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Rice Football Recruiting: JUCO OL Isaiah Gonzalez commits to Owls

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The latest addition in a busy week for Rice Football recruiting, JUCO offensive lineman Isaiah Gonzalez has committed to the Owls.

On the pendulum from quiet days to action-packed weeks, Rice football recruiting swung into the latter during a recent hot streak that has featured three commitments in the span of fewer than 48 hours. The newest addition hails from the JUCO ranks. Offensive lineman Isaiah Gonzalez has committed to the Owls.

Gonzalez follows former Notre Dame safety Litchfield Ajavon and 2023 corner Jamarion Clark, both of who announced their commitments to the Owls this week as well.

Before announcing his pledge to Rice, Gonzalez spent last season at the City College of San Francisco. Prior to that, the California native played his high school ball at St. Francis. Now he’ll head east to Houston to play for Rice football. With only one collegiate season under his belt, Gonzalez should have three years of remaining eligibility.

Gonzalez says he “fell in love with the campus” during his official visit and the reception from the coaching staff played a notable role in his decision. He’ll join fellow JUCO offensive lineman Weston Kropp on campus this fall. That duo gives the Owls two more experienced transfers to support a starting five which really started to gel towards the end of spring practices.

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Gonzalez told The Roost that he prides himself on his run blocking. One quick look at his highlights makes it clear he has some reason to boast. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound bruiser is a bulldozer in the trenches. Whether lined up at guard or tackle, he packs plenty of power while still showcasing enough balance to position himself appropriately.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Notre Dame transfer Litchfield Ajavon commits to Owls

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The early days of summer brought reinforcements on the Rice Football recruiting front. Former Notre Dame safety Litchfield Ajavon has committed to the Owls.

The Transfer Portal continues to play a key role in Rice football recruiting, most recently affording the Owls an opportunity to add a former blue-chip recruit to their roster. After spending the last three seasons at Notre Dame, safety Litchfield Ajavon has committed to the Owls.

Ajavon was a highly sought-after 4-star recruit in the 2019 class. The No. 230-ranked player and No. 19 ranked safety in the country by 247 Sports, Ajavon received offers from the likes of Clemson, Georgia, Michigan and others before ultimately signing with the Irish.

Ajavon saw action in two games during his freshman season and four games as sophomore. He was credited with his first tackle last fall against Navy. It was at that point he opted to enter the portal where he would connect with the Owls and ultimately commit to Rice. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.

Since wrapping up the majority of their high school recruiting on National Signing Day, Rice has now added five transfers from the portal, most recently Jacksonville State running back Uriah West. Rutgers transfer linebacker Chris Conti was the only addition from the Power 5 level.

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Litchfield was a fan favorite at Notre Dame, connecting through social media via segments called “Litch In The Field” where he went around the football facility and asked his teammates’ various questions. His conversational style and ability to provide an “inside” look at the team made him unique. The Owls certainly hope he’ll bring that candor and success, both on and off the field, when he arrives at South Main.

 

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Aaron Smigelski’s debut season gives hope for Rice baseball

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It’s been a tough year for Rice baseball, but freshman infielder Aaron Smigelski has been a bright spot. His ascent has given the Owls hope.

Trailing 15-0 on the second day of the 2022 season, Rice baseball head coach Jose Cruz Jr went to the bench for the final inning of at bats against No. 1 Texas. The game was all but decided at that point, but Cruz wanted to give everyone a chance to show him what they could do. The first to the plate in that frame was freshman Aaron Smigelski.

Whack.

The true freshman from Clayton, North Carolina laced a single up the middle. It was the Owls’ fifth hit of the day.

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Rice Baseball: 2022 MLB Owls update – May 18

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The 2022 MLB season is underway and Rice baseball alums are busy on the mound and at the plate. Here’s the latest from the MLB Owls.

Anthony Rendon – Los Angeles Angels

Rendon started to heat up at the plate this week, slashing .400/.478/.650 with a 1.128 OPS through six games. Three of his eight hits went for extra bases including this two-run dinger to put the Halos in front against the Rangers.

https://twitter.com/SotoP_23/status/1526950989365796865

Through May 18 Rendon is hitting .230 with 12 extra-base hits, 19 walks and 29 strikeouts. His OPS is .736 and he’s collected 21 RBI.

J.T. Chargois – Tampa Bay Rays

Chargois looks to be getting closer to making his return. He will reportedly start a minor-league rehab stint this week with the Durham Bulls, the first step in his return to the big league club.

Through May 18, Chargois has a 0.00 ERA with a 0.000 WHIP. He’s averaging 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

Tyler Duffey – Minnesota Twins

Duffey’s string of strong outings continued this week. He hasn’t given up an earned run since May 1, allowing just one hit in seven innings since that outing. Duffey appeared in three games for the Twins this week, earning his first save on Monday against the Athletics.

Through May 18, Duffey has a 3.00 ERA with a 1.067 WHIP. He’s averaging 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

Lucas Luetge – New York Yankees

Luetge had a nine-day gap between appearances, finally getting back on the mound last Thursday against the White Sox. He worked one inning, striking out one and allowing one run while earning his third hold of the season.

Through May 18, Luetge has a 4.66 ERA with a 1.448 WHIP. He’s averaging 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

Glenn Otto – Texas Rangers

Otto had his first truly bad day on the mound this season on Saturday against the Red Sox. He allowed eight hits and eight runs, in 5.0+ innings en route to his first loss. Otto is now 1-1 this season.

Through May 18, Otto has a 6.38 ERA with a 1.418 WHIP. He’s averaging 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 CB Jamarion Clark commits to Owls

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The first defensive pledge of the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class is in the books. Corner Jamarion Clark has committed to the Owls.

After a few weeks of relative quiet, things picked up quickly on the Rice football recruiting front in mid-May. The Owls handed out almost two dozen offers in a 24-hour period, representing roughly a quarter of their total offer count for the 2023 class. Among those offers was South Oak Cliff corner Jamarion Clark, who pulled the trigger almost immediately and committed to the Owls.

Clark had previously picked up offers from Arizona, Buffalo and Toledo last fall. He added offers from Tulsa, Northern Arizona, Alabama A&M and others this spring. He even picked up an offer from Bowling Green on Tuesday, the day he elected to shut things down and commit to Rice.

The addition of Clark marks the addition of the first defensive commitment in the 2023 Rice Football recruiting class. To this point, the Owls had received commitments from five offensive linemen as well as quarterback Chase Jenkins.

When Clark signs, he’ll be the first scholarship corner the Owls have added from the high school ranks since the 2021 class, which included Jojo Jean.

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Clark’s film screams physicality and awareness. His ability to diagnose where the ball is going, react quickly and come downfield with aggression is exciting. Corners in this scheme are frequently asked to stand on an island and lock down their side of the field. Clark has the makings of someone that could be able to do just that, making his commitment a nice pickup for the Owls.

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