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Owls’ target Mckel Broussard talks Rice visit and recruitment

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McKel Broussard could be the difference-maker that crowns the 2019 Rice football recruiting class. Where do the Owls stand in his recruitment?

By all accounts, the Owls had a successful Junior Day this weekend. They picked up a commitment from Regan Riddle and sent out a few offers as well. One of those player offered by coach Mike Bloomgren and his staff was McKel Broussard. He came away impressed by the weekend and excited about the direction of the program moving forward.

Broussard was complimentary of the coaching staff, saying they made him feel like family and challenged him to be the best that he could be, both on the field and off of it. The high academic standard can be a turn off for some. Broussard, however, seemed to embrace the challenge. He called it an eye-opening experience. “I enjoyed everything about my Junior Day experience,” he said, “the drive, the family, life, academics.”

Landing a prospect like Broussard would be a landmark moment, both for Bloomgren and for Rice. Bloomgren developed a reputation as an ace recruiter at Stanford, but translating that success to Rice is far from a guarantee. Meanwhile, Rice has never signed a player as highly regarded as Broussard, ever.

The 247 Sports Composite ranks list Broussard as a 4-star prospect and the No. 11 athlete in the nation. According to the composite ranks, Rice has never landed a blue chip player, someone rated as a 4-star or 5-star prospect. That makes Broussard’s recruitment all the more important. He’s the kind of player that can help Bloomgren achieve his vision and make Rice an immediate competitor in Conference USA and beyond.

Coach Bloomgren came to Rice because he believed the Owls were on par with programs like Stanford, Northwestern and Duke. If Rice football is going to take the necessary steps to become a major player on the field in the future it’s going to have to start with significant headwinds on the recruiting trail. If they can get Broussard that process could be expedited.

So where does Rice stand with their prized recruit? According to Broussard, “definitely on the top of my list.”

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Owls wrap up successful recruiting weekend

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The Rice football staff hosted several players on campus this weekend and handed out several offers. Here’s a rundown of the major moves.

Rice football had a host of players on campus this past weekend. A few offers went out and one player, guard Regan Riddle, pulled the trigger and committed to the Owls before the weekend was through.

Riddle was one of six offers that have been made public to this point. Here’s how the five other players offered this weekend stack out:

Izeya Floyd

  • Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 305 pounds
  • Rank: Unranked
  • Position: Offensive line
  • Notable Offers: Air Force, Arkansas-Pine Bluff

 John Harrington Jr.

  • Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
  • 247 Rank: 2-star
  • Position: Athlete
  • Notable Offers: UMass, Texas State, Yale

Zane Knipe

  • Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 175 pounds
  • 247 Rank: 3-star
  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Notable Offers: Illinois

McKel Broussard

  • Height/Weight: 6-foot, 182 pounds
  • 247 Rank: 4-star (composite)
  • Position: Athlete
  • Notable Offers: None

Trevor Bycznski

  • Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
  • 247 Rank: 3-star
  • Position: Pro-style quarterback
  • Notable Offers: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Georgetown

Coach Mike Bloomgren seems to be spreading his focus fairly evenly thus far. He’s offered a good mix of players with Power 5 offers and dug for a few diamonds in the rough that have yet to be discovered. That same philosophy came to bear this weekend.

Of all the offers that went out, quarterback Trevor Bycznski is the most intriguing. The Owls don’t have a quarterback yet in the 2019 class and finding someone that can run Bloomgren’s offense should be a top priority.

Bycznski got himself on the radar last week at Notre Dame’s skills camp. If he’s impressing the Irish he’s definitely someone worth looking into. He drew accolades for his arm, but he’s also a plus player with his legs. That kind of versatility opens up options whenever he’s on the field.

Rice has picked up a pair of commitments this week. As offers continue to go out it’s only a matter of time before the Owls landed another piece of the 2019 class.

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2019 OG Regan Riddle commits to the Owls

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Rice football added their first offensive lineman to the 2019 class on Saturday with the commitment of guard Regan Riddle from Highland Park High School in Dallas, Tx.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

Head coach Mike Bloomgren knows a thing or two about winning in the trenches. His offensives at Stanford were known for their bruising rushing attacks and intimidating offensive lines. Size and power up front set the tone for the offense as a whole, making the addition of Highland Park offensive guard Regan Riddle a big get for the Owls.

Riddle made his decision public on social media Saturday afternoon following his visit to Rice:

https://twitter.com/Regan_Riddle/status/1008082464508481536

247 Sports tabs Riddle as a 2-star prospect. At the time of his commitment, he held offers from fellow CUSA member North Texas as well as Air Force, Army, Navy, Louisiana-Monroe and Tulsa. Riddle checks in at 6-foot-2, 285 pounds. A state champion in 2017, he was an honorable mention to the 5A All-State team.

Riddle has quick feet for a man of his size and he’s not afraid to use them. Playing mostly at right tackle during his junior season, he spent plenty of time creating space on the outside. He’s a grinder and the right kind of piece for Mike Bloomgren as he injects his own brand of toughness into the Rice program moving forward.

This marks the second commitment this week for the Rice staff; tight end Jack Bradley committed to the Owls on Monday. With three total commits in the 2019 class the Owls are beginning to build some momentum towards the future. Their class now ranks fifth in Conference USA, one place below last season’s Western Division winner North Texas (4th) and one place above the Eastern Division winner FAU (6th). That’s good company to keep as Rice football continues to build on its upward trajectory entering 2018.

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2019 Tight End Jack Bradley commits to the Owls

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2019 Bishop Lynch tight end Jack Bradley committed to Rice Football over multiple other in-state programs including Texas and Baylor.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

During his tenure with the Stanford Cardinal Mike Bloomgren helped develop an impressive line of NFL-caliber tight ends. Five Stanford tight ends were drafted while Bloomgren was on staff with Stanford, the latest being Austin Hooper (Rnd. 3, 2016) and Dalton Schultz (Rnd. 4, 2018).

It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that tight end is a priority to Bloomgren in the 2019 class. After securing the commitment of defensive end Justin Moore in April, Bloomgren added his first offensive player to the fold with the commitment of Bishop Lynch (Dallas, TX) tight end Jack Bradley.

Bradley’s commitment to Rice is a big get for Coach Bloomgren. He came to Rice with several recruiting accolades which he’s already bringing to bear. Bradley had interest from Texas, Baylor and Colorado, among others.

If Rice wants to climb out of the bottom of Conference USA they need more talent. Taking players away from some of the state’s top programs is a good place to start. Beating out Tom Herman and Matt Rhule is no small task, and it could be a sign of things to come.

A 3-star prospect according to Rivals.com, Bradley has the potential to become an impactful weapon in the Rice offense. At 6-foot-6, 230 pounds he’ll be the biggest and tallest tight end on the roster.

Bloomgren isn’t likely to finish up the 2019 class without adding at least one more tight end to the fold. So far he’s offered five other players at the position spanning from South Carolina to California.  For now, Bradley’s commitment is a sign of positive momentum on the recruiting front for the Owls. Expect that to continue and intensitfy as Bloomgren and his staff have more time to pour into the 2019 class this summer.

 

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Projections expect gradual improvement for Owls in 2018

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For the first time this decade, Rice football is undergoing a head coaching change. With the new regime comes uncertainty, especially from those on the outside looking in.

Rice football is in uncharted territory and the outside world doesn’t know what to do about it. The Owls haven’t hired a new head coach since they brought David Baliff on board in 2007. After a 3-9 season they road with him through the highs (10-win seasons in 2008, 2013) and the lows (below .500 seven times in 11 seasons) until opting for a change following the 2017 season. Rice nabbed Mike Bloomgren away from Stanford and he’ll be tasked with righting the ship.

The first year for most coaches involves a lot of feeling out and scheme installation. Rice won’t be expected to vie for a conference title out of the gate, but the Owls’ new head man bring with him plenty of energy and excitement. If he pushes the right buttons Rice football could surprise the “experts” in 2018.

Various media sources are putting out their projections for the upcoming season and a common theme of gradual improvement is beginning to solidify. Here’s a few notable win-loss projections for the Owls:

Rice bottomed out last season. Before finishing 1-11 in 2017 the Owls had won at least two games every year since 2005. The 11 losses marked only the third time in school history in which the Owls had suffered that many defeats. Although going 0-13 is possible on paper, the vast majority of publications believe the Owls will have enough oomph to defeat, at a minimum, UTEP and Prairie View A&M.

Bloomgren’s claim to fame is his recruiting prowess. He’s locked in one commitment so far, and will be expected to bolster his upcoming recruiting class throughout the season. If he can increase the talent profile at Rice over the next few seasons that projected win total will start to rise.

 

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