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Rice Football 2022: Houston press conference quotes

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Next up, Rice football takes on Houston in the battle for the Bayou Bucket. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren and players had to say about the matchup.

Rice football Head coach Mike Bloomgren and a pair of players met with the media on Tuesday for their customary weekly availability. They previewed they revisited the Louisiana win before turning their attention to the Houston game, discussing the rivalry and how much it mattered to both sides.

An updated depth chart was not yet available, but it is expected to be released soon. Check back here for that and practice updates reserved for our Patreon subscribers. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“It’s the next one on our schedule. It will always be a big deal in recruiting. I don’t want to go away from that fact. We recruit a lot of our team from Texas and the city itself. So, anytime you can win an in-city rivalry or any in-state game, it helps. But the thing for our team is that we have another opportunity to play together this Saturday. We’ve got another opportunity this Tuesday, today, to have the best Tuesday practice of the year and that’s what we’re focused on.” – Mike Bloomgren on the significance of this game 

“I think Clayton Tune, when he’s on, he is as hard to deal with as maybe anybody we’ve played except for [Caleb Williams]. And the thing that’s sneaky is he’s got good arm talent, he does a good job distributing the ball, but he’s a sub 11-flat 100-meter guy. He can really roll. And that’s what gets lost until he brings it out of the pocket and you’re like, ‘Oh goodness, there he goes.” – Mike Bloomgren on UH QB Clayton Tune

“Our goal this week is no different than any week. It’s a fun week. It’s a great week to be a part of this program. But our goal is to go 1-0 and not let our process change one bit. We need to understand that all the confidence that we earned from the victory last week should also be the confidence in our prep and how we go about our business week-to-week.” – Mike Bloomgren on the team’s approach this week

“I’m not from Texas. I’m not from Houston, but being a Rice football player, it’s become part of my identity. At this point, this game has started becoming more and more meaningful to me. At this point, it’s a full fledged rivalry for me. I definiely have ill feelings towards these guys and definitely want to get revenge for last year, so I’ll be playing with a lot of emotion, a lot of passion and doing it for my brothers.” – Defensive end Ikenna Enechukwu on the signficance of the rivalry

“It means a lot. Anytime you have the chance to step on the football field, it’s such a blessing… Every opportunity is a special opportunity, especially when you’re playing someone so close. I remember the whole entire offseason, you look at billboards of UH around the city and you kind of look at it with a disgusting look. To have this game, it sticks with you for a little bit longer than others.” – Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey on the signficance of the rivalry

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 126 – Rice Football vs Louisiana Recap

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Rice football kept on winning this week, upsetting Louisiana in a marquee nonconference victory. We break it all down on this week’s show.

From start to finish, Rice football was more or less in control against a Louisiana team projected to beat them by double digits. Had it not been for generous turnovers by the Owls, the score might not have been even that close. How did Rice do it and what does it mean for this team moving forward? Carter and Matther dig into the details in this week’s episode of The Roost Podcast.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 126.

Episode Notes

Housekeeping

  • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
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Rice Football vs Louisiana game recap

  • Double-digit underdogs show up big from the start
  • Best defensive performance since….?
  • TJ McMahon starts wild, finishes with a series of incredible plays
  • Luke McCaffrey has his breakout game
  • Where does this win rank among recent Rice football victories?
  • How much of this can the team carry forward into the next game?

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.

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Rice Football 2022: NFL Owls Week 2 Roundup

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Rice Football is well represented on 2022 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 2.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

Team NFL Owl(s) Week 2 Result Week 3
Denver Calvin Anderson (OL) vs Houston W, 16-9 vs 49ers
Detroit Jack Fox (P) vs Washington W, 36-27 at Vikings
Indianapolis Kylen Granson (TE) at Jacksonville L, 24-0 vs Chiefs
LA Chargers Bryce Callahan (DB) at Kansas City (TNF) L, 27-24 vs Jaguars
Pittsburgh Chris Boswell (PK) vs New England L, 17-14 at Browns
Seattle Myles Adams (DL) at San Francisco L, 27-7 vs Falcons
Tampa Bay Nick Leverett (OL) at New Orleans W, 20-10 vs Packers

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

Anderson played on special teams again this week, seeing four snaps of action in the Broncos’ win over the Texans on Sunday.

Kylen Gransen – TE, Colts

Thank you to reader James Saduske for the note to include Kylen Gransen, who played two seasons at Rice before transferring to SMU. Gransen was credited with his first career NFL start this week, hauling in two receptions for 14 yards, returning one kick for 15 yards and making one tackle.

Nick Leverett – OT, Buccaneers

Leverett was active but did not play for the Bucs in their Week 2 victory over the Saints.

Defense

Myles Adams – DL, Seahawks

Adams was inactive for the Seahawks’ Week 2 loss to the 49ers.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Chargers

Callahan posted two tackles in the Chargers’ Week 2 victory over the Chiefs.

Christian Covington – DL, Chargers

Covington was elevated from the Chargers’ practice squad to the active roster last week but did not play in their Week 2 win over the Chiefs. He was inactive.

Special Teams

Jack Fox – P, Lions

In the Lions’ Week 2 victory over the Commanders, Fox punted five times, averaging a gaudy 55.4 yards per punt with a long of 63 yards. He put one inside the 20. Through two games, Fox ranks top five in the league in average punt distance and net punting distance.

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell did his part in the Steelers’ Week 2 loss to the Patriots, converting on both of his field goal tries including a long conversion from 52 yards. He did not attempt any extra points.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more detail on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

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Rice Football 2022 Game Preview: Houston

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Rice football takes on Houston in their final nonconference game of the season. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football scored one of the marquee upsets of Week 3, knocking off a Louisiana squad that entered the week with the nation’s longest winning streak. The win pushed Rice to 2-1 on the season at roughly the same time when crosstown rival Houston was falling to 1-2. The Cougars were blasted by Kansas at home, their second straight defeat following a double-overtime loss to Texas Tech. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

Kickoff time | 5:00 PM CT
Venue | TDECU Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN+ (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Houston 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

Houston has won six consecutive games against Rice and dominated Rice 44-7 as recently as last season. The Cougars get this game at home and desperately need to win it to get back to .500 and avert a season in crisis. On the other side of town, Rice football is playing with house money. They’re fresh off a monumental win and playing great football.

The Cougars probably have the talent advantage, but the Owls have the momentum. This one could be interesting.

Series History

All Time | Houston leads, 32-11
Last Five | Houston leads, 5-0
Last Meeting | Home 2021, Houston won 44-7

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Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | McMahon – 51/80 (63.8 percent), 642 yards, 7 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Broussard – 51 carries, 145  yards (2.8 yards per carry), 4 TD / Montgomery – 15 carries, 132 yards (8.8 yards per carry), 0 TD
Receiving | McCaffrey – 19 receptions, 202 yards (10.6 yds/rec), 2 TD / Esdale – 12 receptions, 155 yards (12.9 yds/rec), 0 TD
Tackles | Morrison, M. Williams – 11 / Lockhart – 9
Pass Breakups | Morrison, Dunbar – 2 / Five others tied with one
Interceptions | Nyakwol, Chamberlain, Taylor – 1

Houston Notables

Passing | Tune – 64/102 (62.3 percent), 744 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Campbell – 36 carries, 177 yards (4.9 yards per carry), 2 TD / Tune – 37 carries, 111 yards (3.0 ypc), 2 TD
Receiving | Dell – 18 receptions, 246 yards (13.4 yards per reception), 2 TD / Harry – 10 receptions, 151 yards (15.1 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Mutin – 24 / Owens – 22/ Parish – 18
Pass Breakups | Owens, Hogan – 4 / Green – 2
Interceptions | Owens, Green, Rogers, Ceaser – 1

Houston X-Factor | Get off the field

Through three weekends of college football, the Houston Cougars rank No. 118 in the nation in total defense. Rice ranks 40th. And the Owls have had to face the nation’s current No. 11 offense, USC. Houston hasn’t faced a single top 30 offense yet. That’s a lot of numbers meant to communicate one thing: Houston has been mediocre, at best, on the defensive side of the ball.

Although Rice football has taken to the air this season with more consistency than in previous years, running the football and controlling the clock remains a staple of the Owls’ offensive scheme. You can be sure the Rice coaching staff is aware of the potent Houston offense and will do their best to play keep away when possible.

Houston has to get off the field on defense. Whether by turnover or a third down stop, the Cougars have to show progress on this side of the football if they want the game to go as they’d hope.

Rice X-Factor | Don’t turn the ball over

Through three games, TJ McMahon is sports a woeful 7:6 touchdown to interception ratio. Three of those picks came in a lost outing against USC, but the other three came in what could have been a disastrous first half against Louisiana. McMahon was off target and made bad decisions, including his third pick-six of the season.

Nobody could have said it better than he did following the game. “We’re going to play a lot of teams later down the road where, you know, you make those little mistakes or if I have a first half again like that, we’re not going to be able to win those games,” McMahon admitted.

He’s probably right, too. Three picks against Houston is going to be tough to overcome. The Cougars’ offense has historically been much more proficient than the Ragin’ Cajuns and the road atmosphere will be much less forgiving. But Rice saw the upshot of a clean performance in the second half. This team was impressive. If they can channel that energy, they’ll be hard to beat.

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One Final Thing

Before the season, a 2-2 record in nonconference play was seen as the most reasonable “best case scenario” for Rice football this year. Beating McNeese State was a base level expectation. Finding a way to squeeze out one more win was the dream. Now sitting at 2-1, the Owls are playing with house money. And after winning this past game how they did, having larger expectations seems decidedly appropriate.

Rice hasn’t won the Bayou Bucket since 2010. They’ve only posted two wins in this rivalry since the 2004 season. Houston entered the year with AAC title expectations and even the subtle murmurings of dark horse college football playoff buzz. The latter is certainly out the window, but this is still a dangerous team that will be able to score points in bunches as long as Clayton Tune and Tank Dell are in the lineup.

And yet, Rice will have more than a puncher’s chance this coming weekend. Rice proved they can go toe to toe with a very good Group of 5 program, even when they throw three interceptions in the process. This should be a good game. Don’t be surprised if the Owls take the Cougars to deep water in the fourth quarter. Once they’re there, anything can happen.

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Rice Fight: Rice Football battles for big win over Louisiana

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On Saturday, Rice Football went toe-to-toe with Louisiana, outlasting the Ragin’ Cajuns and earning a signature win for head coach Mike Bloomgren and the Owls.

As Rice football quarterback TJ McMahon walked away from the podium on Saturday night following a monumental victory over Louisiana, he voiced one final exclamation, “Rice Fight!”

Over the years, I’ve been to many postgame press conferences. To the best of my memory, things have never ended that way.

To be fair, Rice football had never won a game quite like this one, snapping the nation’s longest winning streak in the process. As 12-point underdogs, Rice had won by exactly 12 points. And it probably could have been even more one-sided.

But as for McMahon’s exhortation, that was new. Part of the reason for that, unfortunately, has been the somber nature of many of those gatherings. Even in the Owls’ better games, things had gone the wrong way on the scoreboard more times than any of the blue-and-gray-clad faithful might have hoped. Postgame gatherings didn’t often end in celebration. And even the victories offered less fanfare.

Now entering Year 5 of head coach Mike Bloomgren’s tenure, there might be no more fitting words to describe what happened at Rice Stadium on Saturday night than “Rice fight”.

In his second career start, quarterback TJ McMahon tossed three interceptions, all of which came before halftime. The Owls squandered a redzone possession late in the first half and entered the break trailing by one. Then we saw Rice fight.

Rice football came out of halftime and scored the go-ahead touchdown. Then the defense, which had only given up one score to this point, blanked Louisiana in the third quarter. Leading 19-14 entering the fourth quarter, the Owls were on the verge of something special.

“We know we can stick around. We know we can play with anybody,” corner Jordan Dunbar said about an hour later following the postgame festivities. “We gotta finish.”

His words proved true. After Rice took a two-score lead at the beginning of the final quarter, Louisiana drove the length of the field and saw running back Chris Smith thunder into the endzone from 22-yards out. One defensive stop and the Ragin’ Cajuns would have the ball down by six, one touchdown away from ruining the Owls’ celebrations. The outcome of the game hung in the balance. Right fought.

McMahon and company responded with a 10-play, 70-yard touchdown drive that took 6:14 off the clock. Rice kicked the ball back to Louisiana leading by two scores with less than three minutes to play. The defense made one more stop, then it was over. Rice had fought and Rice had won.

More: Rice Football upsets Louisiana, snaps nation’s longest winning streak

“There’s been some great wins in this program since we’ve been around,” head coach Mike Bloomgren couldn’t help but reminisce afterward. “Whether it’s beating Marshall [on the road] in ‘20 or beating UAB at their place last year, the first time they’ve lost at home [since the program restarted]. We’ve done some cool things, but to do this in our third game of the 2022 season… it feels great.”

More succinctly, Bloomgren began his remarks this way: “That’s a big-time win for our program.”

It’s a big-time win for a myriad of reasons.

First, Rice has now won a game as a double-digit underdog in each of the last three seasons. Second, Rice is now 2-1 for the first time under Bloomgren and four games away from win number six and a trip to the program’s first bowl berth since 2014.

But most importantly, it’s because of the effort it took from the collective group of coaches, players, administrators and support staff to get Rice football to this place.

“I felt like we didn’t doubt we were going to win today and that’s why the locker room was really fun today,” Dunbar said. “That was my favorite win, personally.”

The Rice defense held Louisiana to 175 yards of total offense, that’s the Ragin’ Cajun’s worst offensive output since September 9, 2011 against Kent State, more than a decade ago. This was a program that had won nine or more games eight times in the last 12 seasons and been bowling 10 times over that span. They’d become accustomed to being the bully. Then Rice knocked them down a notch, or maybe wo.

“Obviously we would love to be 3-0,” Bloomgren said in his closing comments. “But for the steps this program has taken and for the quality of this win and what it means for our team. Just to be in that locker room and see them celebrate the way they did and know they earned it, and they earned it from the work they put in all week. It’s really cool. So yeah, I’ll take win number two right now.”

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