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Quarterback Tom Stewart commits to Owls

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For the second year in a row, Rice football adds a notable grad transfer quarterback, securing a commitment from Harvard passer Tom Stewart.

Having an experienced voice in the quarterback room was a priority during the 2019 recruiting cycle. Shawn Stankavage transferred from Vanderbilt last year, and in addition to serving as a mentor to underclassmen Wiley Green and Evan Marshman, he started the majority of the Owls’ games.

Rice went a bit farther north this year, earning the commitment of Harvard transfer Tom Stewart. He saw sparse action during his first three seasons with the Crimson before earning the starting job in 2018. Stewart threw 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He was knocked out of the game against Yale with a hip injury, but has since made a full recovery.

Stewart will battle with Marshman and Green and incoming freshman Jovoni Johnson for the starting spot in 2019. With Green and Marshman one year wiser, he’ll have his work cut out for him to win the job. For now though, he’s going to get a shot with the ever-present guidance from coach Mike Bloomgren that the players that earn playing time will be on the field this fall.

Rice hoped the addition of Stewart would lead to one more Crimson addition. Stewart’s former wide receiver Justice Shelton-Mosley would eventually opt for Vanderbilt over Rice. Landing another playmaker would have been huge, but Stewart’s importance to this class shouldn’t be understated.

Stewart fills a void in the Owls’ depth chart and the locker room. He’s a veteran among a host of freshman and sophomores. His experience plus his ability make him a meaningful addition to the 2019 Rice football recruiting class.

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MBB: Late rally falls short vs UAB

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Rice basketball narrowly missed a homecourt victory as they watched their final shot bounce out, thwarting the Owls upset attempt at UAB.

With less than 10 minutes remaining in the game Rice trailed the visiting UAB Blazers by 13 points. The Owls’ had put together a decent night from the field at that point but turnovers had cost the Owls way too many possessions. Rather than cave, they pressed in.

The resiliency of this team has been tested in recent weeks. They rallied to cut the deficit to one-point, staying within reach for the remainder of the game, right up until an Ako Adams three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer. His shot would have forced overtime, instead, Rice ended up three-points shy on the scoreboard, losing 89-86 to a surging UAB squad who has quietly won four games in a row.

Box

Player PTS FG 3FG FT OR DR REB A PF TO BL ST MIN +/-
ADAMS 12 4-7 4-7 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 3 0 0 21 5
PETERSON 3 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 2 2 3 0 1 0 0 17 5
MULLINS 16 6-11 0-2 4-7 1 4 5 4 3 1 0 0 32 0
WILLIAMS 5 2-10 0-4 1-4 3 5 8 0 2 2 1 0 28 5
MILLORA-BROWN 11 5-7 0-0 1-2 3 5 8 2 2 2 3 0 31 -13
MOORE 0 0-1 0-1 0-2 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 11 -8
PARRISH 5 1-2 0-1 3-4 1 0 1 1 5 0 0 0 16 -10
MURPHY III 24 5-8 5-7 9-9 0 6 6 0 1 0 0 0 24 1
MARTIN 10 3-4 2-3 2-2 1 1 2 1 3 3 0 0 20 2

Player of the game – Trey Murphy

Trey Murphy scored 18 points in each of his most recent outings, a career high at the time. On Saturday against UAB he one-upped himself, tallying 24 points with a personal best five made three-point shots. It wasn’t just the distant shooting which paved the way for another big night from Murphy, he also went a perfect 9-for-9 from the line.

Shooting 71 percent from three doesn’t happen very often, but Scott Pera himself has given Murphy free range to take as many open threes as he can. He scored 10 points in two minutes on Saturday. When he’s hot, Rice needs to get him the basketball.

Up Next

A road trip to Charlotte looms next for Rice. The 49’ers are 5-15 on the season and 2-7 in conference play. They’re coming off a four-point loss to UTSA on Saturday.

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Defensive tackle De’Braylon Carroll commits to Owls

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Rice football recruiting snagged a gem in mid-January with the commitment of Duncanville defensive tackle De’Braylon Carroll.

Duncanville Highschool was one wild play away from winning the 2018 UIL Texas State Championship. Even in defeat, one of the state’s premier programs will send elite players to play D1 football across the country.

Three players from that defense are ranked inside the state’s Top 200 recruits, but De’Braylon Carroll earned even more effusive praise from his head coach who called him one of the best players on one of the best defenses in state history. Duncanville allowed 27 points in their first four playoff games and Carroll was there, front and center, wreaking havoc on opposing lines and quarterbacks.

Don’t Miss: Full list of Rice football 2019 signees and commits

Carroll was named to the USA Today All-Texas Team. Rice beat out offers from Air Force and Navy. The 6-foot, 280-pound tackle packs plenty of punch and has the talent to be a high-impact player for the Rice defense.

There will be a learning curve for Carroll, as with each of the incoming freshman, but he comes in with plenty of tools which will only be amplified over time. He plays like he was shot out of a cannon. Carroll is a game breaker, the type of interior presence which can win games — and he’s proven it at the highest level of high school football, securing Duncanville’s semifinal victory with a safety.

Carroll joins Rice signee Izeya Floyd as the Owls’ enforcers up front in the defensive trenches. Getting a pair of impact players in the middle became incredibly important after the announced transfers of Zach Abercrumbia and Roe Wilkins.

There’s a lot to like about Carroll and his game. Rice needed to hit a home run with this position group in the 2019 class. Floyd and Carroll might be a grand slam by the time it’s all said and done.

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Jack Fox measures up to recent drafted punters

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Jack Fox, Rice football’s ace punter, has his eyes set on the NFL Draft. Will a brilliant showing at the East-West Shrine Game be enough to earn a selection?

After a strong showing in practices leading up the exhibition, Jack Fox wowed under the lights in Tampa at the East-West Shrine Game. The Ray Guy Award semifinalist booted five kicks, downing three inside the 20 with a long of 57 yards. Now he’s on to the NFL Draft.

Fox hasn’t learned yet whether or not he’ll be invited to the 2019 NFL Combine. It goes without saying an invitation would be a plus. The trip to Indianapolis would afford him one more chance to speak with NFL teams.

With or without an invitation, Fox will be fine. He had the opportunity to speak with all 32 teams during the Shrine Game festivities. Those conversations were extremely positive and gave the Fox camp a better understanding of the teams with which he would be the best fit.

At this point, Fox is going to get a shot. The biggest question that remains is this: will he be pursuing his professional football future as a 2019 NFL Draft selection or as an undrafted free agent?

There have been 37 punters taken in the NFL Draft since 2000, roughly two per year. Four punters were selected in the 2018 draft, with Michael Dickson from Texas coming off the board first in the fifth round. The all-time record for most punters selected is five, most recently in 1983.

Two of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, Texas A&M’s Braden Mann and Cincinnati’s James Smith are all returning to school next season. Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky, Stanford’s Jake Bailey and NC State’s AJ Cole will challenge Fox for the top spot on team’s punter boards.

By the numbers

Here’s how Fox stacks up against Wishnowsky and Bailey as well as every punter drafted in the past five drafts. Data is from each player’s final college football season. **Note: not all data was readily available for FCS players. Table scrolls left to right.**

PlayerTeamPuntsYdsAvgLgTBIN20BlkNetRetRYdsSeason
Michael DicksonTEX84398447.476842044.2171122017
Johnny TownsendFLA64304347.570527140.6283062017
Mitch WishnowskyUTAH59266945.268424340.613712018
Drew KaserTAMU60284847.571921040.5222412015
Jack FoxRICE80363645.5761331140.1151272018
Jake BaileySTAN6829954484102404014752018
JK ScottALA54232043644271406342017
Bradley PinionCLEM76323742.660228039.8271742014
Riley DixonSYR65283943.764528139.7141192015
Pat O'DonnellMIA53249847.171919139.3161962013
Logan CookeMSST52222042.767520139.28402017
Lachlan EdwardsSHSU74307441.5628190NANANA2015

Drafted or not. Jack Fox can punt. He’ll get a chance one way or another.

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Mailbag: Evaluating the options at quarterback

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Rice football is in the midst of the final weeks of recruiting for the 2019 class. How will that play into the Owls’ quarterback depth chart?

There were a few questions this week concerning some of the more impactful walk-ons. There have been a few who have made public declarations so far, but more will be coming before National Signing Day. Hang tight. Rice is going to have several high-upside players on campus.

Q: Is there any chance at getting an impactful QB to transfer to Rice?

It depends on what you mean by impactful. Rice is a Group of 5 program which has won three games in the past two seasons. The trajectory of the program is headed in the right direction, but it’s going to be a process. There probably won’t be a Jalen Hurts or a Justin Fields walking through the Patterson Center any time soon.

That doesn’t mean the Owls can’t find the right piece to make their offense go. Remember, Shawn Stankavage, a transfer from Vanderbilt, won the first game of the Mike Bloomgren era at Rice. The coaching staff is monitoring the transfer portal and they’ve been in contact with several players who can help the Owls right away.
A transfer quarterback is definitely in play. If things work out as the staff hopes, they’ll add one to the roster by National Signing Day.

Q: Who will be competing for the QB position from those currently available?

The quarterback depth chart is going to change significantly between now and August. Wiley Green, Evan Marshman and Parker Towns will be in the mix. So too will be any additions the Owls make between now and National Signing Day, most likely one high school signee and one JUCO or grad transfer quarterback.

Together that makes five likely potential options for the starter in 2019. Any incoming freshman will wait his turn and learn the offense, just like Green did this year. Towns will most likely continue as a backup next season, too. That leaves Green, Marshman and the veteran transfer for the QB1 spot for the 2019 season.

Rice entered the 2018 season with a three-horse race for the starting job. One competitor was eliminated in fall camp before Stankavage was given the job for good following the second game. Expect a resolution more quickly this year, but there will more than likely be three serious competitors.

Q: What is the outlook on the team two years from now?

Two years from now is why Bloomgren was hired. 2018 was year zero for Rice football. It was a hard reset following a decline in production which resulted in a change at the top. More than once fans have heard an ask for patience. That’s not a cop-out, its the truth.

The establishment of a culture and the infusion of young talent were critical building blocks instilled in 2018. 27 freshman (19 true freshmen and 8 redshirt freshman) played in at least one game last season and five played in all 13. Bloomgren and his staff have remained in lockstep and the individuals added to the program since they arrived understand the expectations.

With the baseline set in 2018 and 2019, the future looks as bright as ever. The vision athletic director Joe Karlgaard and the administration have set is on schedule. The outlook remains overwhelmingly positive.

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