrendered less than three earned runs, none made it through the sixth inning, the bar necessary to earn a quality start. A quality start isn’t a perfect measure of a pitcher’s mettle, but the toll exacted on the bullpen from the starter’s short outings couldn’t have been any more apparent after Texas Tech exploded at the end of games. 21 of their 33 runs were scored in the sixth inning or later.

2. Top-heavy lineup

Rice jumped out to a multi-run lead in two of the three games in this series. Given the Owls’ propensity to play from behind, a cushion for the starting pitching was an encouraging sign. The chief contributor for the early success was the top bats in the Rice lineup showing up in big ways.

The usual cast of characters — Braden Comeaux, Bradley Gneiting, Trei Cruz, Austin Bulman and Cade Edwards — gave the Texas Tech pitching staff fits. The bottom half of the order was an entirely different story. Justin Collins had a few hits, but struck out eight times. Aaron Beaulaurier and Antonio Cruz went 0-fer at the dish for the weekend.

On Saturday, Rice exhibited how dangerous this lineup can be when the top hitters are in a groove. The difference in the game, though, was the ability to score runs from the back half of the lineup. Rice 6-7-8-9 hitters had one combined RBI. The same portion of the Texas Tech lineup had 14 RBI.

3. Not yet five units strong

Before the season began, Rice skipper Matt Bragga said the team needed to be five units strong. That meant consistent pitching, Hitting and defense (catching, infield and outfield). Rice has had flashes of greatness in all three levels, but the defense has been the only facet this team can rely on with any level of dependability.

The defense has had blips here and there, but those units looks night-and-day different from where they started in 2019. The bats seem to be inching in the right direction; Rice has scored five or more runs three times since Feb. 28 after topping out a four runs in their 0-7 start.

Individual pitchers have had solid outings, but collectively they’ve struggled. Rice has held an opponent to fewer than four runs twice (not counting sunday) in 15 tries. That’s not going to cut it, especially when the offense isn’t able to consistently put up crooked numbers.

THE PLAY BY PLAY

FRIDAY | Texas Tech 7 – Rice 1

Rice baseball fell behind early on Friday night against Texas Tech and was unable to battle back. The one-two punch of Clayton Beeter and Micah Dallas completely flummoxed the Owls, who struck out a season-high 17 times. It’s hard to mount any sort of rally when punchouts outnumber hits (Rice had six) by nearly three to one.

Even with the lack of production at the plate, Rice kept things within striking distance until starter Alex DeLeon left the ballgame. Freshman Matthew Santos came in and threw 1+ inning, walking three and allowing four runs. A 4-1 deficit became a 7-1 deficit, a score which held for the final two frames.

SATURDAY | Texas Tech 19 – Rice 12

Through two and a half innings, Rice led the No. 2 team in the nation 7-1. Blake Brogdon had worked through some trouble on the bases, but kept Texas Tech limited at the plate. Control issues and a rising pitch count forced Rice to go to the bullpen, opting for Cristian Cienfuegos in the fourth inning.

Cienfuegos had been one of the Owls’ more dependable bullpen pieces, but wasn’t able to do anything against the Red Raider lineup. He was tattooed for nine runs (eight earned) in two innings. Josh Larzabal and Johnny Hoyle, who followed Cienfuegos, were equally scarred. The Rice offense tied a season-high with 12 runs, but couldn’t keep pace with the home team.

SUNDAY | Texas Tech 7 – Rice 6 (11 inn)

Things started out on the right for the Owls in the series finale. Rice struck for four runs in the first inning despite only recording one hit. Texas Tech starter Austin Becker walked the bases full setting up a 2 RBI double by Rodrigo Duluc. Up big early for the second day in a row, all the Owls had to do was hold on.

Both teams had scary moments, loading the bases in the later innings with the chance to push the game to one extreme or the other. The differentiator was a bases loaded walk by Justin Collins and a deftly induced double play ball by Branden Deskins. Everything finally came together to help Rice salvage a much-needed marquee win.

ON DECK | vs Texas A&M (Tues), vs Marshall (Fri-Sun)

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

Recent Posts