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What happened to the December Conference USA Football schedule? All-American Q&A

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All-American Level subscribers on Patreon get access to a monthly Q&A with me. The November focuses on the upcoming month of Conference USA football.

Q. How badly did Conference USA bocth the end of season scheduling? Shouldn’t Rice be playing UTSA this weekend instead of Marshall?

A. You could see the writing on the wall when Rice had the Marshall game added back to their schedule the same week the UTSA game was postponed. I understand the impetus from the league office to get as many games back on the schedule as possible, but using hindsight (not a luxury they had at the time) it seems pretty clear that most if not all of those impacting programs were going to have multiple games unplayed by the time the calendar got to December. So, what’s the right answer?

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: Marshall

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Rice Football hopes to return to the field this week, but Marshall will be one of their toughest tests yet. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice got tantalizingly close to kickoff last week against UTEP but saw the game postponed mere hours before the Owls and Miners were set to face off. The cancelation marks the third time in the last four weeks Rice did not play because of a COVID-19 issue from their opponent.

Marshall was off last weekend with a rare “scheduled” off weekend. Not accounting for rescheduling December games against Rice and FIU, Marshall played through the bulk of their expected regular season. Their last action came on Nov. 14, a win over Middle Tennessee. Their Nov. 21 game against Charlotte was postponed.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 11:00 AM CT
Venue | Joan C. Edwards Stadium – Huntington, WV
TV | ESPN+ (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Marshall on Episode 64 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Thursday. Find us on the podcast page or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (And consider leaving us a 5-star review while you’re at it.)

Visual Preview

Make sure you check out Inside the Hedges, a weekly show with myself and former Rice football quarterback Taylor McHargue. Watch it live on Wednesday nights here or watch it at your leisure on the Rice Athletics Youtube page.

Join the Conversation

What are your keys to victory this week? What pitfalls must the Owls avoid? Did you like that third down call? Share your thoughts on the matchup on the forum and make sure you tune in Saturday for our live game blog keeping track of every score and key moment.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice missed the opportunity to play a UTEP team that was winless in C-USA play. Instead, they’ll travel to the only unbeaten team in the conference. That swap, combined with other winnable divisional games previously postponed, leave Rice with an uphill battle as the scheduled winds down. If Rice wants to get back to .500, they’re going to have to beat one of C-USA’s best.

Marshall just needs to keep pace with their side of the conference in this game. The 7-0 Herd have a head-to-head win over FAU, but haven’t played Charlotte. With Conference USA opting not to schedule a game between Marshall and Charlotte (so far), all Marshall has to do is win to stay at the top of the pack with no divisional tiebreakers in play.

Series History

All Time | Marshall leads 5-2
Last Five | Marshall leads 4-1
Last Meeting | Home 2020, Marshall won 20-7

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 53/86 (61.6 percent), 802 yards passing, 10 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry) | Griffin – 41 carries, 159 yards (3.9 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 16 receptions, 335 yards (20.9 yards per reception), 6 TD | Myers – 14 receptions, 138 yards (9.9 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 32, Montero – 23, Garcia – 19
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Calderon – 2 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

Marshall Stat Notables

Passing | Wells – 126/192 (65.7 percent), 1674 yards passing, 16 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Knox – 148 carries, 744 yards (5.0 yards per carry), 9 TD
Receiving | Gaines – 22 receptions, 288 yards (13.1 yards per reception), 3 TD | Gammage – 23 receptions, 270 yards (11.7 yards per reception), 4 TD
Tackles | Beckett – 69, Neal – 43, Hodge – 31
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Gilmore – 6 PBU / Gilmore, Neal, Johnson, Drayton – 1 INT

Marshall X-Factor | Limit explosive plays

The Marshall defense might be the most formidable unit in C-USA and because of it, teams don’t score points in bunches against the Herd very often. Sustaining long drives isn’t easy to do against this defense. Rice has been able to piece together several 10+ play drives in their limited action so far this season, but something has to give.

Marshall has allowed three plays of 30 or more yards in four conference games, the best mark of any team in C-USA. They’re also the only C-USA team that hasn’t allowed a play of 50 or more yards against a conference opponent.

The Rice offense is more explosive than its been in the past, but they’re going to need a mix in some big gains to sustain those length drives they’ve become accustomed to. Marshall can’t let that happen.

Rice X-Factor | Win the line of scrimmage

Rice did not control the line of scrimmage against North Texas and the ramifications were severe. The Owls could not consistently move the ball on offense and saw a rather sturdy defense effort go to waste. The offensive line has shown they can push people around already this season, against Marshall they’ll have to be at their best.

If Rice can win in the trenches, they’ll set up their offense to control the pace of the game. That’s going to be paramount against a team that’s proven themselves to the degree that Marshall has. They’re ranked for a reason.

Expect to see Rice utilize full backs, tight ends and different packages to aid their line in this game. It doesn’t really matter how Rice finds a way to win this phase of the game. They just have to do it.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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Need More?

The Roost’s 2020 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for every team in Conference USA. Better yet, it’s not just speculation, each profile was created with insight from local experts who cover those teams day in and day out. Pick up your copy today and get four pages and more than 1,000 words on every foe.

Pick ‘Em Contest

If you haven’t yet, make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and submit them on the forum thread to enter.

  1. Which team scores first?
    Rice / Marshall
  2. How many points will Rice score?
    Over 23.5 / Under 23.5
  3. Which total is higher?
    Rice first downs / Marshall completions
  4. Which team has the longest run from scrimmage?
    Rice / Marshall
  5. What will be the distance of the longest made field goal?
    Over 39.5 yards / Under 39.5
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / Marshall

One Final Thing

Rice was very vocal about not playing a game in West Virginia this week. Logistically, there are ample reasons Rice should be playing UTSA at Rice Stadium on Saturday rather than flying across the country to play a team outside of their own division.

Honestly, Conference USA followed the easiest course of action possible — adding a game between UAB and Middle Tennessee, simple because both were free — rather than addressing divisional matchups still to be played. All this could have been alleviated if C-USA hadn’t added games back midseason amid rising cancelations, but here we are.

No matter the circumstances, Rice has moved their focus solely to Marshall. It’s a tough task in already challenging conditions. All the more reason for the Owls to press on.

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Rice Football 2020 Practice Notes, Presser Quotes and UTEP prep

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Rice football is eager to get back on the field this weekend and face UTEP. Here are the latest practice notes and press conference quotes.

It was tough sledding for Rice football in Denton, falling to 1-2 on the season with the disappointing road loss. The team returns home to Rice Stadium this week to face UTEP, which enters the game 3-4 with a chance to return to .500 by the end of November. The Owls would like to prevent them from getting there a climb back to .500 themselves.

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The team had some thoughts to share on last week. We’ve selected a few quotes from the Owls’ midweek press conference. Then we’ve got a few more updates on what’s in store for the Owls in the coming days and weeks.

Press Conference Quotes

“They played a very, very physical brand of football. They imposed their will on us in all areas. We had a couple of turnovers that were really, really costly and absolutely affected the outcome of the game, and we’ve got to play better. I don’t think it’s that we got to play harder, we’ve got to play better. We’ve got to play more disciplined. And we got to be better with our techniques.” – Mike Bloomgren on the North Texas game

“Obviously we started really fast, just like we wanted to — we were firing on all cylinders. We had multiple turnovers, which obviously that’s never good, we’ll never win like that so that’s obviously the things we need to clean up the most. We got to keep the ball off the turf. And then we got to hit our shots when we take them. And we did a pretty good job at it but we have to keep working, keep finding that connection, keep getting that rhythm and we will get those will go our way.” – WR Jake Bailey on the offensive performance vs North Texas

“We’ve done a pretty good job stopping the run, especially getting off blocks and making plays, just creating negative plays because those are game-changers. I feel like we’re doing a pretty good job, and we can definitely improve on that. I feel like if we continue to practice hard and come to work every day we’ll continue to get better.” – DL De’Braylon Carroll on the defensive performance this season 

Depth Chart Notes

Here’s an updated depth chart from Rice football heading into the UTEP game.

Running back Juma Otoviano was expected to be back this weekend, but his name is absent from the depth chart this week. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him go through pre-game warmups and have his status evaluated again at that point. Ikenna Enechukwu and Trey Schuman have flip-flopped at the defensive end spot, but the OR designation remains. We’ll most likely see both of them.

Looking ahead

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: UTEP

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Rice Football looks to rebound from a disappointing loss with a home win over UTEP. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

The next game can’t come fast enough for Rice football. The Owls are eager to put last weekend’s road loss to North Texas behind them and shake off whatever rust lingered from the back-t0-back postponed games in the weeks prior. Rice looked rattled and far from the dominant form they displayed in their win over Southern Miss.

UTEP wasn’t in action last weekend, losing a game against UAB (scheduled to take place on Friday morning in Midland, TX) because of COVID-19 concerns among the Blazers. Last time out, UTEP was outgunned by UTSA, falling 52-21 in San Antonio.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 12:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTEP on Episode 62 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Thursday. Find us on the podcast page or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (And consider leaving us a 5-star review while you’re at it.)

Visual Preview

Make sure you check out Inside the Hedges, a weekly show with myself and former Rice football quarterback Taylor McHargue. Watch it live on Wednesday nights here or watch it at your leisure on the Rice Athletics Youtube page.

Join the Conversation

What are your keys to victory this week? What pitfalls must the Owls avoid? Did you like that third down call? Share your thoughts on the matchup on the forum and make sure you tune in Saturday for our live game blog keeping track of every score and key moment.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice has swung between extremes so far this season, but can get back to .500 on the season with a win against UTEP. The remaining weeks of their schedule are still a bit up in the air with postponed games against UTSA and Louisiana Tech possible candidates to replace a road trip to Marshall on Dec. 5. Before they get there, Rice has to control what’s in front of them, and this weekend, that’s scheduled to be UTEP.

UTEP wants so desperately to rebound from an unfavorable start to conference play. The 3-win Miners haven’t won four games in a season since 2016. Doing so in a shortened year would be a tremendous step forward for Dana Dimel’s bunch.

Series History

All Time | Rice leads 15-8
Last Five | Rice leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Away 2019, Rice won 30-16

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 53/86 (61.6 percent), 802 yards passing, 10 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry) | Griffin – 41 carries, 159 yards (3.9 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 16 receptions, 335 yards (20.9 yards per reception), 6 TD | Myers – 14 receptions, 138 yards (9.9 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 32, Montero – 23, Garcia – 19
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Calderon – 2 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

UTEP Stat Notables

Passing | Hardison – 108/199 (54.3 percent), 1419 yards passing, 5 TD, 5 INT
Rushing | Hankins – 99 carries, 493 yards (5.0 yards per carry), 7 TD
Receiving | Cowing – 36 receptions, 573 yards (15.9 yards per reception), 1 TD | Garrett – 36 receptions, 498 yards (13.8 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Forester – 56, Knight – 43, Harrell/Inyang/Prince – 32
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Amaewhule – 8 PBU / Lowe – 2 INT

UTEP X-Factor | Capitalize on opportunities

Turnovers and self-inflicted wounds have proven to be fatal flaws in each of Rice’s losses to date. The Owls haven’t played a turnover-free game yet. UTEP hasn’t been productive on that front this year. The Miners are averaging just one turnover per game and nearly one and a half giveaways themselves, but recent history suggests they’ll have more opportunities handed to them by Rice — what will they do with those chances?

UTEP enters the game second-to-last in conference play in total offense, averaging less than 300 yards per game. Even North Texas had trouble at times when it came to driving the length of the field against the Rice defense. UTEP’s best chance of putting up points will be to take advantage of opportunities Rice hands to them. And when they get their chances, they need to turn them into touchdowns.

Rice X-Factor | Win in the trenches

When Rice wins on the offensive and defensive lines, they’re going to be in a position to win. Through three games, that’s happened more often than not. There is no Dion Novil in the defensive trenches for UTEP and the Rice front seven won’t be pulling double duty to support coverage threats on the outside. There shouldn’t be any reason why Rice can’t win on both fronts.

Rice is still without a rushing touchdown this year, an odd occurrence considering they’ve run the ball a conference-high 43.4 times per game. The Owls’ woeful 3.1 yards per carry has also been problematic. A kick start from one of their talented running backs and consistent lanes to run through will help them set the tone in this game.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?

Need More?

The Roost’s 2020 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for every team in Conference USA. Better yet, it’s not just speculation, each profile was created with insight from local experts who cover those teams day in and day out. Pick up your copy today and get four pages and more than 1,000 words on every foe.

Pick ‘Em Contest

If you haven’t yet, make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and submit them on the forum thread to enter.

  1. Will either team score on defense or special teams?
    Yes / No
  2. How many combined touchdown passes with be thrown (both teams)?
    Three or less / Four or more
  3. Does Rice rush for at least one touchdown?
    Yes / No
  4. How many total yards will the Rice defense allow?
    Over 330.5 / Under 330.5
  5. Which team defense forces the first turnover?
    Rice / UTEP / No turnovers
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UTEP

One Final Thing

How Rice football lost to North Texas was almost more concerning than the defeat itself. Rice just wasn’t ready for what the Mean Green threw at them and failed to get things going on offense until time had run out. When this team is on, they’ve proven they can be dangerous. Now they need to prove they have the fortitude to respond to adversity and win a very winnable game.

This upcoming weekend also marks the end of November. With the Conference USA Championship game four weeks away and bowl season beginning on the same day, Rice is running out of opportunities to play football this fall. They simply have to make every Saturday count.

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

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Rice Football Practice Notes 2020: What to look for after the off weeks

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Rice football has suffered back-to-back postponements. The bulk of the schemes will be the same, but improvements have been made over the last two weeks.

A lot can change in three weeks. That was true of Rice football from the start to end of fall camp. Players came in and out of the lineup, adjustments were made. This time Rice has the added benefit of live reps as a baseline.

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To be clear, I don’t expect seismic change when Rice takes the field next (hopefully on Saturday against North Texas). But there have been a few things over the last few weeks of practice that should look different, most of them for the better.

A breakout from the trenches

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