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Conference USA Football 2019: Week 10 C-USA Roundup

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It was another disappointing weekend for Rice football, but plenty of other Conference USA Football teams had big wins to celebrate in Week 10.

Team Week 10 Result Week 11
Charlotte vs MTSU W, 34-20 at UTEP
FAU at WKU W, 35-24 vs FIU
FIU vs Old Dominion W, 24-17 at FAU
LA Tech — OFF —  — vs North Texas
Marshall at Rice W, 20-7 — OFF —
MTSU at Charlotte L, 34-20 — OFF —
North Texas vs UTEP W, 52-26 at Louisiana Tech
Old Dominion at FIU L, 24-17 vs UTSA
Rice vs Marshall L, 20-7 — OFF —
Southern Miss — OFF —  — vs UAB
UAB at Tennessee L, 30-7 at Southern Miss
UTEP at North Texas W, 52-26 vs Charlotte
UTSA at Texas A&M L, 45-14 at Old Dominion
WKU vs FAU L, 35-24 at Arkansas

Notable Week 10 results – Standings

What could have been?

The Rice football offense showed signs of life under freshmen quarterback Jovoni Johnson, but untimely penalties and his injury stopped the Owls before they could ever get into a rhythm. One proficient half through the air was more than enough for Marshall to beat Rice on Saturday.

Tops turned after hot start

Three weeks ago, Western Kentucky was in the driver’s seat in the C-USA East. Losses to Marshall and FAU, the latter which came at home in Week 10, have not only put the dreams of winning the conference on hold, but severely dampened aspirations of playing in a bowl game this season. Sitting at 4-5 with a date against Arkansas next weekend, the Hilltoppers season might have just turned on a dime.

The Mason Fine we all know and love

It’s been a bumpy ride for preseason offensive player of the year, Mason Fine. A grueling schedule and some injuries have kept Fine off his A-game.  He threw for 300 yards three times in the Mean Green’s first seven-game, averaging 2.1 touchdowns over that span. In his last two games, he’s averaged 363 yards and SIX touchdowns per game. His seven touchdown outing against UTEP was marvelous.

Week 11 storylines

Could Charlotte go bowling after all?

It’s been a roller coaster of a season for Charlotte in 2019. After four straight losses, the 49ers have won their last two games, giving them four victories under their belt with three games to play. They still have Marshall on the schedule, but they also draw UTEP and Old Dominion, neither of which has won a conference game this year.

All-Florida showdown

Florida Atlantic and FIU have had this coming weekend circled on the calendar since the season began. It’s been a bumpy ride for FIU, but the Panthers can clinch a bowl berth and knock FAU out of contention for the East with a win. Rivalry games always seem to live up to the hype. This should be a good one.

For the west

Louisiana Tech has a win over Southern Miss and a one-game lead in the race fo the West. Beating North Texas next weekend at home will keep them in the front of the pack, but perhaps an even more intriguing battle will be happening in Hattiesburg. The winner of Southern Miss vs UAB could thrust themselves back into the mix, particularly if the Blazers can win on the road as they have a date with Louisiana Tech later in November.

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Rice Football: Breaking down JoVoni Johnson’s first start 🔒

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JoVoni Johnson left his first start as the Rice football quarterback with an injury, but made the most of his longest outing of the season.

It wasn’t perfect, but there was a lot to like from JoVoni Johnson’s first career start on Saturday against Marshall. One of four Rice football quarterbacks to see action this season, Johnson proved to be the most dynamic.

Here’s a closer look behind the numbers and a few reasons to be encouraged by what we saw from Johnson against Marshall.

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Rice Football: JoVoni Johnson not enough to power Owls past Marshall

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Rice football found a way to keep it close, but the offense’s spark came too late to overcome a late deficit as the Owls fell to Marshall on Homecoming.

A win on Homecoming against Marshall was something Rice football desperately needed to snap a grueling streak of losses. Like seemingly every other game this season, the game was close into the second half. When both teams looked up at the scoreboard at the start of the fourth quarter they saw a two-score game with plenty of time remaining.

This one ended the same way the others had to this point in the season, with Rice falling short on the scoreboard. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

1. Hello, Jovoni Johnson

Things were pretty clear during the week that Wiley Green was not going to start this game, regardless of the health of quarterback Tom Stewart. After Stewart’s limited availability in practice, his status entering Saturday was very much so up in the air. As reported on Friday, that left JoVoni Johnson as the most likely alternative should Stewart be unable to go.

Stewart warmed up but it was Johnson who started the game and played all but one snap, leaving briefly for one play after getting the wind knocked out of him on a hit. The coaching staff raved about his athletic ability throughout fall camp and liked how he’d progress in recent weeks.

In his first outing as the Rice football starting quarterback, Johnson played well. As long as he was on the field, the offense had life. When Tom Stewart took over, the offense fizzled. He completed one of his nine passes, ending promising drives with nothing to show for it.

Limited possessions didn’t do anything to help the young quarterback find his rhythm, but the simplified scheme and some plus running lanes provide by the offensive line aided him in his first career start. After starting 8-of-9 passing for 77 yards, No. 3 went on to complete 10/17 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown. He added 65 yards rushing with his legs. Perhaps even more importantly, he committed no turnovers.

2. Redzone warriors

The Rice defense almost singlehandedly kept the team in the game last weekend against Southern Miss. The Eagles reached the redzone four times but only found the endzone once in those possessions. The same sort of pattern emerged early against Marshall. The Herd got into the redzone twice in the first quarter alone but left with just three points. For the game, they managed two touchdowns on four redzone possessions.

Linebacker Adrian Bickham was the star of the first Marshall redzone drive. One of three true freshmen to play in every game this season, Bickham reached up and knocked down the Justin Rohrwasser’s first field goal of the day.

A strategy of keeping the offense in front of them, which they’ve achieved more often than not this season, has lent itself to this sort of bend-but-don’t-break style of defense. At the very least, they’ve softened the blow of some of C-USA’s most powerful offenses, giving the Owls’ own offense a chance.

3. Not the best day for the Rice secondary

The mandate given to this team by the coaching staff has been constant all season: don’t turn the ball over on offense and don’t let the ball go over your head on defense.

The former has been the sticking point for the Owls this season. Several quarterbacks have been cycled through to fix the problem. The latest, Johnson, did not turn the ball over on Saturday. With that half of the mandate delivered finally delivered, the secondary struggled to hold up their end of the bargain.

PODCAST: Special interview with Denver Broncos offensive lineman Calvin Anderson

Green was masterful through the air against the Owls. He completed 17-of-22 passes for 269 yards and one touchdown. He hit several long plays, including a 63-yard strike to Xavier Gaines who was tackled at the one-yard line, setting up a touchdown run from Brenden Knox. On the next possession, Green hit Talik Keaton over the top for a 19-yard score.

The secondary was able to clamp down in the second half, limiting Green’s effectiveness. But the points scored in the first half proved to be too many for the Owls’ own offense to overcome.

4. In search of playmakers

Marshall tight end Armani Levias and running back Brenden Knox were difference makers in this game. When the Herd needed a big play, one of those delivered time and time again. In fact, six different Marshall players had a play from scrimmage of 18-yards or more.

Reliable slot man Austin Trammell was the only non-quarterback to gain 18 yards on a single play for the Owls. Bradley Rozner came close, hauling in a 17-yard reception. But those are the two names we’ve come to expect to make plays from on offense this season.

Rice needs somebody else to step up. Johnson helped fill the void, picking up several first downs with his legs. Juma Otoviano had his best day running on the season but was held to 66 yards on the ground. With Johnson at the controls, the offense was better today, but its upside could rise dramatically if someone else can generate a few more chunk plays of their own.

5. Is it too much to ask for both?

Against Southern Miss, the Rice defense pitched a near-shutout through 59 minutes against one of the best offenses in Conference USA. On Saturday against Marshall, that same defense looked a step slow and far less consistent than they’d been to this point in the season. The offense looked promising, hindered by Johnson leaving the game twice in big moments.

That’s been the story of the 2019 Rice Football season in miniature. The defense wows while the offense goes quietly. Then when the offense has their moments, the defense is good, but not quite as proficient as we’ve come to expect. Special teams has ebbed and flowed, too.

If Rice puts its best product on the field, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have at least one, if not multiple conference wins. To this point, the Owls’ worst enemy has been themselves. They know that but have thus far been unable to find the right combination of all three phases to win.

The law of averages would suggest that Rice will find that combination. With three games left, they’re running out of time.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 15 – 2019 Southern Miss Review, Marshall Preview

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Homecoming is here for Rice Football as they prepare for Marshall in Week 10. Carter and Matthew preview that game and take one last look at Southern Miss.

It was another mixed bag for Rice football this past weekend against Southern Miss. The Owls looked fantastic on defense and woeful on offense. They’ll have plenty of work to do before their upcoming game, homecoming against Marshall. Carter and Matthew work through all of that in this week’s episode.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, Give a listen to Episode 15 below.

Episode 15 Notes

  • News and notes —  Rice Men’s Basketball starts up on Oct. 31. The women’s basketball team follows on Nov. 5. Make sure to check out our interview with Denver Broncos’ offensive lineman Calvin Anderson on a special edition of The Roost Podcast.
  • Southern Miss Review — Another extremely poorly timed turnover turned this game quickly. We hit on the changes the offense is making and the options at quarterback. From there, we discuss the rise of the Rice defense and detail how they’ve gotten so good so quickly.
  • Marshall Preview — Marshall is going to try and match the Owls’ physicality on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Isaiah Green’s play has been good this year, but he hasn’t taken the sophomore leap many had hoped he would. The Rice offense keeping pace with Green and Co. will be crucial to how this game goes. More importantly, can the Owls score enough points on offense to support their elite-level defense?

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 Film Room 2019: Southern Miss review and Marshall preview

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This week’s edition of the Rice Football film room feature we take a look back at the Southern Miss game and preview the Marshall offense.

Welcome back to the Rice Football Film Room, y’all! As usual, this week we’ll be taking a deeper look at a couple plays, one from Rice’s previous game (another heartbreaker, this time to Southern Miss) and one that gives you an idea what to expect from the Owls’ upcoming opponent (Marshall, coming off a big win over WKU, getting them to a half-game from the C-USA East lead).

Southern Miss

Setup

This Rice football season has been demoralizing enough without me putting another sad breakdown into your lives, so let’s pick a happy one here, shall we?

Rice has the ball 1st and 10 at the Southern Miss 15-yard line, down 13-0 with about 6:04 left in the third. They’re in a three-wide shotgun look, though it’s technically 12 personnel because the widest receiver to the field side is TE Jordan Myers.

Southern Miss is in an even front with nickel personnel, and both safeties are about 6-7 yards deep. It looks like they could be in a Quarters or Cover six look (Cover 6 is Cover 2 on one side, usually the short side to bracket the X receiver, and Quarters/Cover 4 to the other), at least initially.

The Play

Marshall brings the house, blitzing the weakside linebacker and the boundary corner. The remaining DBs play man and it looks like the middle linebacker is spying Wiley Green.

With only five blockers to six defenders (Jaeger Bull runs a route from the inline TE spot), the Golden Eagles have the numbers advantage in the pass rush. The RB (I think it’s Charlie Booker) does an excellent job of picking up the inside blitzer (the backer), since the corner has farther to go. It’s Wiley’s job to get the ball out before the corner gets home.

The blitz has left the four remaining DBs in man. The strong safety follows Bull across the formation, leaving Austin Trammell isolated on the nickel, with the field corner covering Myers on a whip route (basically faking a slant before turning back into a short out route). Trammell runs a double move (a post corner), appearing to break his vertical route stem inside before turning back toward the corner of the end zone.

Trammell sells it well, but what really makes this play go is the chemistry between him and Green. I couldn’t isolate a frame that was clear enough to show it (I gotta start making some higher-quality gifs!), but watch that gif enough times and you’ll see that Green pump fakes *exactly* as Trammell is starting to fake his inside break. The DB bites, Trammell blows past him, and Green drops it in perfectly for a touchdown. You might normally like to see him lead the receiver a bit better, but in the end zone yards after the catch are moot, so I have no issues with Trammell having to slow up and turn around when he’s got that much cushion.

Marshall

The Marshall offense is going to be a challenge. While in some ways they are a fairly typical spread-to-run offense, they do so from a variety of personnel sets. In particular, they make extensive use of their tight ends, lining them up inline, wide, and at H-back, and using them as both blockers and receivers. Their top three tight ends rank first, second, and fifth on the team in catches and first, fourth and seventh in yards, with a combined seven of Marshall’s 12 receiving touchdowns. But they can also hit big plays over the top, with two WRs averaging at least 19 yards a catch on 9+ receptions.

Setup

It’s 1st and 10 Marshall from the 25, four minutes into the game, no score. The Herd are in a 4-wide look, but it’s actually 13 (!) personnel, because the boundary receiver and the two slot receivers are all tight ends (the aforementioned top three: from top to bottom of screen, Armani Levias, Devin Miller, and Xavier Gaines). WKU is in nickel personnel, showing a single-high look.

The Play

There’s nothing fancy about this play: in fact, it’s one I’ve broken down for Rice in this column before. It’s the Glance RPO—you can tell it’s not play action because the offensive line fires off the ball to run block. Marshall QB Isaiah Green is reading the inside DB, lined up about 8-9 yards off the line. If he doubles the receiver, Green hands it off. If he flows toward the line to play the run, Green throws the skinny post to a single-covered receiver.

Here, the DB seems to sort of slow play, presumably hoping to muddle Green’s read. But sometimes trying to play both options means you can’t actually play either, and when Green pulls to throw, the DB is left in the dust.

More: Previewing Rice Football vs Marshall

The point I wanted to make here is that, as you may have realized when I pointed out the personnel, that’s not a WR lined up at X and running that route. That’s six-four, two hundred and fifty-five pound tight end Armani Levias, who just casually blows by WKU cornerback Trae Meadows on a vertical route for a wide-open touchdown. Tight ends aren’t supposed to run like that! I mean, NFL tight ends maybe! Where did Doc Holliday find this dude! I call shenanigans!

So yeah, it’s not hard to see why Levias leads the team in catches, yards, and touchdowns. Marshall will run the ball first and foremost, and Isaiah Green has been inconsistent at QB—he’s completing less than 59 percent of his passes, with that dragging his yards per attempt down to a pedestrian 7.0—but they will absolutely hit some big plays if Rice isn’t prepared. You don’t have to be the most accurate QB in the world to be effective when you’ve got fleet-footed wide receivers and a 255-pound gazelle playing tight end for you.

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