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Rice Football: 2020 Preseason roster notes and changes

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The summer is over and the 2020 Rice football season is, allegedly, approaching. Here’s a quick rundown of the preseason roster and a few interesting tidbits and notes.

Rice football released its preseason roster this week, featuring 109 players. If you haven’t grabbed a copy of the 2020 Rice Football Season Preview, be sure you do soon. It has position by position and player by player breakdowns. Check out a sample here.

The team had the option to begin fall camp on Wednesday. Rice has not yet indicated when it will begin. The team is currently holding walkthroughs. The majority of schools who kick off their season on Saturday of Week 1 can open camp on Friday.

As for the roster itself, here were a few observations worth mentioning.

No startling omissions

First, as most significant, all of the Owls’ key pieces are returning. It’s not uncommon for players to move on from teams for various reasons. It happens everywhere. Rice wasn’t hit hard by outgoing transfers this summer, nor were any key players dismissed. There were 110 players on the roster this spring compared to 109 currently. The lone subtraction was former backup quarterback Parker Towns, who did not appear in any games for the Owls last year and had been moved to wide receiver this spring.

There’s a stark contrast between the Owls’ situation and that of other C-USA teams like Marshall and FAU, both of which unexpectedly lost established starting quarterbacks in the past month.

Rice has size in the offensive trenches

Rice had one player on the offensive line that weighed at least 295 entering the 2019 season, grad transfer Nick Leverett. He’s in camp with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now.

The 2020 offensive line is significantly bigger. Seven offensive lineman enter camp at or above that 295 pound mark. That includes projected starting center Isaac Klarkowski (299), starting guards Shea Baker (302) and Cole Garcia (296) as well as probably starting tackle Jovaun Woolford. The final likely starter on the line, left tackle Clay Servin, checks in at 292.

The Rice starting o-line will come close to 1,500 combined pounds this season. Some of those, like Woolford, have put on a good portion of that weight during the extended offseason. They’re going to push some folks around.

Still room for non-roster additions

The Owls have been adding to their roster all summer. From former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos to former Princeton long snapper Chris Sayan, Rice is still in the market for the right depth pieces. We might not see any massive last-second additions, but there could be a few more pieces.

One such newcomer is CJ McCord, the brother of current Rice corner Miles McCord. He was included on a graphic tweeted out by a few of the Rice wideouts. Standing 6-foot-1, CJ is transferring from Yale and will bring depth the receiving corps. He caught three passes at Yale.

Senior-led, but not senior heavy

There are 13 players on the 109 man roster listed as redshirt seniors, seniors or grad transfers. That includes Collin Riccitelli whom the staff expects to regain an additional year of eligibility. Here are the other 12:

Definite starter
  • Blaze Alldredge, LB
  • Elijah Garcia, DL
  • Jordan Myers, TE
  • George Nyakwol, Saf
  • Naeem Smith, Saf
  • Austin Trammell, WR
Possible starter / key contributor
  • Mike Collins, QB
  • Jovaun Woolford, OL
  • Garrett Grammer, LB
  • JaVante Hubbard, DL
Bench / backup
  • Andrew Tsangeos, TE
  • Collin Whitaker, CB

As you can see, the most experienced players Rice has are going to be playing a lot of snaps for the team this year. But the next level is just as promising. Although I wouldn’t call this a “young” team, there’s plenty of underclassmen and juniors on the roster this year who will see meaningful reps as the team prepares for a more typical season in 2021.

27 freshmen

Between walk ons and scholarship players, Rice is adding 27 freshmen to the roster for the fall. Bringing in such large classes is what’s enabled Mike Bloomgren and his staff to build the roster back to the appropriate amount of depth. He won’t be having to cancel spring practices because he ran out of players like he had to do on occasion during his first year on campus.

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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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Rice Football Recruiting 2021: Mid-July update and targets to watch

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The 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class is continuing to gain steam. Here are a few targets to keep an eye on this summer.

Here are four names to follow as we get past the midpoint of the summer. Evan Jackson is one of the newer offers, but that relationship is off to a great start. Of the earlier offers, Rice is still very much in the mix for Katy Taylor safety Trevor Woods. I have some notes on both of those guys as well as lineman Coco Lukirch and Bryce Goodner.

RB/CB Evan Jackson – Woodland, GA

Evan Jackson is an incredible athlete with top-end speed. Rice has prioritized getting faster in recent classes. Jackson can run a 10.83 100-meter dash and could run track in college if he goes that route. He likes playing with the ball in his hands and likes playing in the slot as a receiver, but he might actually have a better long-term role at Rice as a corner.

At this point, Jackson’s offers have been all over the board. He’s been heavily recruited by the Ivies and has a quarterback offer from Army.

He said the facilities stood out from what he’s seen virtually. His relationships with the coaching staff continue to progress and he’s looking to narrow things down in late July. The everchanging COVID-19 situations have made nailing specific dates difficult, but it sounds like he hopes to have a decision made in the next few weeks if possible. Rice is in a very good place with him.

Saf Trevor Woods – Katy, TX

Rice was the first to offer Katy Taylor standout safety Trevor Woods, and that initial vote of confidence has stuck with him as he’s picked up offers from Arizona, Colorado and others.

He’s remained in close communication with the Rice staff through the in-person shutdown. He said it’s possible his rate of communication has increased with the lack of camps and other summer activities. To some degree, all he and the staff has to do is build relationships.

The recruiting restrictions have probably played into the Owls favor in Woods’ recruitment. He has the talent to be a special player in Conference USA and his lack of exposure this summer has helped secure Rice a spot at the table when it comes time for him to make a decision. The pandemic has made things hazier, but Woods says he’d still like to make a decision by the end of the summer.

OL Coco Lukrich – Park City, UT

Initially listed as a two-way guy on the Offer Tracker, Rice prefers Coco Lukrich on the offensive side of the ball. He’s been a guard at the high school level and could stick there at the college level, especially with the bookend of tackles Rice brought in last season with Trey Phillippi and Mike Leone. Lukrich himself made it clear he’s fine playing on either side of the ball and expects he’ll line up at defensive end frequently this year as well.

Lukrich’s offers are fairly robust. In addition to several Ivy League schools and service academies, he has Power 5 offers from Boston College, Syracuse and Washington State. All three came this summer prior to his offer from Rice. So far it sounds like the Owls are still somewhat in the mix, but the competition has heated up significantly in the last few weeks.

DL Bryce Goodner – Mcminn, TN

Of all the recruits Rice is currently after that don’t have any sort of rating on 247, Goodner might be the one I’m most excited about. First, he’s a monster that moves big things with ease. Second, he’s somehow flying under the radar and has Rice in the hunt when it comes time to make his decision.

Goodner says he’s narrowed his list down and is content with the collection of offers he has so far. He picked up Tulsa over the weekend and already had offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Charlotte a few Ivy League schools and several more from the FCS ranks.

Goodner doesn’t have a timetable for his decision but says he’s in constant contact with Rice and is going to trust his gut. He said a decision could come “tomorrow morning or right before our first game.”

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The State of College Football: COVID-19 changes are on the way

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The college football world is reeling from a series of announcements this week. What happened? And what’s going to happen next?

On Wednesday afternoon, the Ivy League released a detailed, powerful statement that included this telling line:

“It will not be possible for Ivy League teams to participate in intercollegiate athletics competition prior to the end of the fall semester. ”

No intercollegiate athletics competition means no football. And no football is a very, very uncomfortable notion for many in this country. This piece is not going to get into the politicization of the current environment. There are other forums for that conversation. Instead, let’s address the why and the impacts currently reverberating around college football.

Why did the Ivy League cancel football?

Football is the biggest financial driver in college sports. It’s no secret that the loss of a football season would push just about every athletic department further into the red. Staying in a positive place financially is important, but at what cost?

In this case, “the safety and well-being of students as their highest priority” outweighed the monetary gains that football would have brought. At the FCS level, that’s admittedly a much smaller purse than the upper echelon of the sport. At the end of the day though, this decision forced administrators to weigh the tradeoffs between safety and money. In the Ivy League, safety won out.

The ripple effects continue

Others will follow. We’ve already seen an array of FCS teams cancel games due to COVID-19 concerns. Some lower-level schools in D2, D3 and NAIA have gone so far as to cancel seasons. There will be more news along those lines.

Entering Thursday there were already FBS schools with holes on their schedule because of those canceled games. More than a half dozen programs had halted voluntary workouts because of positive test results, with notable programs like Ohio State and North Carolina suspending activities on Wednesday. Positive test results that were concerning in June will become increasingly more so as the calendar inches closer to September.

The ACC delayed all sports until no sooner than Sept. 1 on Thursday morning. Before the day was through reports surfaced that the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 would cancel all non-conference football games. 10 of 14 Conference USA teams will have lost games. Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion and Western Kentucky have already lost two. Marshall’s Week 0 game against East Carolina is scheduled for August 29. Players are scheduled to report for mandatory workouts soon, meaning a decision on whether or not that game (or other non-conference games) will be played at all.

25 percent “and dwindling”

In a statement given to the Denton Record-Chronicle, Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod was noncommittal. “We are continuing to discuss with our membership, but no decisions have been made,” she said. “We are receiving advice from medical experts and examining all options.”

Earlier in the week, a source within the Rice program indicated he would be surprised if they played football this fall. Since then that same source said the likelihood of a fall season being played to be at 25% “and dwindling”. Conference USA coaches have been in constant communication throughout the day. This snowball isn’t slowing down. If anything, it’s escalating.

What’s going to happen next?

It took 72 hours for college basketball to be shut down. The Ivy League’s cancelation went out at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday. Following that trajectory, we could be looking at a very different college football world by the time the weekend arrives.

But, before we get there, it’s important to note a few things.  First, the SEC indicated they wanted to wait “as long as they can” before making any decisions on their schedule. It’s expected Rice will wait and see what the SEC does before making a decision on the LSU game.

I’d imagine, and this is speculative on my part, that most conferences will operate under the notion that they will be playing football this fall for as long as possible. In the interim, that probably means pushing the season back, canceling non-conference games and assessing what things look like down the road. Playing an October to December scheduled would be preferred to any sort of spring arrangement.

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Conceptually, it’s possible, but I’d be surprised to see any Group of 5 conference able to operate under a different scheduling structure than the Power 5 leagues. If the financial powers of the sport can’t justify the risks, how could a Group of 5 team do so? Even if the logistics work, the risk at this point is hard to sell. If there is football this fall, and that’s getting to seem like a larger and larger if with every passing hour, it’s most likely going to feature a heavily abbreviated schedule.

Given the health risks and dollars potentially at stake, pushing the season back a month, at least, seems like the most likely outcome for the time being. If we get to the end of August and the situation isn’t improved it will be time for another, much more harrowing conversation. Canceling these games is more so about buying time than anything else.

What about football in the spring?

“We’re trying to figure out a way to play a season safely and responsibly,” he said. “But we’re also prepared not to play.” – Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren

Spring football is a legitimate option, but before consensus shifts there, it’s important to note there is no guarantee the COVID-19 situation will be any better in February than it will be in October. We all hope it will be, but we felt that same hope four months ago. And here we are.

There’s just so much we don’t know. Right now administrators are trying to make the best decisions they can in a time of incredible uncertainty.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was as direct as possible in a statement to Sports Illustrated. “We’re trying to figure out a way to play a season safely and responsibly,” he said. “But we’re also prepared not to play.”

This situation is going to continue to develop. If March was any indication, the world of college athletics as we know it might look very different in the coming days, if not hours. Stay tuned.

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