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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Arden Napier commits to Owls

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The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class found another JUCO gem. Wide receiver Arden Lee Napier has committed to the Owls.

It’s been a JUCO summer for Rice football recruiting. With a trio of transfers already lined up from the junior college ranks, the Owls have added a fourth. Wide receiver Arden Lee Napier from Citrus College has committed to the Owls.

Originally from Houston, Napier played his high school ball at Episcopal in town before heading out west for school. After one season in the JUCO ranks he entered the Transfer Portal and ended up receiving interest from a half dozen schools, selecting Rice over McNeese State, among others.

In addition to being close to home, Napier told The Roost the roster and the staff helped him make his decision. “I felt like Rice was the best overall opportunity for me. It’s a great academic school, and great football program with coaches and players who all want the best for each other.”

Napier will have three years of eligibility remaining when he gets to campus giving the Owls some depth at a position with several veteran options already lined up. The long list of playmakers did not deter Napier, rather it was part of the Owls’ allure.

“Rice has a great quarterback room and great wide receiver room that are gonna connect for a lot of huge plays,” he said. “I’m ready to come compete to be a part of that this season.”

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There’s a lot to like on the film with Napier. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver is a big target who moves fairly well considering his size. That’s a body type that has traditionally faired well in the Rice offense under head coach Mike Bloomgren and offensive coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo. Napier says he takes pride in his route running ability, something that does flash in his highlights below.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 146 – ’23 Tulane Preview with Fear The Wave’s Kelly Comarda

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The Roost Podcast continues its AAC previews. Up next: Kelly Comarda of the Fear The Wave previews Tulane football in 2023.

The last time Rice football and Tulane met regularly on the field, both programs were in very different places. The Green Wave weren’t conference championship caliber quite yet; it was the Owls that were piling up points and wins in those years. Now Rice is on the come up and Tulane is the team to beat. Kelly Comarda from Fear the Wave describes the transformation in this week’s episode.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 146.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite. Shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Patreon

Get exclusive insight on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.

Become a Patron!

Previewing 2023 Tulane football with Kelly Comarda

  • How did Tulane pull off its magical 2022 season?
  • Has there ever been another Willie Fritz, a coach to win big so late in his career?
  • Do the Mean Green have the right pieces to make another run at an AAC title?
  • Where does NIL fit in Tulane’s journey to success?
  • Which pieces could be difference-makers on defense?
  • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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

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First Look: Rice Football, AAC Over/Under Odds

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Earlier this week Circa Sports posted early over/under odds for every FBS team. Here’s where Rice football and other AAC teams stack up.

AAC Teams

  • Charlotte – 3
  • Tulsa – 4.5
  • UAB – 4.5
  • USF – 4.5
  • Rice – 4.5
  • Temple – 5
  • East Carolina – 5.5
  • Navy – 6
  • North Texas – 6
  • FAU – 7.5
  • SMU – 8
  • UTSA – 8
  • Memphis – 8.5
  • Tulane – 9

Rice football nonconference opponents

  • Texas Southern – n/a
  • UConn – 4.5
  • Houston – 4.5
  • Texas – 9.5

Takeaways

On the AAC front, Tulane being projected as the front-runner in the league isn’t too much of a surprise, especially with the return of quarterback Michael Pratt, several other key players and some added reinforcements from the transfer portal.

What might be most compelling to watch is the race alongside them. Four additional schools (FAU, SMU, UTSA and Memphis) are within a game and a half of first. That means if the conference race seems fairly wide open to you, oddsmakers are feeling the same way and looking to hedge their bets.

Likewise, there’s a game and a half gap between the next teams (North Texas and Navy) and everyone else in the conference, save Charlotte. Vegas doesn’t have much faith in the 49ers and their new head coach, but it doesn’t seem confident in anyone else to be a surefire bowl team either. That’s the recipe for a chaotic and exciting season.

As for Rice football, the Owls are pegged to finish in the middle to bottom of the new-look AAC. After finishing around the four to five-win mark in recent years and the step up in some of the competition they’ll face, that doesn’t feel too surprising.

What is most intriguing, though, is the quality of the Owls’ opponents. Rice plays Charlotte, Tulsa, UAB, USF, ECU, UConn and Houston in 2023. Add in Texas Southern and that’s eight of 12 opponents projected to be either from the FCS ranks or projected to be at or below .500. There are hard games coming (UTSA, SMU, Tulane, Texas) but Rice won’t absolutely require a miraculous upset to reach bowl eligibility.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 145 – ’23 SMU Preview with Joseph Hoyt

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The Roost Podcast continues its AAC previews. Up next: Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News previews SMU football in 2023.

Rice football and SMU football haven’t met on the field since 2012, but there is plenty of history between the two Texas teams. This week’s episode of The Roost Podcast explores those connections and works to reignite a rivalry along the way. Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News took us behind the curtain with the Mustangs and got us up to speed on all things SMU.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 145.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite. Shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Patreon

Get exclusive insight on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.

Become a Patron!

Previewing 2023 SMU football with Joseph Hoyt

  • Sonny Dykes, Rhett Lashlee and the identity of SMU football right now
  • Realignment discontent
  • Preston Stone and optimism surrounding the SMU offense
  • The most important transfer additions for the Mustangs
  • Re-recruiting and SMU’s place in the recruiting world
  • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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

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Rice Football Recruiting: Post-spring additions

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There have been a few additions on the Rice Football Recruiting front since the Owls broke camp this spring. Here’s the latest.

The vast majority of the 2023 Rice football recruiting class was completed before the Owls started spring practices. Still, it was always understood the program would make a handful of additions in the months that followed. There were scholarships ready for the right transfers and the walk-on program tends to pick up a few late acquisitions this time of year, too.

Here’s a quick rundown of the players that have made their pledges since the Owls wrapped up spring practices in mid-April as well as a bit more on how they fit in with the program. Rice probably isn’t completely done just yet, but this should serve as a good litmus test before summer workouts begin soon.

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Transfers

OL Netane Fehoko, JUCO

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