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The Roost Podcast | Ep 49 – College Football returns and C-USA Odds

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Actual college football happened this week. Carter and Matthew breakdown the impact of Austin Peay vs Central Arkansas and discuss C-USA title odds.

We’re a month away from Rice football’s 2020 debut, but college football has officially begun. Austin Peay and Central Arkansas kicked off the fall season last week in a game that might have more impact on the rest of the sport as a whole than it would in other years.

Carter and Matthew examine the circumstances surrounding what was an extremely unusual game and what ripple effects could impact Rice, Conference USA and the national landscape of the sport.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 49.

Episode 49 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Schedule news and other updates are coming fast and furious. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe on Patreon so you don’t miss what’s happening behind the scenes. As always, 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.

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  • College Football is back
    • COVID-19 impacts first game of the season between Austin Peay and Central Arkansas
    • Could Austin Peay’s missing players be a sign of things to come?
    • Two very different schedules highlight what is destined to be a strange season
  • Conference USA odds and Rice outlook
    • Oddsmakers are split on the Owls. What are realistic expectations for the team in this truncated season?
    • Can this team reach the Conference USA Championship game?
    • How do we evaluate this season?

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.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 48 – Jack Fox interview and Special Teams Preview

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The final episode in our three-part 2020 Rice Football season previews, Carter and Matthew discuss the Rice Football special teams and catch up with Jack Fox.

The start of the 2020 Rice Football season has been delayed. Rice will no longer play Lamar on Sept. 26 (Find out more about the schedule and the potential ripple effects of that decision on our Patreon page). But when they do play, podcast listeners will have ample insight on the roster.

This week Carter and Matthew catch up with former Rice punter and current Detroit Lion Jack Fox. He told us about his offseason, what he learned in the punter conclave in Birmingham, Alabama and how he’s approaching the battle for the starting job with the Lions. We also covered the specialists at Rice and what to expect from that unit on the field in 2020.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 48.

Episode 48 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Schedule news and other updates are coming fast and furious. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe on Patreon so you don’t miss what’s happening behind the scenes. As always, 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.

Become a Patron!

  • Rice Football Special Teams Preview
    • Punter Charlie Mendes – Unproven, but has done well in preseason and practices. Will have to learn to be consistent in live-game situations, but the ability is there.
    • Kicker Collin Riccitelli – Stanford transfer once compared to Joe Burrow. No, he’s not winning the Heisman, but Riccitelli should find success at Rice after sitting behind All-Pac12 honoree Jet Toner.
    • Long snapper Cam Riddle – Jack Fox said Phil Steele doesn’t know what he’s talking about if he ranked Riddle lower than No. 1 in C-USA. (Steele had him No. 2)
    • NCAA weighing eligibility ruling: Proposition would allow all athletes an extra year of eligibility regardless of how many games they play in the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • Jack Fox interview: Jack updated us on…
    • What training for an NFL job looks like in the midst of a pandemic, including a gathering of pro punters in Birmingham, Alabama. The punter conclave (or rendevous as Jack called it) helped hone his game to prepare for the fall
    • Intricacies of punting that go through his head while he punts that casual observers might never consider
    • What he’s learned from Year 1 to Year 2 and his confidence heading into another competition

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.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 47 – 2020 Rice Football Season Outlook and COVID-19 updates

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The 2020 Rice Football season has been pushed back. This week’s edition of The Roost Podcast focuses on the impacts of COVID-19 on the sport as a whole.

It seemed like no sooner had we hit stop on the Rice Football Offense and Defense Preview shows than did something change. The Owls lost a projected starter in the secondary to the Transfer Portal this week. Carter and Matthew walked through the impact that will have on the team this season before opening things up for a more far-reaching discussion concerning the state of college football.

Conferences are beginning to draw up plans for a spring season. The Big Ten is fighting through PR disasters and the NCAA is working to clear up eligibility questions for athletes, some of which are scheduled to compete in the next few weeks.

The duo wrapped everything up with a Rice football-inspired game.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 47.

Episode 47 Notes

  • Housekeeping — We hit on some takeaways from spring practice in this episode. You can find previous (and future) practice reports and all our recruiting updates on our Premium page, reserved for our Patreon subscribers. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s happening behind the scenes. As always, 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.

Become a Patron!

  • Rice/COVID-19 Updates
    • Starting corner Tyrae Thornton entered the Transfer Portal: How does that impact the Owls and what can Rice expect in the secondary without him?
    • SWAC puts out a spring schedule: Big Ten making plans for a possible January start.
    • NCAA weighing eligibility ruling: Proposition would allow all athletes an extra year of eligibility regardless of how many games they play in the 2020-2021 academic year.
  • Looking ahead at the future of Rice football game
    • Carter and Matthew debated the future of the program in a fun game
    • The rules were simple: What’s more likely to happen?
Blaze Alldredge wins C-USA Defensive MVP Rice has the No. 1 run defense in C-USA
Mike Collins has multiple 300yd passing games Someone other than Juma leads team in rushing TDs
Two Rice WRs surpass 1,000 yards Rice finishes +10 in turnover margin
Rice makes the C-USA title game Rice goes below .500 in Conference play
Rice signs the No. 1 recruiting class in C-USA Rice beats a P5 non-conference opponent
Rice wins a conference title in football first Rice wins a conference title in baseball first
Rice finds a multi-year starter at QB Rice has a player Drafted in Top 3 rounds of NFL Draft

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.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 46 – 2020 Rice Football Defense Preview

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The 2020 Rice Football season has is still scheduled to be played at some point this fall. In this week’s show, the Roost Podcast breaks down the Owls’ defense.

The Extended Offseason hits the defense in the second half of our Rice football team preview this week. We hit the offense last week, spending 90 minutes on pure football for the first time in months. This time Carter and Matthew talk through the entire defense, focusing on potential breakout players, reasons for concern and what they’re paying attention to on this side of the ball.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 46.


Episode 46 Notes

  • Housekeeping — We hit on some takeaways from spring practice in this episode. You can find previous (and future) practice reports and all our recruiting updates on our Premium page, reserved for our Patreon subscribers. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s happening behind the scenes. As always, 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.

Become a Patron!

  • Rice/COVID-19 Updates — There was a lot to cover this week. Rice football has delayed its season until September 26. One Conference USA member has canceled the season and four conferences have shut things down until the spring, at the earliest.
  • Rice football defense preview — Carter and Matthew walk through each position:
    • Defensive line: The depth is a question mark, but getting a full season (of some kind) with a healthy front four should make last season’s production the floor. More pressure is a must.
    • Linebacker: Blaze Alldredge is a stud. Antonio Montero is great too. This one-two punch is among the best in the conference and the strongest positional starters on the team.
    • Safety: Rice has depth, experience and talent at the safety spot. George Nyakwol, Naeem Smith, Treshawn Chamberlain and Prudy Calderon are going to hold things down on the back end again.
    • Corner: The corners took big strides last season with their one-on-one coverage. Tre’shon Devones having a full season as the No. 1 with experience opposite him. Tyrae Thronton is one of the elder statesmen of the secondary who made big strides last fall.

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.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 45 – 2020 Rice Football Offense Preview

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The 2020 Rice Football season is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. In this week’s show, the Roost Podcast breaks down the Owls’ offense.

The Extended Offseason steps away from our series of guests to focus on Rice football. This week’s show features a position by position breakdown of the offense. Carter and Matthew talk through the entire offense, focusing on potential breakout players, reasons for concern and what they’re paying attention to on this side of the ball.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to our preview of the Rice Football offense on Episode 45.

Episode 45 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Practice reports are reserved for Patreon subscribers. Make sure you hit the button and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s happening behind the scenes. As always, 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.

Become a Patron!

  • Rice/COVID-19 Updates — Rice football back to regularly scheduled offseason workouts and the university has announced its campus plans for the upcoming fall. As of now, the Owls’ first football game is scheduled to kick off within a month’s time.
  • Rice football offense preview — Carter and Matthew walk through each position:
    • Wide receiver: Austin Trammell and Brad Rozner are studs. Our picks for the next options behind those two.
    • Tight end: Jordan Myers leads the way here and he can do everything, from blocking to pass-catching. Even returning punts.
    • Running back: The health of Juma Otoviano is an x-factor for this offense, but newcomers like Khalan Griffin are worth keeping an eye on.
    • Quarterback: JoVoni Johnson vs Mike Collins. Collins has the slight edge to win the job, but as long as one man can rise to the top and stay healthy, Rice football should be better off. The talent in the room is as good as its been in the Mike Bloomgren era.
    • Offensive line: Mike Bloomgren’s influence has to pay dividends this year. Proven commodities on the left side anchored by Clay Servin and Shea Baker are important pieces.
    • Fullbacks: Brendan Suckley has the fulltime job after being thrust into the starters role last year. Plus, Rice signed the No. 1 fullback recruit in the nation … even though he’d never played fullback.

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.

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

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