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The Roost Podcast | Ep 51 – 2020 Top 15 Most Important Rice Football players

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The 2020 Rice football team is constructed of studs and up-and-coming stars. Carter and Matthew debate the 15 most important players.

The upswing of this week’s college football rollercoaster has Carter and Matthew optimistically looking toward a 2020 Rice Football season this fall. The duo compares their lists regarding which players are the most important factors in that season becoming a success.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 51.

Episode 51 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Make sure you hit the button and subscribe on Patreon so you don’t miss what’s happening. As always, thanks to all of you who have followed the show on Twitter and left a review on iTunes. It’s quick, but it makes a difference.

Become a Patron!

  • Return to play and news updates
    • The Big Ten announced their return to play plans this week
    • Pac-12 schools cleared by governors to return to practice
    • Recruiting dead period extended through Jan. 1, 2021
  • Top 15 Most important Rice football players for 2020
    • Carter and Matthew each compiled their own lists independently then revealed them and discussed their criteria live on the podcast.
    • There were seven players featured on both lists and a spirited debate on who was too high, too low and who they might have missed.

 

Spoiler Alert — Top 15 lists below

If you don’t want to know who makes each list before listening… stop reading now.

 

*Bold players appear in both lists

 Carter’s Top 15

T1. Mike Collins, QB
T1. JoVoni Johnson, QB
3. De’Braylon Carroll, DT
T4. Jason White, CB
T4. Andrew Bird, CB
6. Juma Otoviano, RB
T7. Trey Schuman, DE
T7. Kenneth Orji, DE
9. Tre’shon Devones, CB
10. Zane Knipe, WR
11. Treshawn Chamberlain, Viper
12. Blaze Alldredge, LB
T13. August Pitre, WR
T13. Christian McStravick, WR
15. Jovaun Woolford, OL

 Matthew’s Top 15

1. Mike Collins, QB
2. Blaze Alldredge, LB
3. De’Braylon Carroll, DT
4. Clay Servin, OL
5. Jordan Myers, TE
6. George Nyakwol, SAF
7. Brad Rozner, WR
8. Treshawn Chamberlain, Viper
9. Austin Trammell, WR
10. Antonio Montero, LB
11. Trey Schuman, DE
12. JoVoni Johnson, QB
13. Shea Baker, OL
14. Juma Otoviano, RB
15. Charlie Mendes, P

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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

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Rice Football: 2021 Wide Receiver Peyton Stevenson commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has picked up their first commitment from a wide receiver. Alabama native Peyton Stevenson has committed to the Owls.

Rice football has been on the hunt for pass catchers to add to the 2021 class for some time. Tight end Jaggar Hebeisen was one of the first in the fold during the spring, but the Owls had yet to secure a pledge from a wide receiver as the calendar crept out of the summer and towards the fall.

Then Rice offered Demopolis, AL wide receiver Peyton Stevenson on Sep. 10. A week later the big-bodied pass catcher had pledged his commitment to the Owls. Stevenson will fill a pressing need on the outside, giving Rice some more options to “rebound” and outjump defenders in the redzone. Brad Rozner has taken up that role for the time being, but he won’t be around forever.

With his decision, Stevenson becomes the second quickest from offer to commit in the 2021 recruiting class. Only Ethan Onianwa who committed two days after his offer was quicker. The rest of class, which is likely more typical of college recruiting these days, took weeks to sift through their options. Stevenson clearly knew what he was after an made the jump.

“The academic excellence as well as the high caliber football is what initially turned my head,” Stevenson said, “I was also comfortable with the coaching staff because of the way they communicated and the effort they put into me and my family. I felt like it was a great opportunity, and I’m glad to be a part of the family!”

Premium: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Rice also continued their trend of identifying talent early. The Owls were the first FBS program to offer Stevenson, who also had offers from Jacksonville State, North Alabama and Culver-Stockton and the time of his Rice commitment.

Versatility is a huge plus in the Rice football offense. Stevenson’s playmaking ability with the ball in his hands as a quarterback will only aid to what he’s able to do as a wide receiver. This was a good pickup for the Owls who now have 12 commitments and a Top 5 class among their Conference USA peers.

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BREAKING: Rice Football games against Marshall, UAB officially postponed

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Rice football games against Marshall and UAB have been officially postponed pushing the season opener back to Oct. 24 vs Middle Tennessee.

Rice Football will not play their games against Marshall (Oct. 3) and UAB (Oct. 10) as previously scheduled. Per an announcement made Monday afternoon, the Owls tentative season start date has been pushed back to October 24. Rice will host Middle Tennessee that afternoon.

We told subscribers this development was coming when Rice announced a further delay in fall practices. The differences between the decision-making factors wouldn’t have changed much between Oct. 3 and Oct. 10. You can read more about that decision and what the Owls hoped to achieve with the delay in our recent update.

The delay marks the fourth time Rice football has modified its 2020 schedule. The LSU game was canceled on July 30 and Rice postponed games against Houston and Army on Aug. 10. The Lamar game was struck from the schedule on August 21.

If things go according to the revised plan, Rice would open their season 49 days after their first opponent (Middle Tennessee) opened their season against Army on Sept. 5. Assuming they were able to complete their games as currently scheduled, Middle Tennesee would have already played five contests, including three conference games (home against WKU and North Texas and away at FIU).

More: This week in Conference USA on The Roost Podcast

As the schedule currently stands, Rice has six opponents. The Owls are home against Middle Tennessee (Oct. 24), UTSA (Nov. 7) and UTEP (Nov. 28). Rice will play at Southern Miss (Oct. 31), Louisiana Tech (Nov. 14) and North Texas (Nov. 21).

Further modifications to the schedule are likely should the Owls proceed with the season. Should Conference USA be willing to move the championship game back, Rice would consider efforts to schedule UAB on Dec. 5 to give them seven conference games. That would bring the Owls back into alignment with the majority of their conference peers.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 50 – Rice schedule, LA Tech outbreak, Hopson’s firing

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Rice football’s schedule was only a piece of a wild week in Conference USA that also included a COVID-19 outbreak and a coaching change.

We might have to wait a little bit longer for Rice football to take the field. In this week’s episode, Carter and Matthew talk through what changes could be coming to the Rice schedule and where the Owls stand when it comes to playing football this fall. Then they hit on the outbreak at Louisiana Tech and the postponement of the Bulldogs’ season opener.

That might have been enough, but the rest of Conference USA had other plans. Jamie Arrington and Jason Bailey from To The Top Talk Podcast stopped by to breakdown Jay Hopson’s departure from Southern Miss after just one game.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 50.

Episode 50 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Schedule news and other updates are coming fast and furious. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe on Patreon so you don’t miss what’s happening. You would have been the first to know about the looming schedule changes this past week and more As always, thanks to all of you who have followed the show on Twitter and left a review on iTunes. It’s quick, but it makes a difference.

Become a Patron!

  • Rice football postpones practice
    • No practice this week means to games before the Owls bye week
    • What do the Owls hope to achieve with this delay?
    • What would a potential further-delayed season look like?
  • Louisiana Tech forced to cancel opener 
    • Impact from Hurricane Laura impacts Louisiana Tech’s players returning to campus
    • 38 positive tests on Tuesday force the postponement of the Baylor game
  • To The Top Talk talks Southern Miss football
    • Jamie and Jason take us behind the curtain of Jay Hopson’s decision to step down
    • Potential coaching candidates ranging from interim Scotty Walden to Hugh Freeze

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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

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Rice Football 2020: Impact of practice delay and season outlook

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Rice football postponed fall camp on Sunday. Will the Owls play at all this fall and when will that decision be made? Here’s the latest on the 2020 season.

A few weeks ago when programs around the nation returned to practice and college football started to seem more and more possible, my optimism for a Rice football season began to tick just a tad higher. When Rice opted to postpone their first two games and had the Lamar game canceled, I was hesitant but hopeful.

When Labor Day weekend arrived I was all but certain we were nearing a decision. With the season four weeks away and fall camp still not underway, Rice football either needed to get on the practice field or pack up their proverbial bags for the fall.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised then when Rice opted for door number three.

On Sunday, Rice announced a delay of its preseason practices. Rice won’t play a game without ample time to prepare. That means the likelihood of Rice traveling to Huntington, WV for an Oct. 3 kickoff against Marshall is slim to none.

So where do we go from here?

In the release, Rice commented on “school officials” seeking the procurement of “more rapid and reliable testing” as a key hurdle standing between the team and the approval to play. This was a university decision, not one initiated from the football program itself. The release also mentioned the school would “work with Conference USA on any adjustments to the Owls schedule.”

Those factors combined point to one final Hail Mary.

If the administration isn’t going to give the green light to play on Oct. 3 against Marshall, Rice certainly won’t be playing on Oct. 10 at home against UAB either. Look for postponements regarding both of those games in the coming days. The week after the UAB game is the Owls’ bye week. After that, Rice is scheduled to host Middle Tennessee on Oct. 24. That’s the last domino.

If Rice can acquire and implement rapid testing to the point where they feel they can prevent any sort of campus outbreak or outbreak within the athletics program, the Owls will play. If not, expect an announcement from the school in late Septemeber or early October canceling the season in its entirety.

Starting on Oct. 24 would allow Rice six conference games. They would likely push the conference to reschedule the UAB game to December 5, giving Rice seven conference games and aligning them with the minimum number of conference opponents matched by the entire East division as well as UAB and UTSA. That seems doable without jumping through too many hoops, meaning Rice could begin their season the week before Halloween and still compete for a conference title.

Does this even make sense?

Rice has been consistent in their desire to kick the can down the road since it became clear the pandemic would impact their athletics seasons. Their lack of transparency has been frustrating at times, but their commitment to move cautiously has been abundantly clear from the beginning.

That Rice would take this decision to the brink (and arguably past it) is less surprising than I might have originally believed, but the angst created by pushing things out further will have their toll.

If buying more time works and Rice can start on Oct. 24, the university will have effectively threaded the needle between absolute safety and athletic support. Canceling things at this juncture would be hard to swallow. If the season doesn’t seem doable now, why subject the players and staff to another month of waiting? The stress and mental health impacts of these decisions are real.

So, somewhat counterintuitively, the decision to push practice back allows for a reasonable amount of hope that Rice will play football this fall.

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