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Rice Football 2018 Offensive Player of the Year: Austin Trammell

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Rice football had an up and down year on offense, but Austin Trammell was the steady hand through it all. He’s our 2018 Offensive Player of the Year.

The Rice pass catchers were almost a complete unknown entering the 2018 season. There weren’t any proven wideouts on the roster outside of Aaron Cephus who caught 25 passes for 622 yards last season,

In 2017 Austin Walter was still primarily a running back and the next two closest pass catchers, tight end Jordan Myers and Austin Trammell, caught 11 passes and four passes, respectively. There was plenty of opportunities for another pass catcher to emerge. Austin Trammell seized his chance and ran with it, more than earning the honor of being named the 2018 Offensive Player of the Year.

Dubbed “Mr. Consistent” by head coach Mike Bloomgren in fall camp, Trammell became the linchpin of the Owls’ offense. He led the team in receptions (62), receiving yards (632) and was the only player to register at least one reception in all 13 games.

He set team and career highs with a 10 catch performance against North Texas and 112 receiving yards against UTEP. His 53-yard scramble drill touchdown against the Miners further solidified his status as the safety net for whomever the Owls had under center which, in 2018, varied from week to week.

Short of scoring a few more touchdowns, there wasn’t much through the air that Trammell wasn’t able to achieve. Walter’s 62 receptions ranked seventh-most in school history and were eight-most of any Conference USA pass catcher in 2018.

His successes didn’t go unnoticed. Bloomgren said Trammell was “absolutely the way I would build a football player,” praising No. 10’s work ethic and consistent approach to the game. Trammell was so reliable he was trusted with punt return and kick return duties as well. He led the team with a long punt return on 19 yards and a long kick return of 54 yards, outpacing even all-purpose weapon Austin Walter.

A slot receiver might not be the primary pass catcher of most offenses, but it was for Rice this season. Given how productive Trammell was as a sophomore, it’s hard to imagine the offense moving the ball consistently without him.

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Rice Football 2018 Special Teams Player of the Year: Jack Fox

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The Rice Football special teams were Conference USA’s gold standard thanks to the incredible season of Jack Fox, our Special Teams Player of the Year.

Rice football won’t fully appreciate how special Jack Fox was until he’s gone. The Owls’ senior punter and kickoff specialist was an incalculably important weapon for the team this fall. The nation took notice.

Fox was named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, was a First Team All-Conference USA selection and has now been named Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Year. Frankly there aren’t many more accolades Fox could receive that he hasn’t already been awarded. That sort of thing happens when you have the kind of season Fox did in 2018.

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Highlighted by a career-best 76-yard punt against North Texas, Fox amassed 3,636 punt yards with his leg, the most in the nation. His 80 punts included 31 downed inside the 20 and only 15 returnable kicks. He averaged 45.5 yards per punt with a net of 40.1, both well inside the top 25 punters in the country. His 12 punts against UAB tied a school record for a single game.

On top of all that, Fox recorded two tackles and recovered a fumble on a kickoff. He was also asked to execute a few trick plays this season, rushing for a first down against UTEP and throwing for a first down against UTSA. A former high school quarterback, Fox maintains a career 100.0 percent completion percentage.

Fox leaves Rice as one of the most talented specialists in school history. He was the safety net and the consistent force for a 2018 team featuring, at least at times, an offense and a defense in need of a spark. Every time they asked, Jack Fox delivered. That’s just the kind of guy he is. Talented, consistent, and one of the best punters in the nation.

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Owls named to All-Conference USA Teams

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Rice football‘s 2018 season was filled with incredible individual efforts, a few of which were recognized by Conference USA.

Jack Fox led the way as the only Rice Football player to receive CUSA first team honors following the 2018 season. Rice had no players named to the second team, but landed nine different recognitions as honorable mentions.

First Team Special Teams
P – Jack Fox, Sr., Rice

Honorable Mention – Offense
RB – Austin Walter, Sr., Rice
OL – Sam Pierce, Sr., Rice
WR – Aaron Cephus, So., Rice
WR – Austin Trammell, So., Rice

Honorable Mention – Defense
DL – Zach Abercrumbia, Jr., Rice
DL – Roe Wilkins, Jr., Rice
LB – Anthony Ekpe, So., Rice

Honorable mention – Special Teams
K – Hayden Tabola, Sr., Rice
KR – Austin Walter, Sr., Rice

These honors come in addition to three Owls named to the All-Freshman team:

C – Shea Baker
DB – Prudy Calderon
DB – Treshawn Chamberlain

The full release detailing all selections is available from Conference USA here.

Overall it was a positive start for the Owls in Mike Bloomgren’s first year at the helm. Several of these players are departing the program next season, but the youth taking over is promising and earning recognition of their own. The future is bright.

That’s an uptick compared to 2017 when three  Owls were named to the All-Conference USA first team: Defenders Brian Womac and Emmanuel Ellerbee were joined by Fox and return man Austin Trammell. 2017 also saw four players earned honorable mentions: offensive lineman Calvin Anderson and Trey Martin, wide receiver Austin Walter and defensive lineman Roe Wilkins.

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Wide receiver Bradley Rozner commits to Owls

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class keeps growing. The latest addition comes in the form of playmaking JUCO wide receiver Bradley Rozner.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

On the same evening the Owls landed a commitment from defensive back Josh Landrum the Rice offense picked up a weapon of their own. Wide receiver Bradley Rozner has committed to the Owls. Rice beat out offers from Incarnate Word and HBU to earn Rozner’s commitment.

Rozner is the third pass catcher in the Owls’ 2019 class which includes wide receiver Zane Knipe and tight end Jack Bradley. He’s the first junior college player of the class and likely would be expected to contribute a meaningful role quickly.

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Originally a product of Needville High School, Rozner will join the Owls this winter from Cisco Junior College. While there he racked up 616 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in the span of nine games this season. His 13 touchdowns led all NJCAA players. Strong stat lines can put anyone on the map, but it’s Rozner’s play that drew an offer from Rice.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound wideout ran circles around his JUCO competition but what stands out the most are his hands. He attacks the ball in the air and has a knack for turning 50/50 jump balls into 80/20 tosses. D’Angelo Ellis was thrust into that role later in the 2018 season, but Rozner’s size makes him a natural fit for that assignment in 2019.

Rozner paired with Aaron Cephus and Brendan Harmon will give the Owls three big-bodied receivers 6-foot-4 or taller next season. The fade to Cephus became a go-to play in the redzone, and adding another physical wideout on the other side will make the offense that much better and more difficult to defend.

As much as Rice wants to be a run-dominant offense, they’re going to need pass catchers who can make the big plays when it matters. Rozner makes plays.

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Cornerback Josh Landrum commits to Owls

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class picked up a big addition in the secondary with the commitment of Cedar Hill corner Josh Landrum.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

Josh Landrum and teammate Kirk Lockhart played their high school ball together at Cedar Hill. Next year they’ll share the same field in college. Landrum and Lockhart, who made their pledges to head coach Mike Bloomgren and the Owls over Homecoming weekend, have now both announced their commitments to Rice.

Rice beat out offers from Air Force, Delta State, Georgetown and others to secure Landrum’s commitment. At the time of his commitment, eight other programs had offered the talented defensive back. The Owls won the race.

He was able to step foot on campus on game day against UTEP and take in the facilities, speak with the staff and interact with some of the Owls many recruits who were in for the weekend. It was a big weekend for the Owls, who picked up 2019 safety Hunter Henry as well.

Brandon Douglas-Dotson and Justin Bickham have played the majority of the reps at corner for the Owls in 2018. Both are upperclassmen, Douglas-Dotson being in his final year of eligibility, with little in the way of experienced players behind them. Strengthening this unit will be a priority of the 2019 class and Landrum is an excellent start.

Landrum stands 6-foot, 165-pounds. 247 Sports tabs him as a 2-star recruit and a top 300 corner in the nation.

The accolades are nice, but what’s most important to the Owls is how he fits on the field with this secondary. He provides a skillset Rice desperately needs on the outside, a lockdown corner that can play on an island and win one-on-one battles — something that’s absolutely critical in Brian Smith’s defensive scheme.

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