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Rice Baseball 2020: Gleanings from one quarter season

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Rice baseball is still working to come to terms with a disheartening 2020 season. What hope can be gathered from the Owls’ 2-14 start?

Baseball is, by its very nature, a forgiving sport. Hitters who manage one hit in three trips to the plate are lauded. Pitchers need only get through two-thirds of a game with three runs or fewer to be awarded a “quality start”. All of the stats and measures are accrued over months. That allows for outliers and streaks (both good and bad) to be accounted for. For better or worse, sample sizes are large. Not for Rice baseball in 2020.

The Owls’ season ended with a discouraging 2-14 record. Four weeks after a Valentine’s Day battle with in-state power Texas, Rice has one series win to show for their efforts and many excruciating losses. Rice led second-ranked Texas Tech by four runs twice in their final weekend, but found a way to lose both games. They were bludgeoned at home by Louisiana and swept on the road by UC Irvine.

Outside of a two-of-three series win over Missouri State, there wasn’t much positive in the box scores for Rice in their abbreviated 2020 campaign.

The finality of that gut-wrenching resume is what bothers Rice baseball head coach Matt Bragga the most. “It isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish,” said the second-year skipper. “Now obviously we want to start hot finish hot. That’s what we’re working towards. But right now all we have is a start. We didn’t get the opportunity to finish.”

If Rice proved anything in their first year under Bragga, it was that ability to finish. Some of the Owls’ best baseball transpired in the second half of the season. From March 29th on, Rice swept Old Dominion, Middle Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. They also took two of three from Southern Miss.

The Roost Podcast: Anthony Rendon and the Rice Athletics Mount Rushmore of the 2010’s

In May they clinched the Silver Glove and won two games in the Conference USA Tournament. The same team that committed eight errors in a February game against Arizona left Biloxi with the best fielding percentage of any team in the conference tournament.

Last season provides no prescriptive effect as to how the 2020 campaign would have gone. But robbing this team of the opportunity to test their resiliency — although the right decision, considering the circumstances — still stings. “This was a club that had a chance to finish pretty darn strong,” remarked Bragga. Unfortunately, we’ll never know for sure.

A brutal schedule, combined with injuries to Roel Garcia, Dalton Wood and Jack Conlon, pushed the already thin pitching staff beyond their capabilities. Good starts were spoiled by an overmatched bullpen. Excellent outings on the mound were wasted by a lineup that could not get the clutch hit, no matter how hard they tried. In all actuality, this was as close to the worst-scenario for the 2020 Rice baseball season as could have been possibly imagined.

Rice was able to show tangible year-over-year improvement with their gloves. Rice was ninth in C-USA with a .965 fielding percentage last season. They improved to sixth this year, fielding at a .969 clip, a hair under Bragga’s self-imposed goal of .970. A 5-error outing against Louisiana was the only truly awful defensive game they played in their 16 contests.

The hitting and the pitching objectively got worse. Injuries and the losses of Matt Canterino and Evan Kravetz hurt the Owls significantly on the mound. The bats weren’t nearly consistent enough.

Bragga hopes to turn that negative into a positive when that small sample size is expanded in 2021. “This team was way better than 2-14,” he said knowingly.

He could be onto something. Simple regression to the mean, a few more bounces in the Owls’ favor in their next 16 games could paint a very different picture. That’s especially true if Rice retains and rejuvenates their injured pitchers and adds what Bragga believes could be the most talented signing class he’s ever constructed.

“As much as it’s overused, it is a process,” Bragga admitted. If we learned anything in 2020, the Owls are closer to square one than the finished product. That’s okay, but it also means there’s plenty more work to do.

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NCAA D1 Council votes for extra year of eligibility for spring-sports

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The NCAA D1 Council voted in favor of an extra year of eligibility for all spring-sport athletes. Several Rice athletes will get back a season of eligibility.

The biggest story surrounding the future of Rice baseball centered on what would become of the current squad. Suspended roughly a quarter of the way into the 2020 season, the Owls awaited the verdict of the NCAA D1 Council.

Proposals had been thrown around over the last several weeks. The big question was what changes, if any, would be made to ensure the “appropriate” level of relief was granted to spring sport athletes. Now it’s official. The NCAA D1 Council has voted to award an extra year of eligibility to all spring-sport athletes.

https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1244754555591688192

Reports cite a letter written by student-athletes to the NCAA as a contributing factor toward the positive decision.

At South Main, this ruling will presumably have a direct impact on Rice Baseball, Tennis, Golf, Swimming and Track and Field. How it will play out in the coming weeks is less certain.

A key piece in the ruling was the financial burden of these added scholarships. Per a report by The Athletic, schools will have the ability to decide on the level of financial commitment on a per athlete basis. No decision has been reached on how that ruling will be applied at Rice.

At the extreme, that could play out as partial or no scholarship support to players who currently hold full scholarships. The NCAA says the Student Assitance Fund may be used to cover the cost of these scholarships.

More: Erica Ogwumike talks end of season, Rice career on The Roost Podcast

Spring sports operate under much different scholarship requirements than their fall counterparts. The one-athlete to one-scholarship ratio is much less cut and dry in the spring compared to sports like football and basketball.

More details like how these players will be counted regarding roster limitations will be forthcoming. Today, the big decision was made. No Rice baseball player will lose their season. It’s possible the Owls still lose players like Trei Cruz to the draft, but those who want to return will have a spot. The NCAA did the right thing. Read the full release here.

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Rice Football Recruiting: New 2021 offers continue through the shutdown

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It’s been a busy month for the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class. The lack of in-person visits hasn’t slowed the Owls down on the recruiting trail at all.

The coronavirus pandemic has put the sports world in gridlock. The NCAA suspended all in person on-campus and off-campus recruiting through April 15, making adding new members to the class difficult, but not impossible. The 2021 Rice football recruiting class picked up four commitments in the week leading up to the stoppage and has continued to offer targets since in-person recruiting was temporarily halted.

I caught up with several of these players to get their interest on Rice and find out where they’re at in their recruitment process. Here’s a rundown of the names to know at some key positions, many of which have surfaced in the last few weeks.

Quarterback

The shifting dynamics on the recruiting front have impacted the Owls’ quarterback hunt significantly. Rice has altered its strategy to some degree, offering three quarterbacks this week rather than putting all their eggs in one basket. Extending these offers officially puts Rice in the mix for three dynamic signal-callers.

Shawqi Itraish (Bradenton, FL) says he’s been impressed with the consistency and focus of the Owls’ staff when it comes to building a relationship despite the long distance. He hasn’t been on campus yet but would love to as soon as he can.

Lucas Coley (San Antonio, TX) did get the chance to visit and liked what he saw. He said he understands the “40-year decision” that Rice offers and how unique an opportunity it would be to get a high-level degree and play D1 football would be. He likes the staff, but is most looking forward to seeing how the culture translates onto the field this fall. Proving this program is on the upswing is an important factor for him.

Jaylen Henderson (West Hills, CA) rounds out the trio of offered passers. Rice has made sound headwinds in California in recent years, landing Jake Bailey (2019) and Lamont Narcisse (2020). Adding someone with the finesse of Henderson, who can attack defenses both through the air and on the ground, would represent another big out-of-state win for the Owls.

It’s very early in the game for all three of these players. It’s important to note that Rice football recruiting offers are handed out with purpose. Rice would be happy to have any of these three as their cornerstone passer for the 2021 class.

Offensive Line

Rice is going to be in very good position with its 2021 class. Faaenauu Pepe is already in the fold and the response has been overwhelmingly positive from the other targets Rice has offered on the offensive line. Canon Boone (Dickinson, TX) is the newest name to watch right now.

Defensive Line

There’s a good chance Rice keeps their growing pipeline to the Northeast open with Khordae Sydnor. A standout pass rusher from Iona Prep, Sydnor is the No. 5 rated defensive end in the state of New York. Former Iona Prep players Jordan Dunbar and Derek Ferraro play for the Owls right now. Dunbar’s influence has been important for Sydnor as he explores Rice. On the local front, Stone Eby (Flower Mound, TX) has risen up as a target at that position.

On the interior, Bryce Goodner (Athens, TN) is a grown man that can play both ways, although the Owls want him on the defensive side. He’s hoping to get to campus whenever possible. He, Elroyal Morris (Houston, TX), and Grady Kelly (Navarre, FL) were both offered in the last several weeks. Morris was able to get to campus before the break. That seems to have been extremely beneficial in his recruitment.

Tight end

Jaggar Hebeisen (Colleyville, TX) is another prospect that seemed particularly high on the Owls. At the moment, he’s the clear-cut No. 1 target at the tight end position. He’s looking forward to getting on campus as soon as he can, but the shutdown has stretched out his recruitment just like everyone else.

Linebacker

Two of the Owls’ four current commitments play linebacker, so Rice is really starting to narrow their focus here. DJ Arkansas (Denton, TX), Dylan Hazen (The Woodlands, TX) and DJ Brown (Memphis, TN) are the remaining offered players on the Owls’ board at this time.

Arkansas was the first defensive player Rice offered in this class. His stock has continued to rise. It’s possible the shutdown could aid Rice in his recruitment, but we’ll have to wait and see. Brown and Hazen have both seen an uptick in their interest in recent weeks with Hazen picking up an offer from Illinois this week.

Other recruiting notes

Rice did something interesting in their final spring practice. Without knowing it would be their last, head coach Mike Bloomgren flipped the position groups. Running backs did linebacker drills with the defensive coaches. Defensive lineman worked with Bloomgren and new o-line coach Sanders Davis. Prudy Calderon was a quarterback. Wiley Green played defensive back and even made a nifty play on the ball for a leaping interception.

The change made my head spin on the sideline, but the players had a blast. One upperclassman remarked on his way off the field that this was one of the most fun practices he’d ever been a part of at Rice.

Beyond lifting the spirits of the team, the recruits on hand picked up on the energy. Placide Djungu-Sungu (Arlington, TX) and Trevor Woods (Katy, TX) both told me they really enjoyed getting to see everyone playing their opposite roles.

Lastly, one overarching topic that has flown a bit under the radar regarding the 2021 class. SAT and ACT testing has been put on hold, along with everything else. At least for the time being, recruits are riding with whatever their last test score was. Getting the grade is an important first step in the recruiting process. It hasn’t appeared to limit the Owls’ much so far,  but it’s another factor to keep in mind.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 26 – Rice Owls Voice JP Heath and 2010s Mount Rushmore

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The spring Rice Athletics seasons have come to an end, freeing up Rice Owls Voice JP Heath to join the show and talk Rice greats of the past decade.

On a normal evening in late-March, Rice Owls Voice JP Heath would be calling a Rice Baseball game. An NCAA Tournament berth for a hopeful Rice women’s basketball team could have been on the docket, too. With Rice Athletics on hiatus til at least the fall, he joined The Roost Podcast to recap a wild few weeks in sports.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. Last week we talked with Erica Ogwumike. For now, Give a listen to Episode 26.

Episode 26 Notes

  • JP’s journey to Rice — Starting with his days in Commerce, Texas, JP recounts his journey to South Main.
  • Rice Athletics in the 2010s — Starting with his first season on the diamond in 2009, JP’s been around to see coaching transitions for Rice baseball (Wayne Graham to Matt Bragga), Rice basketball (Mike Rhoades to Scott Pera) and Rice football (David Bailiff to Mike Bloomgren). He gives us an overview of how each program has grown through those changes.
  • Rice Athletic’s 2010s Mount Rushmore — We closed the show with a challenging game, with JP, Carter and Matthew working through their Mount Rushmore for Rice Athletes in the 2010s.
    ** Spoiler Alert**
    The final four: Anthony Rendon, Christian Covington, Erica Ogwumike and Sam McGuffie
  • Honorable Mentions — Listen to the show for a long list of honorable mentions. Rice quarterback Taylor McHargue was on the cusp of the final four, narrowly losing out to McGuffie. Was that the right call? Let us know! Send in your 2010’s Mount Rushmore for Rice Athletics below.

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 Basketball: Owls ready for next step in 2020 and beyond

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Rice basketball is headed in the right direction and Scott Pera has been tasked with turning that momentum into meaningful results in 2020 and beyond.

Seven. Thirteen. Fifteen. The gradual improvement of the Rice basketball team under head coach Scott Pera can be measured in a somewhat linear fashion. On the most rudimentary metric, wins, Pera’s squad has shown tangible improvement following his first year at Rice in 2017.

Rice finished 15-17 this past season, one win away from a .500 record. “I’m excited about where we’re going with this,” Pera said with passion, knowingly declaring a truth he believes runs much deeper than the win column could ever dictate. That’s because Pera came to Rice with the long game in mind.

Refusing to cut corners and committed to building things “the right way”, Pera has stuck to his guns this far. He’s endeavored to build a program rooted in players who love the challenge Rice affords, who know how to win and who are committed to working each and every day to get better. It sounds a bit like coach-speak, but there’s rich truth behind those ideals.

“Character counts in this business,” Pera declared, stressing culture and process over instant gratification. He believes that gratification isn’t far off.

“We’re close,” he said detailing the next few hurdles he sees in front of his team. For Pera, he views those next steps as establishing the program as a top-five finisher in the conference, one that always makes the Conference USA Tournament and routinely wins a few games in Frisco. Yes, a championship is the end goal, but Pera is committing to charting the course to get there, and then get back again, and again.

To get there takes building blocks that go beyond the box score. The maturity of the roster as a whole is something Pera routinely evaluates. He’s not afraid to step aside and let the leaders in the locker room lead. The Owls have reached a point in their development that Pera has full confidence they know the kind of self-talk they need to motivate themselves, even midgame.

More: Erica Ogwumike talks end of season, Rice career on The Roost Podcast

That resolve was put on display frequently. Erratic defensive performances put the Owls in double-digit holes throughout the season but Rice lost just four conference games by 10 or more points. They won five by double-digit margins. In nonconference play, they overcame a 22-point deficit to beat UC Santa Barbara on the road.

On the bad shooting days, Rice struggled to keep pace with their better opponents. Nevertheless, it was rare for the Owls to enter the final quarter of play without a fighting chance to win. The worse results came on the road with Rice losing only one game at home (vs Sam Houston State) by more than eight points. More often than not Rice was competitive and that energy has staying power.

The Owls were inconsistent, but they never lacked effort. At times, they were undisciplined but they never quit. Those are makings of a team with the right mental makeup to take another developmental step.

There’s no doubt seniors Ako Adams and Robert Martin made a tremendous impact. But the poise and influence of sophomores like Drew Peterson, Trey Murphy and Chris Mullins project a mentality Pera believes he can build on. Peterson emerged as a bonafide leader this season, one of several faces to turn to in times of struggle.

“It’s a process, it’s a growth, it’s a vision that now is really, really exciting. We enter Year 4 with this group coming back,” Pera said. “I’m looking forward to seeing these guys make the next step.”

By his own standard, Pera’s team should be a contender in Conference USA next season. Whether or not they reach that mantel will be determined by their effort and focus from now until November. Pera will put in the work. If he can get his team to maintain his level of focus, the future of Rice basketball could be as bright as he believes it to be. Only time will tell.

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