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How do FBS/FCS Schedule Changes impact Rice Football? All-American Q&A

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All-American Level subscribers on our Patreon page get access to a monthly Q&A with me. Here’s our July edition, focusing on scheduling changes.

Q. James Madison has told the CAA that it intends to try to play football as an independent this year and is trying to put together a group of schools from the Sun Belt and CUSA to play this year.  All would be close by including App State, Liberty, Marshall, Charlotte, probably ODU and other schools to play 8 games within day trip range.  Could this be the beginning of the end of the Sun Belt and CUSA as currently arranged and a reorganization that would greatly cut travel costs for all.  Does JMU have a chance to pull this off and how will it affect Rice?

A. First off, I love that we’re starting with realignment and some wide-ranging college football discussions. Let’s dive in.

I don’t see any way that James Madison’s upcoming football schedule directly impacts the future of Conference USA. But (and it’s a rather crucial but), I think the ramifications of scheduling in 2020 could impact what schedules look like in 2021 and possibly beyond. The more unconventional this season becomes, the more it changes the future.

The more examples we see of regionalized schedules working the harder it will be for Conference USA to continue justifying a flight from Norfolk, VA to El Paso, TX.

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Now, I wouldn’t bet on a clean reorganization of G5 conferences and the upper tier of the FCS. As much sense as it would make to split the Sun Belt and C-USA along East and West, the practicalities of making it happen seem impossibly difficult to navigate unless the financial situations of both conferences change. If someone can convince media partners they’d rather televise Marshall v JMU instead of FAU vs UTEP, that might escalate conversations.

And then there’s Rice. We talked with Aaron Coleman with the Runnin’ With the Herd Podcast on The Roost Podcast last week. He actually hit on the fact that Huntington, WV is only six hours further from Houston than El Paso. Bizarre.

The Owls lack a key bargaining chip to improve their status for the time being, the best they can hope for is a continued ascent of the football program under Bloomgren with some facilities improvements (primarily on Rice Stadium) forthcoming. If they can do that, they’ll be an attractive suitor with all of this finally does hit the fan.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Late July 2021 recruiting updates

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class is sticking near the top of the Conference USA ranks. Here’s the latest of a few of the Owls targets.

I touched base with several members of the 2021 class who currently hold Rice Football offers. Featured below are updates from safety Joshua Williams, defensive end Tommy Dunn Jr. and center Ezra Oyetade.

Saf Joshua Williams

Rice offered Linden, AL safety Joshua Williams on June 24. Less than three weeks later he released his Top 5 which featured Rice, as well as Army, Navy, Yale and Georgia State. He said academics are a big piece of his decision-making process. He also holds offers from in-state schools like Troy and South Alabama.

With everything being virtual these days, Williams says he’s been thinking harder than ever about each of his opportunities. At this point, he says he understands what each of his top schools is like on paper, all that’s left is to find the right connection that offers from “that family feel.”

Ideally, he’s still hoping to make a decision before the fall. The ever-changing timetable regarding high school sports could impact that timetable, but if Williams finds the right fit, I’d expect him to make the call.

DE Tommy Dunn Jr

Tommy Dunn was among the last waves of recruits to make it to Rice in person for an official visit before things shut down. That was his only official visit so far and it left a strong impression. The Garland, TX native loved Houston and praised the atmosphere and the environment on campus.

He went so far as to give a nod to the photo and graphics team for making him feel at home with some of the personalized graphics and images. Rice pulls out all the stops to make their targets comfortable, and the Owls definitely did that with Dunn. He’s stayed in touch with a few schools during the last few months including virtual tours with UTSA and Navy.

C Ezra Oyetade

The battle for Ezra Oyetade, who 247 Sports has dubbed the nation’s No. 1 center, has been fierce from the beginning. Rice was the very first D1 school to offer Oyetade and it’s given them a spot in the race. He says he stays in touch with the staff and has liked what he’s seen from Rice so far. Although official visits have been squashed by the recruiting restrictions he’s checking in on a variety of schools.

Since Rice offered in January, Oyetade has picked up offers from Vanderbilt, Houston, UCF, Arizona State, Missouri, Memphis and others. Being first and being local are points in the Owls favor as they continue to keep themselves in the mix.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 43 – Marshall Football Preview with Aaron Coleman

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The Roost Podcast welcomes Aaron Coleman who covers Marshall football with the Runnin’ With the Herd Podcast to break down their upcoming season.

July is almost over and, according to the schedule, the start of the 2020 season is just around the corner. After visiting with folks that cover each team in Conference USA West, the podcast ventured to the other side of the conference this week. We’re excited to welcome Aaron Coleman who covers all things Marshall football with the Runnin’ With the Herd Podcast. Aaron gives us his insight into the recent transfer of quarterback Isaiah Green and what to expect from the Herd this year.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to our chat with Aaron Coleman on Episode 43.

Episode 43 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 Runnin’ With the Herd Podcast on Twitter and let him know if you enjoyed having him on the pod.
  • Rice/COVID-19 Updates — The vast majority of Rice football players have returned to campus for mandatory workouts this week. There are a few still on their way, but the Owls have the bulk of their roster back on campus and are doing their workouts in a socially-distant way.
  • Aaron Coleman joins the show — Aaron walked us through what’s turned into a relatively eventful offseason for Marshall and gave us this inside scoop on the latest happenings with the Herd including:
    • The “mild seat” and the plateau of Doc Holliday’s tenure
    • Options at QB with the departure of Isaiah Green
    • Marshall’s sneaky good defensive front seven
    • Brenden Knox’s rise from fourth string to star

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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2021 Rice Football Recruiting class Top 5 in Conference USA as end of July nears

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The 2020 Rice Football class is well-positioned entering July. The Owls have a Top-5 class in Conference USA and plenty of momentum.

The success of the most recent Rice Football recruiting classes has been a point of pride for Mike Bloomgren and his staff. They have elevated the level of talent in the program, most recently signing the highest-rated class in program history.

According to 247 Sports player rankings, the 2020 class had an average ranking of 82.25. The 2021 class has an average ranking of 82.64 and ranks third in Conference USA. If the Owls can maintain that status, they’ll break last year’s record and earn Rice a Top 5 class in the conference for the first time since 2013.

Of the two classes rated more highly than the Owls, volume plays an important key. Top-ranked Florida Atlantic has a stunning 25 commitments, highlighted by 4-star pledge Shedeur Sanders. UTSA is second with 13 commitments.

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has nine commitments, the third most in Conference USA. The class will have somewhere close to the 25 allotted slots, meaning the Owls are a little more than a third of the way complete with five months before the Early Signing Period in December.

So much can change over the course of the next few months. Rice can’t control what other schools do, but they can continue to build their own class as best they can. Their most recent addition was an important one, securing the pledge of Bradenton, Florida quarterback Shawqi Itraish. With the most important position locked down, the Owls can turn their attention to other key targets.

Want more insight on Rice Football recruiting? Subscribe to The Roost on Patreon to get exclusive recruiting updates and insight into who the Owls have offered so far.

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Rice Football: Updated list of preseason honors and watch lists

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Led by linebacker Blaze Alldredge, several Rice football players have earned preseason honors prior to the beginning of the 2020 season.

This offseason has been anything but typical, but some things have stayed the same. The preseason watch lists and award calendars have remained largely in sync. Rice Football has had several players recognized across a variety of publications. Additional accolades will follow, including Conference USA preseason teams, among others.

Here’s the most up-to-date list of recognition for each Rice player:

Senior linebacker Blaze Alldredge

  • First Team, Phil Steele All-Conference USA
  • First Team, Athlon Sports All-Conference USA
  • Bednarik Award Watch List (Best defensive player in the nation)
  • Butkus Award Watch List (Best linebacker in the nation)
  • Nagurski Trophy Watch List (Best defensive player in the nation)

Redshirt junior wide receiver Bradley Rozner

  • Third Team, Phil Steele All-Conference USA
  • Third Team, Athlon Sports All-Conference USA
  • Biletnikoff Trophy Watch List (Best wide receiver in the nation)

Senior wide receiver Austin Trammell

  • Third Team punt returner, Athlon Sports All-Conference USA
  • Fourth Team wide receiver, Athlon Sports All-Conference USA
  • Third Team wide receiver, Phil Steele All-Conference USA
  • Third Team punt returner, Phil Steele All-Conference USA
  • Hornung Award Watch List (Most versatile player in the nation)

Senior safety George Nyakwol

  • Third Team, Phil Steele All-Conference USA
  • Fourth Team, Athlon Sports All-Conference USA

Additional Phil Steele honorees

  • Junior long snapper Campbell Riddle, Second Team
  • Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Clay Servin, Fourth Team

Additional Athlon Sports honorees

  • Redshirt junior offensive lineman Shea Baker, Fourth Team
  • Redshirt senior defensive lineman Elijah Garcia, Fourth Team

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