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Head coach Matt Bragga ushers in new era for Owls

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Rice baseball has hired its 21st head coach in program history, officially introducing former Tennessee Tech head coach Matt Bragga at Reckling Park on Thursday.

It’s been a long time since Rice baseball was on the hunt for a new head coach. Any trepidation towards their first hire in nearly three decades quickly faded away thanks to the sharp smile of new head coach Matt Bragga. The jovial, passionate coaching veteran held his introductory press conference on Thursday before a packed crowd at Reckling Park. “[Rice] is an elite program in college baseball,” he said, “my expectations for what is going to happen here are high.”

Bragga doesn’t make such claims lightly. He took a Tennessee Tech program from a 15-win season when he arrived to the brink of a College World Series appearance in 2018. After defeating the Texas Longhorns in Game 1 of the Austin Regional, Bragga’s squad couldn’t quite seal the deal and deliver on the trip to the College World Series that he had promised when he took the Tennessee Tech job 15 years prior. “We got one game away from Omaha,” recalled Bragga who went on to add, “If you can do it at Tennessee Tech. We can do it big time at Rice.”

There was a time when College World Series was an annual affair for Rice baseball, but it’s been a decade since the Owls last played in Omaha. Bragga intends to use the same mentality that he used to transform Tennessee Tech at Rice, with one notable exception. Rice isn’t starting over from square one, rather, Bragga views Rice as a sleeping giant that’s ready to wake up. And that starts with the players.

“This is what you can expect from me. High energy, great passion, blue-collar work-ethic mentality, competitiveness. I love competitors. Competitors win.”

Bragga’s culture is one of respect, passion and competitiveness. In his brief moments at the podium, he hammered on those focal points. He didn’t mince words when he delivered his vision for the program going forward. “This is what you can expect from me,” he declared. “High energy, great passion, blue-collar work-ethic mentality, competitiveness. I love competitors. Competitors win.” That competition extends to not-so-friendly games of ping-pong, getting to class first and every day of practice. Everything is a competition, but it all comes with one purpose in mind – returning to Omaha.

“When the players know you love them, you can make them believe anything is possible.” That message, one of Bragga’s lasting impressions from his interview with athletic director Joe Karlgaard, was what Karlgaard shared in his opening remarks during Bragga’s introduction. And that tone, one which invoked an atmosphere of family, resonated throughout the room as Bragga continued to share his hopes for Rice baseball.

For a moment, it felt like the new head coach had been there for years. His humble sincerity was invigorating. There wasn’t any flashing lights or smokescreens. Just Bragga, who summed up the press conference with a simple, but telling statement. “I’m a baseball coach,” he said. “At the end of the day, I like to get on that field and get dirty and roll my sleeves up and go to work.”

There’s plenty to be done at Rice, but if Bragga is to be believed, it might be a shorter process than previously expected. For now, it’s time to get to work.

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2019 Linebacker Garrett Braden commits to Owls

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Rice football recruiting has gone outside the state to secure the commitment of 2019 linebacker Garrett Braden from New Canaan, CT.

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

Mike Bloomgren came to Houston intent on turning Rice football into a national brand. If the Owls are on par with schools like Stanford, Northwestern and Duke in the classroom the next step is to achieve equal footing on the gridiron. And that starts with a national recruiting footprint.

After reeling in a stretch of Texan commits, Rice landed their first out-of-state commitment on Wednesday with the commitment of Connecticut linebacker Garrett Braden.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker, Braden chose the Owls over several schools from around the nation. His offer list included Lafayette College, Albany, Rhode Island, Monmouth, Kent State, New Hampshire and Wofford among others.

Braden hasn’t appeared on any of the national recruiting services yet, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make an impact at Rice. The Owls will have to replace their top four tacklers this season including linebackers Emmanuel Ellerbee and DJ Green. That production has to come from somewhere, and Braden has the motor to make plays — he just needs the opportunity.

As we approach the middle of the summer Rice football sits in the middle of the pack in the CUSA recruiting ranks. Even without the inclusion of Braden, the Owls check in at No. 6 in their conference. That leaves plenty of wiggle room as the season gets near and some of the Owls’ higher profile targets make their decisions.

The saying goes, “defense wins championships”. Braden is one more tool for the coaching staff to use to that end. He’s quick, instinctive, and is willing to come all the way to Texas to be a part of what Coach Bloomgren and his staff are building at Rice. That’s an encouraging sign, and hopefully an omen of things to come.

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Owls’ target Mckel Broussard talks Rice visit and recruitment

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McKel Broussard could be the difference-maker that crowns the 2019 Rice football recruiting class. Where do the Owls stand in his recruitment?

By all accounts, the Owls had a successful Junior Day this weekend. They picked up a commitment from Regan Riddle and sent out a few offers as well. One of those player offered by coach Mike Bloomgren and his staff was McKel Broussard. He came away impressed by the weekend and excited about the direction of the program moving forward.

Broussard was complimentary of the coaching staff, saying they made him feel like family and challenged him to be the best that he could be, both on the field and off of it. The high academic standard can be a turn off for some. Broussard, however, seemed to embrace the challenge. He called it an eye-opening experience. “I enjoyed everything about my Junior Day experience,” he said, “the drive, the family, life, academics.”

Landing a prospect like Broussard would be a landmark moment, both for Bloomgren and for Rice. Bloomgren developed a reputation as an ace recruiter at Stanford, but translating that success to Rice is far from a guarantee. Meanwhile, Rice has never signed a player as highly regarded as Broussard, ever.

The 247 Sports Composite ranks list Broussard as a 4-star prospect and the No. 11 athlete in the nation. According to the composite ranks, Rice has never landed a blue chip player, someone rated as a 4-star or 5-star prospect. That makes Broussard’s recruitment all the more important. He’s the kind of player that can help Bloomgren achieve his vision and make Rice an immediate competitor in Conference USA and beyond.

Coach Bloomgren came to Rice because he believed the Owls were on par with programs like Stanford, Northwestern and Duke. If Rice football is going to take the necessary steps to become a major player on the field in the future it’s going to have to start with significant headwinds on the recruiting trail. If they can get Broussard that process could be expedited.

So where does Rice stand with their prized recruit? According to Broussard, “definitely on the top of my list.”

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2019 OG Regan Riddle commits to the Owls

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Rice football added their first offensive lineman to the 2019 class on Saturday with the commitment of guard Regan Riddle from Highland Park High School in Dallas, Tx.

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

Head coach Mike Bloomgren knows a thing or two about winning in the trenches. His offensives at Stanford were known for their bruising rushing attacks and intimidating offensive lines. Size and power up front set the tone for the offense as a whole, making the addition of Highland Park offensive guard Regan Riddle a big get for the Owls.

Riddle made his decision public on social media Saturday afternoon following his visit to Rice:

https://twitter.com/Regan_Riddle/status/1008082464508481536

247 Sports tabs Riddle as a 2-star prospect. At the time of his commitment, he held offers from fellow CUSA member North Texas as well as Air Force, Army, Navy, Louisiana-Monroe and Tulsa. Riddle checks in at 6-foot-2, 285 pounds. A state champion in 2017, he was an honorable mention to the 5A All-State team.

Riddle has quick feet for a man of his size and he’s not afraid to use them. Playing mostly at right tackle during his junior season, he spent plenty of time creating space on the outside. He’s a grinder and the right kind of piece for Mike Bloomgren as he injects his own brand of toughness into the Rice program moving forward.

This marks the second commitment this week for the Rice staff; tight end Jack Bradley committed to the Owls on Monday. With three total commits in the 2019 class the Owls are beginning to build some momentum towards the future. Their class now ranks fifth in Conference USA, one place below last season’s Western Division winner North Texas (4th) and one place above the Eastern Division winner FAU (6th). That’s good company to keep as Rice football continues to build on its upward trajectory entering 2018.

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Rice Baseball hires former Tennessee Tech head coach Matt Bragga

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Rice baseball has ended their first coaching search of the 21st century, hiring former Tennessee Tech head coach Matt Bragga to take over for legendary coach Wayne Graham.

The handoff is complete. Much like when the head coach takes his leisurely stroll out of the dugout to take the ball from his pitcher, a new man has been called in to take charge of Rice baseball. Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard has Wayne Graham’s successor: former Tennessee Tech head coach Matt Bragga.

Replacing a legend is an arduous task. Former Rice baseball coach Wayne Graham turned the program into a perennial Omaha contender. Taking over the program in 1992, Graham took the Owls to the College World Series seven times, winning the title in 2003. That’s a high bar, but Rice has found the man they deem worthy enough to uphold that standard.

The upside

Matt Bragga thrust himself into the national spotlight this season when he took Tennessee Tech to their first Super Regional in program history. The Golden Eagles took Game 1 of the three-game series against the Texas Longhorns, moving within one game of a CWS berth before the Longhorns were able to close out the series.

On his quest for Omaha he rallied through the losers bracket in the Oxford Regional, taking down national seed Ole Miss twice to reach the Super Regionals. The SEC is the best conference in college baseball and Tennessee Tech stood toe-to-toe with the Rebels and punched them in the mouth.

Tennessee Tech outscored Ole Miss 26-16 in three games, including a 15-5 drubbing to force a winner-take-all championship game. If Bragga can take over a team with no postseason experience and take them to the brink, what could he do with an established contender?

In 15 seasons at Tenn. Tech Bragga went 445-383-2 (.538). The winning percentage isn’t stunning, but it doesn’t tell the Bragga’s full story. Tenn. Tech had three 30+ win seasons prior to his arrival in 2004. After a slow start, Bragga’s club eclipsed the 30-win mark in eight of his final 11 seasons. They won 40 or more games four times.

The downside

Bragga’s hiring comes on the heels of an extensive interview process. Potential candidates included TCU pitching coach Kirk Saarloos and former Owl and MLB standout Lance Berkman. TCU has become a staple at the College World Series over the last decade much like Rice had been in the early 2000’s. Sarloos was assumed to be the best candidate for the job, but when he turned down the Owls they were forced to look elsewhere.

Then there’s the Berkman situation. A fan favorite, Berkman is beloved by Houstonians and Owls everywhere. The slugger blasted 67 home runs over three seasons with the Owls but was passed over for the head coaching job. Rice had every opportunity to hire Berkman, but opted to lean towards the coaching experience rather than the sticking with the brand name.

Berkman would have been the safe hire. He would have drawn crowds and provided an instant jolt of excitement for a program coming off a disappointing season. If Bragga doesn’t work out fans will juxtapose his quiet beginnings against “what could have been”. Credit the administration with this: they took a risk and if it pays off, they could be rewarded handsomely.

Small school, big impact

Rice baseball finds itself in an interesting position in the collegiate baseball landscape. Conference USA isn’t overflowing with the same big-name programs that share its geographic footprint. However, Rice has already proven that a so-called “small school” can hang tight with the some of the most iconic brands in college baseball. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, the 2016 CWS Champions, came out of the Big South.

Some will be tempted to write off Rice, but fans should be hopeful for what the Bragga era will bring. Success in college athletics flows from commitment and opportunity. Rice has reinforced their commitment to this program by willing to make the tough decision and look to the future. Bragga has already proven he can build an under-the-radar Omaha contender and will be expected to do the same at his new home in Houston.

Like Graham, Bragga built a program from the ground up. Now he leaves it one game from a trip to the College World Series. The Owls hope that Bragga will continue his upward trajectory in Houston. He’ll be tasked with building on a tradition of excellence which has been a part of the Rice culture for decades under Graham. Bragga will reportedly receiver a 5-year contract. Rice hopes he’ll be around for many years to come.

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