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Rice Football: 2020 Preseason roster notes and changes

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The summer is over and the 2020 Rice football season is, allegedly, approaching. Here’s a quick rundown of the preseason roster and a few interesting tidbits and notes.

Rice football released its preseason roster this week, featuring 109 players. If you haven’t grabbed a copy of the 2020 Rice Football Season Preview, be sure you do soon. It has position by position and player by player breakdowns. Check out a sample here.

The team had the option to begin fall camp on Wednesday. Rice has not yet indicated when it will begin. The team is currently holding walkthroughs. The majority of schools who kick off their season on Saturday of Week 1 can open camp on Friday.

As for the roster itself, here were a few observations worth mentioning.

No startling omissions

First, as most significant, all of the Owls’ key pieces are returning. It’s not uncommon for players to move on from teams for various reasons. It happens everywhere. Rice wasn’t hit hard by outgoing transfers this summer, nor were any key players dismissed. There were 110 players on the roster this spring compared to 109 currently. The lone subtraction was former backup quarterback Parker Towns, who did not appear in any games for the Owls last year and had been moved to wide receiver this spring.

There’s a stark contrast between the Owls’ situation and that of other C-USA teams like Marshall and FAU, both of which unexpectedly lost established starting quarterbacks in the past month.

Rice has size in the offensive trenches

Rice had one player on the offensive line that weighed at least 295 entering the 2019 season, grad transfer Nick Leverett. He’s in camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now.

The 2020 offensive line is significantly bigger. Seven offensive lineman enter camp at or above that 295 pound mark. That includes projected starting center Isaac Klarkowski (299), starting guards Shea Baker (302) and Cole Garcia (296) as well as probably starting tackle Jovaun Woolford. The final likely starter on the line, left tackle Clay Servin, checks in at 292.

The Rice starting o-line will come close to 1,500 combined pounds this season. Some of those, like Woolford, have put on a good portion of that weight during the extended offseason. They’re going to push some folks around.

Still room for non-roster additions

The Owls have been adding to their roster all summer. From former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos to former Princeton long snapper Chris Sayan, Rice is still in the market for the right depth pieces. We might not see any massive last-second additions, but there could be a few more pieces.

One such newcomer is CJ McCord, the brother of current Rice corner Miles McCord. He was included on a graphic tweeted out by a few of the Rice wideouts. Standing 6-foot-1, CJ is transferring from Yale and will bring depth the receiving corps. He caught three passes at Yale.

Senior-led, but not senior heavy

There are 13 players on the 109 man roster listed as redshirt seniors, seniors or grad transfers. That includes Collin Riccitelli whom the staff expects to regain an additional year of eligibility. Here are the other 12:

Definite starter
  • Blaze Alldredge, LB
  • Elijah Garcia, DL
  • Jordan Myers, TE
  • George Nyakwol, Saf
  • Naeem Smith, Saf
  • Austin Trammell, WR
Possible starter / key contributor
  • Mike Collins, QB
  • Jovaun Woolford, OL
  • Garrett Grammer, LB
  • JaVante Hubbard, DL
Bench / backup
  • Andrew Tsangeos, TE
  • Collin Whitaker, CB

As you can see, the most experienced players Rice has are going to be playing a lot of snaps for the team this year. But the next level is just as promising. Although I wouldn’t call this a “young” team, there’s plenty of underclassmen and juniors on the roster this year who will see meaningful reps as the team prepares for a more typical season in 2021.

27 freshmen

Between walk ons and scholarship players, Rice is adding 27 freshmen to the roster for the fall. Bringing in such large classes is what’s enabled Mike Bloomgren and his staff to build the roster back to the appropriate amount of depth. He won’t be having to cancel spring practices because he ran out of players like he had to do on occasion during his first year on campus.

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Rice Football: Potential replacements for canceled LSU game

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With the LSU game canceled, Rice Football has an open weekend on their schedule. Here are a few schools the Owls could seek out to fill the gap.

Schedules are going to look different in 2020. Rice football has lost one game to cancelation so far. Multiple conference peers are missing multiple games, and the Big 12 has yet to announce their decision. That could come after school presidents meet on Monday, but no one knows for sure at this point.

What we do know is that Rice won’t be playing LSU on September 19. That game was nixed when the SEC opted for a conference-only schedule this season. Rice athletic director Joe Karlgaard indicated he might make some calls and look into who else might be free on that date, but wasn’t in a rush to nail down a replacement game immediately with Power 5 schedules still in flux.

If Rice Football does decide to fill their open date, who should the Owls add to the schedule? Here are six picks, based on who is available and geographic fits.

South Alabama

Originally scheduled to visit the Swamp and play Florida on September 19, the Jaguars were freed up with the same SEC decision that cleared the Owls calendar. Rice and South Alabama have never met on the gridiron.

If Rice opts to go the FBS rout, this would be one of the more manageable drives. The two campuses are a seven-hour bus ride apart. South Alabama just constructed brand new Hancock Whitney Stadium which is expected to open for the first time this fall. If Rice were to make the road trip, a closer destination and brand new facilities would be an optimal fit.

Troy

Rice and Troy have only met on the football field once. The Trojans defeated the Owls in the New Orleans Bowl in 2006. Troy was meant to host NC State on September 19th. The ACC’s ruling allowed for each school to play one non-conference game, but specified it must take place in the state of the ACC school. Unless Troy wants to fly to North Carolina, this game is likely to get the axe.

It takes a little more than nine hours to drive between Rice and Troy campuses. That’s probably pushing the limits on a day trip, but it’s probably still doable given the circumstances.

Arkansas State

The Red Wolves won’t be making their previously scheduled trip to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines on September 19th, opening things up for a potential pairing with Rice. These two schools have never met despite playing in bordering states.

Jonesboro, AR is roughly nine hours away from Houston, putting it on the fringe of driving distance along with Troy.

Charlotte

Charlotte would be an unconventional pick, and the 49ers might not be free on that date just yet. They were scheduled to play Duke on Septemeber 17th, which would still be allowed to happen under the ACC’s same-state non-conference guidance. Duke is also scheduled to host Middle Tennessee, meaning at least one of those C-USA schools won’t be playing in Durham this season.

Rice could opt to play Charlotte in a non-conference game. Wake Forest and North Carolina did something similar last fall. Staying in C-USA would (theoretically) ensure alignment on health and safety procedures. Rice beat Charlotte in their only two meetings to date, defeating the 49ers in 2015 and 2016.

BYU

If Rice looks a bit further than driving distance, their options increase significantly. The first place to start might be the schools most in need of makeup games. BYU has lost three games so far, with contests against Michigan State (Sept. 12), Arizona State (Sept. 19), Minnesota (Sept. 26) and Missouri (Oct. 10) all canceled.

Rice could slide into what has now become a wide open stretch of weekends for BYU. Future scheduling might come into play if this game can be agreed upon. Rice is scheduled to play in Provo in 2023 with BYU making the return trip in 2025. Rice is 1-1 against BYU.

Boise State

Boise State was supposed to be playing the second half of a home-and-home series with Florida State. Last year’s matchup was adjusted to avoid a hurricane. This year’s matchup could fall away should Florida State choose to go a different direction for their one allotted non-conference game.

Boise State is 1-1 with Rice. The two teams have a series on the books right now, but it doesn’t start until 2027 when the Broncos are scheduled to visit Houston. Rice would return to Boise in 2029. The Owls don’t have an open non-conference data free until 2024, but securing additional future games with a premier Group of 5 opponent would be worth looking into.

Other possible opponents

  • UConn (originally scheduled to play at Virginia on Sept. 19)
  • UCF (at Georgia Tech, Sept. 18)
  • Air Force (at Purdue, Sept. 19)
  • UNLV (at Iowa State Sept. 19)
  • Toledo (at Michigan State, Sept. 19)
  • Buffalo (at Ohio State, Sept. 19)
  • Kent St (at Kentucky, Sept. 19)
  • Bowling Green (at Illinois, Sept. 19)
  • App State (at Wisconsin, Sept. 19)

Have a team you’d like to see the Owls play? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 44 – 2020 Houston Football Preview

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The Roost Podcast welcomes Sam who covers Houston football with the Scott and Holman Pawdcast to break down the Cougars’ upcoming season.

The Extended Offseason series takes its first step away from Conference USA this week. After touching base with folks in the know across C-USA, we venture across town for a Bayou Bucket discussion with Sam from the Scott and Holman Pawdcast Sam and his co-host Dustin cover all things Houston football.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to our chat with Sam on Episode 44.

Episode 44 Notes

  • Housekeeping — 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. Make sure you check out the Scott and Holman Pawdcast on Twitter and let them know you enjoyed having him on the pod.
  • Rice/COVID-19 Updates — Rice football back to regularly scheduled offseason workouts and the university has announced its plans for the upcoming fall. As of now, the Owls’ first football game is scheduled to kick off within a month’s time.
  • Sam and Dustin join the show — Sam and Dustin talked through what’s been an up and down offseason for Houston football and gave us this inside scoop on the latest happenings across town:
    • Expectations for newly minted Cougars’ starting quarterback Clayton Tune
    • What to make of Dana Holgorsen’s “Year 0” and redshirt usage
    • Who steps up on the Houston defense this season?
    • The possibilities for an altered schedule and an extended crosstown series
    • The Lightning Round

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.

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Rice Football: 2021 Safety Joshua Williams commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has added their first defensive back pledge. Safety Joshua Williams has committed to the Owls.

As has previously been the case under Mike Bloomgren, Rice has been choosy with their offers in this cycle. The 50th offer of the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class wasn’t issued until late June. Rice handed out a half dozen offers at that time, including one to Linden, AL safety Joshua Williams. Roughly one month later, Williams has committed to the Owls.

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Shortly after receiving his offer, Williams released a Top 5 featuring Rice, as well as Army, Navy, Georgia Southern and Yale. He also had offers from in-state programs like South Alabama and Troy as well as C-USA peer Western Kentucky, but education was something he said was important from the beginning. Ultimately, he felt comfortable enough to pull the trigger prior to the arrival of an uncertain fall.

Williams is the first Rice commit since quarterback Shawqi Itraish committed in mid-June. He brings the 2021 Rice football recruiting class headcount up to 10 commits, tied for the third-most in Conference USA. The Owls remain in the Top 5 of the conference ranks as the calendar approaches August.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

Versatility and flexibility are key descriptors in Brian Smith’s defense. Williams will probably start out at safety, but he’s adaptable and athletic enough to do a lot of things on the defensive side of the ball.

Williams can line up at corner and cover one-on-one as well as patrol the middle of the field. Moving around is something he’s always felt comfortable with, citing his versatility as a defining feature of his game.

He says he’s “a competitor who loves winning and hates losing” and that he’s “always willing to put in the necessary work to help improve my game.” The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Williams is going to be a valuable asset for the Owls.

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BREAKING: Rice Football non-conference game with LSU Tigers is canceled

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Rice Football will no longer be playing LSU this season after the SEC opted to play a conference-only schedule this coming fall to mitigate COVID-19 risks.

Non-conference games are dropping like flies. Prior to Thursday afternoon, Rice Football remained one of a shrinking list of FBS teams with 12 scheduled opponents. The Big Ten and Pac-12 had already announced conference-only schedules this summer. Two additional dominoes in the nonconference trimming fell this week.

On Wednesday the ACC adopted a 10-game conference schedule with one non-conference game. Those non-conference games have yet to be announced. For now, the verdict ostensibly puts several Conference USA teams at risk for cancelation. Rice had no ACC opponents on their schedule, but they did have an SEC foe booked.

LSU was scheduled to play Rice at NRG Stadium on September 19th. That game will not be played.

Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated reported Thursday afternoon the SEC would be playing a conference-only schedule in 2020. The league would delay their start date until Sept. 26, under the expectation there would need to be some lag time between the date students return to campus and the start of the season. That would allow for some leeway should there be a spike in cases when students return.

The Roost Podcast: Listen now to our Extended Offseason Interview Series

Conference USA has not commented publically on potential scheduling considerations in recent weeks. At time of publication, no statement was issued from the league office in response to either the ACC or SEC decisions.

Rice Athletic Director Joe Karlgaard addressed the announcement directly in a statement:

“I’m disappointed we will not be able to play LSU this season, but given the current situation, it was not unexpected. I know our fans have anticipated hosting LSU for the first time in nearly 40 years since we announced it in 2016 and that excitement only grew after LSU won the national title last year.  We will work with LSU to see if there is an opportunity in a future season to reschedule the game.”

What’s next?

Also in the release from the university, Rice indicated they plan to play the rest of their schedule as currently constructed: “Rice is currently scheduled to open the 2020 season on September 3 at the University of Houston and open the home schedule the following week when they welcome Army to Rice Stadium.”

Karlgaard confirmed as much in a follow up conversation with media on Thursday afternoon. He said the Owls are “still planning to play those games scheduled.” He also indicated he’d had conversations with the athletic directors at Army, Houston and Lamar in the past week. As of now, those games are still on.

In somewhat of an unconventional agreement, the original deal called for Rice to play LSU a guarantee. Rice planned to recoup ticket sales from the game, something that grew more and more unlikely as the date approached. As is the case with the bulk of the recently canceled games across the nation, it’s unclear how the dollars and cents will pan out in the end.

As far as a replacement game goes, Karlgaard isn’t rushing to add anyone to the schedule just yet. He indicated he would be listening to what decision-makers in the Big 12 do. There would also be a continual line of communication with Conference USA athletic directors and presidents, too. He called the notion of a traditional 12-game schedule “dubious” at this point in time.

Alternatives are being considered. When asked about the potential for a spring season, Karlgaard said the conference remains focused on playing in the fall “until its determined we can’t do that any longer.” He suggested sometime in early October as a potential cutoff point. But as is the case with the entire situation, everything remains fluid.

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