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How Rice Football rallied its offense and edged past LA Tech

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Rice football fell behind, rallied late and held on for a thrilling overtime win. What changed on offense that enabled the Owls to bounce back?

The Rice football coaching staff had a full week to get ready for Louisiana Tech. Much of the game plan — at least from a 10,000-foot view — was communicated clearly. Ari Broussard was going to get a big role. The offensive line was going to be better with two familiar faces returning at guard. Yet before the halftime whistle had blown, it all seemed to have gone up in smoke.

Broussard was on the bench after two costly fumbles. The offensive line wasn’t getting much push. Excluding a fake punt run for nine yards, Rice ball carriers were averaging 2.10 yards per carry. The offense had scored seven points and turned the ball over twice. Although the Owls were only trailing 10-7, it felt like everything was going wrong. So, what went right? And how did this team turn things around and win?

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Luke McCaffrey soars, lifting Rice Football past Louisiana Tech

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After a shaky start, a banner day for Luke McCaffrey helped push Rice Football to their first road win of the season, downing Louisiana Tech.

It wasn’t pretty. There were large swathes of the game that each phase — offense, defense and special teams — will want to forget. But when the dust settled, Rice football won on the road as a favorite for the first time under head coach Mike Bloomgren. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Maddening offense finally figures it out

Fixing the offense was priority one this week during practice. Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren was adamant that nothing was “broken” and that the team could get things turned around. They focused their running back snaps, reconfigured the offensive line and put their trust in quarterback TJ McMahon. When it came time to play the game, it felt like things had gotten worse, not better.

A gutsy fake punt on the Owls’ first drive of the game was the only run that went longer than four yards in the first quarter. Excluding that fake, converted by fullback Micah Barnett, Rice averaged 0.6 (yes, zero point six, not a typo) yards per carry on their first three possessions. Early on, the passing game wasn’t much better. Even when accounting for two early third down conversions, McMahon started the game 3-for-8 for 23 yards.

The Roost Podcast: Stay tuned for the game recap this week – Rice Football vs LA Tech

Instead of improved, this offense looked broken for two-plus quarters. The running game wasn’t fixed, and one could argue it might even have gotten worse. No matter the combination, the offensive line hasn’t gelled to the degree it needs to for this offense to be effective. On top of that, McMahon is learning on the job and the highs and lows are being experienced in real-time.

It was encouraging to see the team start moving the ball in the second half. But we already knew they could score. We knew they had playmakers that could make plays and we’ve seen McMahon at his best. They’re just maddeningly inconsistent right now and it’s going to be hard to have much confidence in the unit until they string together a few consecutive quarters of quality play.

Fortunately for Rice football, McMahon’s high came at the right time.

The silver lining? The second half. Rice football scored 28 points in the second half and accounted for 322 yards, including 204 on the ground. The ability is there. The consistency needs to arrive soon.

When in doubt, Luke McCaffrey

Bradley Rozner caught a touchdown but was otherwise quiet. The running game was non-existent. Turnovers plagued the team all day long. Had it not been for the big play ability of Luke McCaffrey, Rice might have scored at all on Saturday. McCaffrey hasn’t been perfect in his transitional year from quarterback to wide receiver, but it’s abundantly clear that his raw speed and tremendous athleticism give this offense a spark.

McCaffrey scored the first touchdown of the day on a perfect throw from McMahon, one of his best on the day. Then McCaffrey made some magic of his own in the third quarter, breaking off a 66-yard reception after catching a pass in stride. His 77 yards after the catch was more than any other receiver on either team had receiving yards in regulation. He finished with 171 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns and a receiving score.

Outside of McCaffrey, it was McMahon and Otoviano that provided the sparks. It might not be possible to build the entire offense out of McCaffrey, and if McMahon can settle in and the running game can show any semblance of life, Rice football shouldn’t have to. But it’s nice to know that when in doubt, Rice has a guy that can make it happen.

Stop. The. Turnovers.

As if things weren’t hard enough for the offense, the unit continued to make its own job more challenging on Saturday. Rice football entered the game tied for eighth-worst in Conference USA with 13 giveaways. McMahon was second nationally with 10 interceptions.

The Owls had given the ball away too many times, but there was some hope that all the tipped passes that fell into defenders’ hands were bad luck, rather than symptoms of a growing problem. Luck or not, the issues persisted. Against Louisiana Tech, Rice fumbled four times, losing two of them. turned the ball over three times. They turned it over on downs once as well.

After a three-and-out in which the offense went backward nine yards, Broussard fumbled on a first down carry. That set the Louisiana Tech offense up on a short field from which it took a goal line pick from Sean Fresch to keep points off the board. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Broussard fumbled on the one-yard line a few drives later and was benched. Sean Fresch added a turnover on a punt return, too.

This offense is not consistent enough as it is. They can’t afford to lose possessions and spot opponents with better field positions. And it’s maddening to watch them turn things on in the second half and score points in bunches as soon as they ceased handing the ball to the other team.

The defense can’t hold on forever

Louisiana Tech entered the game averaging 34.0 points per game in conference play and 29.7 points overall. Rice held them 35 points in regulation, essentially on par with their standards. Had it not been for some opportunistic plays by this unit, Rice football might have been out of the game entirely before halftime.

The defense gave this team a chance on a day in which the offense struggled mightily, but the signs of exhaustion were there. Louisiana Tech broke off a 49-yard carry in the first quarter. The Bulldogs scored a 32-yard touchdown on a screen pass immediately following a sack that pushed them back to second-and-20.

It’s true, the defense is being asked to carry its weight and more, but lapses in concentration of that magnitude are quick to undo the positive gains accrued on the other 95 percent of their snaps. Louisiana Tech’s final fourth quarter drive was another heart-pounding reminder they’re not perfect, yet.

Rice entered Saturday tied for second-best in Conference USA with only 11 plays of 30+ yards allowed on defense, so it’s not time to hit the red-alert button just yet. But after looking dominant at times in recent weeks, there were some signs of tiredness that seeped through on Saturday, particularly on that final drive and subsequent conversion.

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Rice Football 2022: LA Tech Insider gives his take on the Bulldogs

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Rice Football is set for a big game this weekend against Louisiana Tech. Ben Carlisle of BleedTechBlue fills us in on what to expect in this game.

BleedTechBlue publisher Ben Carlisle was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about the upcoming matchup between Rice Football and Louisiana Tech. The answers below should shed some light on the Owls’ upcoming opponent.

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Rice Football 2022: LA Tech Game Week Practice Report

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Rice football visits Louisiana Tech this weekend for their final time in Conference USA play. Here’s what we learned from practice this week.

Back in action after a Week 7 loss to FAU, Rice football enters the weekend as road favorites for only the second time under head coach Mike Bloomgren. They’ve got to get the offense going this weekend against Louisiana Tech and they’ve made some plans to do just that.

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This week’s roundup highlights what the team is doing to get the running game going, injury updates (both good and bad) as well as some individual highlights from the week.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

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Rice Football 2022 Game Preview: LA Tech

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Rice football makes its final visit to Ruston, LA as a member of Conference USA to play Louisiana Tech. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Anxious to move past frustrating road losses, both Rice football and Louisiana Tech meet in search of a win in Week 8. The Rice Owls fell to the Owls of FAU in Boca Raton while Louisiana Tech dropped their game against North Texas in Denton. Here’s everything you need to know about the game.

Kickoff time | 2:00 PM CT
Venue | Joe Aillet Stadium – Ruston, LA
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Louisiana Tech on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. Look for a recap of the game on the site afterward as well as on The Roost Podcast, which should be released early next week. 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.)

Sizing up the contenders

With the bye week behind both clubs and six games remaining, both programs feel like they could be nearing a tipping point in terms of where this season is headed. Rice is 3-3. Louisiana Tech is 2-4. A bowl berth is on the table for both clubs, with more pressure on Owls’ headman Mike Bloomgren to deliver in Year 5 to deliver a trip to the postseason.

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Series History

All Time | Louisiana Tech leads, 9-5
Last Five | Louisiana Tech leads, 4-1
Last Meeting | Home 2021, Rice won 35-31

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Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | McMahon – 97/164 (59.2 percent), 1277 yards, 10 TD, 10 INT
Rushing | Broussard – 85 carries, 233 yards (2.7 yards per carry), 9 TD / Montgomery – 27 carries, 211 yards (7.8 yards per carry), 0 TD
Receiving | McCaffrey – 33 receptions, 384 yards (11.7 yds/rec), 3 TD / Rozner – 19 receptions, 447 yards (23.5 yds/rec), 4 TDs / Esdale – 19 receptions, 239 yards (12.6 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Morrison – 40 / Conti – 34 / Taylor – 25
Pass Breakups | Dunbar, Morrison – 3 / Taylor, Fresch, Narcisse – 2 
Interceptions | Taylor – 2 / Morrison, Nyakwol, Chamberlain – 1

LA Tech Notables

Passing | McNeil – 78/137 (56.9 percent), 1167 yards, 12 TD, 7 INT
Rushing | Crosby – 59 carries, 342 yards (5.5 yards per carry), 3 TD / Thornton – 24 carries, 113 yards (4.7 ypc), 1 TD
Receiving | Hebert – 20 receptions, 403 yards (20.2 yards per reception), 3 TD / Harris – 25 receptions, 376 yards (15.0 yds/rec), 3 TD
Tackles | Grubbs – 48 / Williamson – 37 / Cole, Davis – 29
Pass Breakups | Roberts – 5 /  Johnson – 4 / Cole – 2
Interceptions | Roberts – 2 / Four others tied with 1

LA Tech X-Factor | Cash in

Rice has had its struggles on offense this year, but the Owls’ defense has been extremely stout. Florida Atlantic barely scratched across 17 points last weekend, well below their season average. Points will be at a premium this coming weekend, necessitating the need to capitalize on every opportunity, which is something Louisiana Tech has struggled to do this season.

Louisiana Tech ranks ninth in Conference USA in red zone touchdown percentage, putting the ball in the box on just 50 percent of their red zone opportunities. That deficiency reared its head against North Texas last weekend, too. The Bulldogs settled for a field goal despite reaching the one-yard line. North Texas responded with a touchdown on the next possession and the game was never close again.

If Louisiana Tech gets close, they have to leave the redzone with touchdowns. Kicking field goals on limited chances is not a recipe for success.

Rice X-Factor | Run the ball

Louisiana Tech enters Week 8 allowing 263 rushing yards per game, the worst mark in Conference USA. The Bulldogs have been a sieve in that aspect of their defense, allowing a staggering 6.4 yards per carry.

Rice, conversely, has struggled immensely to run the football. Their limitations in that phase have heaped extra pressure on quarterback TJ McMahon and led to inconsistent drives and challenging offensive situations. If Rice can’t run the football on this defense, there are going to have to be some hard questions asked about the optics of this offense moving forward.

If Rice can run the ball, it’s hard to envision this offense not finding tremendous success. The solution to the Owls’ offensive woes isn’t solely that simple, but it would go a long way to getting back in rhythm on that side of the ball.

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One Final Thing

Through six games, two truths about Rice football seem abundantly clear. First, this team is the best team Mike Bloomgren has assembled at South Main. From the roster construction to their performances through the first half of the season, it’s hard to argue any of Bloomgren’s other squads even comes that close. Second, this team’s consistency needs to improve, drastically.

The Rice team that blew past Louisiana at home should have no trouble dispatching Louisiana Tech on the road. That said, the iteration of the Owls that was unable to score and unable to finish against Florida Atlantic isn’t going to win many additional conference games.

At this point, it seems the true version of Rice football is closer to the team that beat Louisiana than the one that lost to Florida Atlantic. How close the Owls can get to that team, or even better, will determine the fate of this upcoming matchup and the rest of the season. Needless to say, Saturday’s game against Louisiana Tech is extremely important.

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