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Rice Football 2020: Breaking down the spring roster

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Spring practice has arrived for Rice football. Here’s where each position stands now. Several things could change over the next several weeks.

The 2020 Rice Football spring roster has been released. Depth charts won’t be finalized until the fall, but here’s how the Owls are most likely to line up at the beginning of camp.

Quarterback

Starter: None
Backup: None
In contention: Mike Collins, TJ McMahon, JoVoni Johnson and Wiley Green
Also at spring ball: Robbie Blosser, Evan Marshman and Parker Towns

This position truly is wide open. Collins, Johnson and Green have all started and won D1 football games. McMahon shattered JUCO records last year. All four offer disparate skill sets and we can’t be certain which variation of the Rice offense we’ll see this year. This will be the most-watched position battle of the spring.

More: 2020 National Signing Day Review and Spring Football questions

Running back

Starter: Juma Otoviano
Backup: Jawan King
Also at spring ball: Cam Montgomery, Ari Broussard, Ayden Noriega

Montgomery had some fumbling issues that prevented him from getting on the field last season. Noriega and Broussard redshirted. King did as well, but his absence from the field was driven by the wealth of upperclassmen tailbacks Rice had on the roster last year. Barring a late transfer addition, it’s most likely going to be a two-man show this spring.

Fullback 

Starter: Brendan Suckley
Backup: Luke Armstrong, Jerry Johnson

Suckley became the starter last season after transfer Reagan Williams went down and played well. Johnson appears to be a position switch for the spring.

Wide receiver

Starters: Brad Rozner, Austin Trammell, August Pitre
Backups: Zane Knipe, Jake Bailey
Also at spring ball: Chris Boudreaux, Austin Conrad, Jashon Palmer

I’ll be paying close attention to Knipe and Bailey this spring. We only scratched the surface of what both were capable of last year. With Knipe fully healthy, this is his chance to force his way into the starting three. Pitre’s inconsistency has opened up the door. Whether he bounces back or someone else rises up should be interesting to see.

Tight end

Starters: Jordan Myers, Jaeger Bull
Backup: Jack Bradley
Also at spring ball: Jonathan Sanchez, Robert French, Bennett Mecom

The staff really likes what Bradley was able to do as a true freshman last season. Now in his first spring, his role should only continue to grow. That could put pressure on a guy like Bull.

Offensive line

Starters: Jovaun Woolford, Cole Garcia, Shea Baker, Adam Sheriff, and Clay Servin
Backup/In Contention: Brandt Peterson, Derek Ferraro, Izeya Floyd, Regan Riddle, and Isaac Klarkowski
Also at spring ball: Connor Hughes, Nick Wagman

Rice has more than enough options on the offensive line this spring after running extremely thin this time last year. Floyd’s transition to the offensive side of the ball will be worth keeping an eye on. Beyond that, there’s room for one or two more younger players to emerge and challenge for a spot at guard.

Defensive End / Rush End

Starters: Trey Schuman, Kenneth Orji
Backups: Ikenna Enechukwu, Jacob Doddridge
Also at spring ball: Kebreyun Page, Miles Adams, Josh Pearcy

Orji came on strong last season and should cement his starting role this spring. Page and Pearcy are two developmental guys who have taken big strides during the fall and could be more in the mix this time around.

Defensive Tackle

Starters: Elijah Garcia, De’Braylon Carroll
Backups: JaVante Hubbard, Cam Valentine
Also at spring ball: Will Martinez, Hunter Hanley

Carroll is going to be a starter this season. Watching him go up against an offensive line in the midst of solidifying its rotation could spell trouble for the Rice football offense. How the coaching staff chooses to deploy Garcia and Hubbard should be telling.

Linebacker

Starters: Blaze Alldredge, Antonio Montero
Backups: Garrett Grammer, Myron Morrison, Adrian Bickham
Also at spring ball: Garret Braden

Linebacker might be the deepest position on the team. Alldredge and Montero are locked in as starters, but the rotation could change significantly this year. Morison and Bickham came on strong in the fall. Both should be in the mix.

Corner

Starters: Tre’shon Devones, Tyrae Thornton
Backups: Andrew Bird, Jason White
Also at spring ball: Miles McCord, Collin Whitaker

Josh Landrum’s departure made the pecking order at corner pretty clear. Devones and Thornton started the majority of last year. Bird was the next man up with White sliding in at nickel. I don’t foresee any surprises here before the freshmen arrive in the fall.

Safety

Starters: George Nyakwol, Naeem Smith, Treshawn Chamberlain
Backups: Prudy Calderon, Isaiah Richardson
Also at spring ball: Jacob Grams, Matthew Sams, Kirk Lockhart, Chike Anigbogu

Another deep position, the backup roles at the safety spots could see some changes. Lockhart appeared in 10 games last season as a true freshman and should push further into the rotation this spring.

Specialists

Kicker: Will Harrison, Nick McQuarry
Punter: Charlie Mendes
Long Snapper: Cam Riddle

Incoming Stanford transfer Collin Riccitelli will be the placekicker for Rice football in 2020. What the Owls do at the spot before he arrives is unlikely to move the needle much at all.

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Rice Baseball 2020: Bats quiet in road sweep by UC Irvine

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Swept for the second time in as many weekends, Rice baseball leaves a three-game stint at UC Irvine with an 0-6 record for the season.

THREE FOR THE ROAD | UC Irvine wins series 3-0

1. Roel Garcia will be the Owls’ ace

Transfer Alex DeLeon has failed to seize the Friday night role after his first two outings with the Owls. He gave up six runs in four innings on Opening Day. He followed that up with a three-inning, four-run outing against UC Irvine. His 14.09 ERA through two starts won’t knock him from the rotation just yet, but the juxtaposition of Garcia’s first outing in more than a year with DeLeon’s work against the same lineup was telling.

Garcia struck out three and allowed no hits in two scoreless innings. Some rust was understandable in his first time back on the mound since the 2018 season. Holding the Anteaters scoreless through one inning would have been an encouraging sing. Blanking them in two innings is an indication he could be closer to returning to his usual self than might have been anticipated.

The Friday night role will be Garcia’s when he’s back to 100 percent, or perhaps sooner. How DeLeon, Blake Brogdon, Dalton Wood and others fit into the rest of the rotation remains to be seen.

2. Sputtering offense struggles to string together hits

Saturday’s 2-1 nail biter was even more agonizingly close than the final score reveals. After being no-hit through four innings for the second day in a row, Rice had a runner in scoring position in the final five innings. That runner got all the way to third base in four of the final five frames. Rice recorded zero hits in eight opportunities. The only RBI came on a groundout, a productive out, but a hollow showing nonetheless.

The pitching staff has been largely a net-positive through the first two weeks of the season. Singular crushing outings by one pitcher here (and another there (DeLeona and Bordwine in this case) have led to the jagged box scores.

On most days, the Owls won’t need 10 runs to walk away with a victory. Getting two to three of those hits in clutch moments could sway games, even some series, in the Owls’ favor. What Rice can’t do is disappear completely at the plate every time they have the chance to put up a crooked number.

Rice baseball has scored 14 runs through their first six games. Frankly, that’s not good enough. Rice capped the UC Irvine series with four runs on 10 hits on Sunday. Their opponents managed twice the run total (nine) on just one fewer hit.

3. The continued development of Trei Cruz

Coaches and fellow players raved about the growth of Trei Cruz this offseason. A Cape Cod League All-Star and the Preseason Conference USA Player of the Year, Cruz has played well in the Owls’ first two series. The shortstop has made multiple Sportscenter Top 10-caliber plays in the dirt, showcasing his defensive prowess.

His bat has been as productive as the rest of the Rice hitters, but it’s been his discipline that’s been most impressive. Cruz is tied for the team lead in walks (five), taking advantage of pitchers who know how dangerous a mistake thrown his way can be.

Finding protection behind in the lineup should get him more hittable pitches. But for the time being, Cruz is extending innings and giving his teammates opportunities to produce runs. He can’t do it all himself, and he’s not trying to force it.

FRIDAY | UC Irvine 10 – Rice 1

Despite having no offensive output for most of the game, Rice kept the game within reach through five innings. Roel Garcia got the Owls off to a strong start. Alex DeLeon got roughed up upon his entrance but navigated the fourth and fifth innings allowing just one run. Then the floodgates burst and UC Irvine took complete control of the game with a 4-run sixth inning.

Aaron Baulaurier doubled to right center in the eight, breaking up UC Irvine’s combined no-hit bid. Justin Dunlap scored later that inning on a wild pitch. But salvaging a run was too little too late in a one-sided series-opening loss much more convincing than any of the Owls’ losses to Texas on opening weekend.

SATURDAY | UC Irvine 2 – Rice 1

This was the ultimate game of missed opportunities. Rice baseball was one hit away from winning this one for what felt likes hours. The hit never came. Blake Brogdon’s strong night (5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K) came up void. The two runs Brogdon allowed came immediately following leadoff doubles, one in the fourth and another in the sixth. When faced with similar chances, Rice hitters couldn’t push even the tying run across.

The final effort came with two outs in the ninth. Braden Comeaux and Cade Edwards singled to put runners on the corners. Trei Cruz came to the plate, a hit from tying the game. He popped one down the right field line in foul territory. UC Irvine outfielder Riley Kasper made a play on the ball but was injured and forced to leave the game after an extended delay. Facing one more pitch after the wait, Cruz struck out.

SUNDAY | UC Irvine 9 – Rice 4

Comeaux slapped a leadoff single to start the game, ruining any no-hit bids out of the gate. Rice would tally 10 hits on the day, three more than they’d managed in the first two games of the series. The Owls wouldn’t score until the eighth inning. By that time the game was essentially over.

UC Irvine dealt a three-run blow to Rice starter Drake Greenwood in the second inning. The finishing blow came as soon as he was relieved in the fifth. Kel Bordwine was ambushed upon his entrance. He allowed six runs (five charged to him) on four hits and one walk, retiring two of the seven batters he faced. Down 9-0, Rice baseball played things out to the finish.

ON DECK | at Texas State (Tues), vs Missouri State (Fri-Sun)

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Rice Baseball: Complete 2020 Walk up song playlist

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You’ll find yourself tapping your toe and singing along to the 2020 Rice baseball walk up songs. Here’s a list of tunes for each of the Owls.

A few quick notes. These are the songs as selected on Opening Day. Players have been known to change their music as the season progresses, but we’ve started with what we know. If you notice a new tune, feel free to drop us a note and let us know.

Get the full playlist on Spotify

Hitters

Aaron Beaulaurier – In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Austin Bulman – Falling in Love by Dennis Kruissen

Braden Comeaux – Welcome to the Show by Cody Johnson

Antonio Cruz – BOP by DaBaby

Trei Cruz – Jump Around by House of Pain

Justin Collins – Your Love by The Outfield

Brayden Combs – Electric Feel by MGMT

Dominic Cox – Schemin Up by Drake

Rodrigo Duluc – Plakata by  Jose De Las Heras

Justin Dunlap – Telephone Calls by A$AP Mob

Cade Edwards – Piece of Your Heart by MEDUZA

Bradley Gneiting – Whoah by Lil Baby

Cullen Hannigan – Thunderstruck by AC/DC

Daniel Hernandez – Song I Can Drink To by  Koe Wetzel

Tyler LaRue – Pure Water by Migos

Pitchers

Kel Bordwine – Ooh Ahh by Grits

Blake Brogdon – Wit It by Gunna

Caleb Burgess – Get on My Knees and Pray by Kenny Faithful

Eric Benitez – Tu No Metes Cabra by Bad Bunny

Cristian Cienfuegos – Bandolero by Tego Calderon

Jack Conlon – E.I. by Nelly

Brandon Deskins – Heartless by Kanye West

Roel Garcia – Butterfly Effect by Travis Scott

Drake Greenwood – Stranglehold by Ted Nugent

Johnny Hoyle – N.I.B. by Black Sabbath

Andrew Kane – I’d Love to Change the World by Ten Years After

Josh Larzabal – Money in the Grave by Drake

Jared Plank – Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen

A.C. Plum – Come and Get Your Love by Redbone

Ryan Rickett – Country Must Be Country Wide by Brantley Gilbert

Matthew Santos – Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant

Dalton Wood – I’ll Make a Man Out of You by Donny Osmond

Garrett Zaskoda – Sleeping on the Blacktop by Colter Wall

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Rice Women’s Basketball: Season at crossroads after Charlotte loss

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After going more than a calendar year since their last C-USA loss, Rice women’s basketball dropped their second conference game of the week, falling to Charlotte.

Wait, what happened? Those thoughts danced through the heads of Rice women’s basketball fans when the team fell to SMU all the way back on November 13. Rice came out rusty in their first road game and was stunted from start to finish by a team which did not have the athleticism to match the Owls — or at least, it didn’t seem like it on paper.

Three months later that guttural feeling has returned, placing the season at a crossroads. At this point last week the Owls were 11-0 in C-USA play, owners of first place and presumptive favorites to repeat as back-to-back Champions. Now they’re in second place, with fewer wins and more losses than fifth-place Charlotte, who handed Rice their most uncomfortable defeat since that ominous SMU affair.

Against SMU, Erica Ogwumike and Nancy Mulkey played well. Ogwumike led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds while Mulkey blocked 11 shots. For whatever reason, the team didn’t shoot well, finishing 24.1 percent from the field.

Rice couldn’t buy a bucket against Charlotte, either. Ogwumike had 14 points. Nancy Mulkey was limited by injury, scoring five points with six rebounds in 21 minutes, playing just four minutes in the second half. Kendall Ellig, Mulkey’s primary backup this season, had more fouls (three) than points (two). From start to finish, Rice was out of sorts, confused. They didn’t look much like the team that had overcome every obstacle for the past several months.

Returning to Tudor Fieldhouse and ending this forgettable road sweep will be a welcome homecoming. The pressure to be perfect is gone, but if the Owls have their eyes on a top seed in the C-USA Tournament and a repeat trip to the NCAA’s, there isn’t time to dwell on this dismal result.

The Owls will see their resiliency tested in the next three weeks. How they respond will determine the narrative that accompanies a season that began with lofty expectations.

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Rice Women’s Basketball 2020: C-USA winning streak snapped by Old Dominion

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The biggest game of the Rice women’s basketball season went to overtime before Old Dominion prevailed, snapping the Owls’ 30-game conference winning streak.

Rice women’s basketball knew they were in for a 40-minute slugfest when they stepped onto the court to face Old Dominion on Thursday. The Monarchs weren’t intimidated by the Owls’ 30-game Conference USA winning streak. That was evident from the start.

Old Dominion was aggressive. Errant Rice passes were turned into Old Dominion fastbreak points. Missed Rice free throws — they were a woeful 12-of-22 from the charity stripe — became momentum-shifting plays in favor of the home squad.

Most teams have opted to tread cautiously when matching up with the defending champs. Old Dominion attacked, capitalizing on lapses and forcing the Owls to play from behind for much of the contest. Rice trailed for more than 30 minutes. The third quarter, which has been the hallmark of the Owls’ dominance this year, left Rice trailing entering the fourth.

PODCAST | Breaking down the early signing period

While the Owls relied on Ogwumike to do the heavy lifting, Old Dominion provided one of the most balanced showings the Owls have seen this year. Ajah Wayne, Taylor Edwards and Amari Young all finished in double-figure scoring. Marie Reichert was just shy with eight points.

One game does not define a season. Win or lose, Rice women’s basketball was still going to play Old Dominion again before the regular season ended. If Thursday night was any indication, these two teams might be meeting again in the conference tournament. It took overtime to separate these two teams. Old Dominion had the edge this time.

A 30-game winning streak in conference play is unprecedented. It had to end at some point — all streaks do — but this result should not diminish any faith in this team. Their first C-USA loss since 2018 is proof the Owls’ know what it takes.

There’s no more pressure to be perfect. The Owls’ aren’t in the driver’s seat right now, but they’re still equipped to win the conference and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. That’s the goal. If anything, Thursday’s loss should add to the Owls’ intensity down the stretch.

Final Stats

Player of the Game – Erica Ogwumike

This was the Erica Ogwumike show. Coming off an NCBWA Player of the Week selection, the Owls’ senior leader played an incredible game in a hostile environment. Rice played a thin lineup, trusting Ogwumike to carry the load — she delivered with 26 points, 18 rebounds. She needed someone else to step up, but that help came up just short.

Up Next

Rice women’s basketball wraps up the road trip on Saturday. They’ll head to Charlotte for a 3:00 p.m. game. That game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.

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