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June 2023 Patreon Q&A: Can Rice Football Fix the Defense?

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It was a down year for the Rice football defense in 2022. Was that an anomaly or a trend that could impact the unit in 2023?

When head coach Mike Bloomgren and defensive coordinator Brian Smith arrived prior to the 2018 season there was a spoken understanding that their first season on campus would be a true Year Zero. The defense was no exception.

Under Bloomgren, Rice allowed more points per game and yards per play in 2018 than in any years following. But the journey from that 2018 season to the present has been a bumpy one. How did the Owls close out 2022 and should there be concern about the unit taking another step back in 2023?

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Rice Baseball 2023 Season Review: Lineup

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The offense was underwhelming for Rice baseball in 2023, posting the second-lowest OPS in Conference USA with over 500 strikeouts.

It wasn’t a good year at the plate for Rice baseball. The 2023 season saw the Owls finish in the bottom three in the league in batting average, runs, RBI, total bases and OPS, among other offensive measures. There were individual highlights — described in more detail below — but for the most part, the offense struggled.

More: Rice Baseball Season Review – Bullpen
More: Rice Baseball Season Review – Starting Pitching
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Rice Football Recruiting: Owls suffer first decommitment of 2024 class

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Amid a remarkably positive run for Rice football recruiting, the Owls received some bad news this weekend, suffering their first decommitment of the 2024 cycle.

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Rice Baseball 2023 Season Review: Bullpen

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The bullpen was a perpetual work in progress for Rice baseball in 2023. There was talent, but the control and dependability were erratic.

The Rice baseball pitching staff never quite settled in during the 2023 season. Individuals had their moments, but it was hard to know what was going to happen when the ball changed hands late in games, particularly in high-leverage situations. The starting rotation was addressed previously. This roundup focuses on the relievers.

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Rice Baseball 2023 Season Review: Starting pitching

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The Rice baseball starting rotation was an incomplete product in 2023, salvaged at times by the dominance of Parker Smith.

Two Rice baseball pitchers made at least seven starts in 2023: Parker Smith and JD McCracken. Seven starts would account for, roughly, half of the regular season. Honestly, nobody else even got close. The recap of the bullpen results will be much more involved than this one.

For the purposes of this discussion, pitchers who made a start in at least 40 percent of their outings were included. Here’s a rundown of how the starters faired this season.

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** Photo credit: Maria Lysakar **
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