Rice football has its QB1. After battling through the spring and fall camp, redshirt junior Wiley Green has been named the Owls’ starter.
It’s never come easy for Rice football quarterback Wiley Green, yet somehow he’s always managed to be the last man standing. Green has battled for the starting quarterback job through several offseasons at South Main and has once again done enough to win the competition in camp. On Monday, head coach Mike Bloomgren announced Green had been named the Owls’ starter for their opening game against USC.
Through four seasons, Green has thrown for 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He’s thrown for 1,849 yards in his career and hopes to make the 2022 season his first wire-to-wire campaign as a starer after losing the job on multiple occasions due to injury.
Green won a fierce battle for the job from challenger TJ McMahon, who by most accounts had the upper hand throughout the spring and into the early stages of fall camp. While McMahon did showcase plenty of growth from his debut against Louisiana Tech last fall, Green’s consistency and veteran savvy would prove to be enough in the end.
It was Green who earned the opening nod last season and very nearly led his team to an upset win over Arkansas. He reemerged later in the season and did complete the Owls’ marquee road upset of UAB, directing the Blazers’ defense in what was his best outing of his Rice career, notching one of the most significant wins for the Owls under Bloomgren in the process.
Now, for the third time in his career, Green will be the opening day starter. He’ll be the man at the helm to kick off a 2022 season which the Owls believe will be a breakthrough campaign.
