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Jack Fox measures up to recent drafted punters

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Jack Fox, Rice football’s ace punter, has his eyes set on the NFL Draft. Will a brilliant showing at the East-West Shrine Game be enough to earn a selection?

After a strong showing in practices leading up the exhibition, Jack Fox wowed under the lights in Tampa at the East-West Shrine Game. The Ray Guy Award semifinalist booted five kicks, downing three inside the 20 with a long of 57 yards. Now he’s on to the NFL Draft.

Fox hasn’t learned yet whether or not he’ll be invited to the 2019 NFL Combine. It goes without saying an invitation would be a plus. The trip to Indianapolis would afford him one more chance to speak with NFL teams.

With or without an invitation, Fox will be fine. He had the opportunity to speak with all 32 teams during the Shrine Game festivities. Those conversations were extremely positive and gave the Fox camp a better understanding of the teams with which he would be the best fit.

At this point, Fox is going to get a shot. The biggest question that remains is this: will he be pursuing his professional football future as a 2019 NFL Draft selection or as an undrafted free agent?

There have been 37 punters taken in the NFL Draft since 2000, roughly two per year. Four punters were selected in the 2018 draft, with Michael Dickson from Texas coming off the board first in the fifth round. The all-time record for most punters selected is five, most recently in 1983.

Two of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, Texas A&M’s Braden Mann and Cincinnati’s James Smith are all returning to school next season. Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky, Stanford’s Jake Bailey and NC State’s AJ Cole will challenge Fox for the top spot on team’s punter boards.

By the numbers

Here’s how Fox stacks up against Wishnowsky and Bailey as well as every punter drafted in the past five drafts. Data is from each player’s final college football season. **Note: not all data was readily available for FCS players. Table scrolls left to right.**

PlayerTeamPuntsYdsAvgLgTBIN20BlkNetRetRYdsSeason
Michael DicksonTEX84398447.476842044.2171122017
Johnny TownsendFLA64304347.570527140.6283062017
Mitch WishnowskyUTAH59266945.268424340.613712018
Drew KaserTAMU60284847.571921040.5222412015
Jack FoxRICE80363645.5761331140.1151272018
Jake BaileySTAN6829954484102404014752018
JK ScottALA54232043644271406342017
Bradley PinionCLEM76323742.660228039.8271742014
Riley DixonSYR65283943.764528139.7141192015
Pat O'DonnellMIA53249847.171919139.3161962013
Logan CookeMSST52222042.767520139.28402017
Lachlan EdwardsSHSU74307441.5628190NANANA2015

Drafted or not. Jack Fox can punt. He’ll get a chance one way or another.

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Mailbag: Evaluating the options at quarterback

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Rice football is in the midst of the final weeks of recruiting for the 2019 class. How will that play into the Owls’ quarterback depth chart?

There were a few questions this week concerning some of the more impactful walk-ons. There have been a few who have made public declarations so far, but more will be coming before National Signing Day. Hang tight. Rice is going to have several high-upside players on campus.

Q: Is there any chance at getting an impactful QB to transfer to Rice?

It depends on what you mean by impactful. Rice is a Group of 5 program which has won three games in the past two seasons. The trajectory of the program is headed in the right direction, but it’s going to be a process. There probably won’t be a Jalen Hurts or a Justin Fields walking through the Patterson Center any time soon.

That doesn’t mean the Owls can’t find the right piece to make their offense go. Remember, Shawn Stankavage, a transfer from Vanderbilt, won the first game of the Mike Bloomgren era at Rice. The coaching staff is monitoring the transfer portal and they’ve been in contact with several players who can help the Owls right away.
A transfer quarterback is definitely in play. If things work out as the staff hopes, they’ll add one to the roster by National Signing Day.

Q: Who will be competing for the QB position from those currently available?

The quarterback depth chart is going to change significantly between now and August. Wiley Green, Evan Marshman and Parker Towns will be in the mix. So too will be any additions the Owls make between now and National Signing Day, most likely one high school signee and one JUCO or grad transfer quarterback.

Together that makes five likely potential options for the starter in 2019. Any incoming freshman will wait his turn and learn the offense, just like Green did this year. Towns will most likely continue as a backup next season, too. That leaves Green, Marshman and the veteran transfer for the QB1 spot for the 2019 season.

Rice entered the 2018 season with a three-horse race for the starting job. One competitor was eliminated in fall camp before Stankavage was given the job for good following the second game. Expect a resolution more quickly this year, but there will more than likely be three serious competitors.

Q: What is the outlook on the team two years from now?

Two years from now is why Bloomgren was hired. 2018 was year zero for Rice football. It was a hard reset following a decline in production which resulted in a change at the top. More than once fans have heard an ask for patience. That’s not a cop-out, its the truth.

The establishment of a culture and the infusion of young talent were critical building blocks instilled in 2018. 27 freshman (19 true freshmen and 8 redshirt freshman) played in at least one game last season and five played in all 13. Bloomgren and his staff have remained in lockstep and the individuals added to the program since they arrived understand the expectations.

With the baseline set in 2018 and 2019, the future looks as bright as ever. The vision athletic director Joe Karlgaard and the administration have set is on schedule. The outlook remains overwhelmingly positive.

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MBB: Owls suffer second-straight heartbreaking loss

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Rice basketball had a rough week. After falling to UTEP via a clock error the Owls dropped another heartbreaker, this time to North Texas.

It wasn’t a perfect performance from Rice on Saturday. There were mistakes and missteps which played a role in the evaporation of a 16-point lead which later gave way to the Owls’ third-consecutive road defeat. But it took, once again, a perfect storm of Rice mistakes plus unfortunate foul calls and bad bounces for North Texas to eke out the 1-point home win.

North Texas closed the game on an 11-2 run, led by six points (four from free throws) by Mike Miller. He finished with 12, one of four of the Mean Green to top double-digit points. Rice outrebound North Texas 41-31, but committed 18 turnovers to their opponents’ 10.

If the two teams played the final five minutes out 50 times, Rice probably holds on to what was then an 11-point advantage in 30 or 40 of those contests. The same is true of the final seconds of the UTEP game and several of the Owls close losses earlier in the season.

Unfortunately, there are no mulligans. This one stings, but a team which lost to North Texas by 16 a month ago led them by 16 on Saturday and lost by one. Progress is being made.

The Box

Player PTS FG 3FG FT OR DR REB A PF TO BL ST MIN +/-
ADAMS 3 1-4 1-3 0-0 0 1 1 2 5 3 0 1 12 -3
PETERSON 1 0-1 0-1 1-2 1 5 6 1 2 1 1 0 13 -7
MULLINS 6 2-6 0-3 2-2 0 2 2 2 4 4 0 1 31 -12
WILLIAMS 20 8-11 2-5 2-3 2 8 10 1 2 3 0 0 34 -5
MILLORA-BROWN 4 2-5 0-0 0-0 1 7 8 1 3 0 0 1 17 -1
MOORE 4 1-3 0-0 2-3 0 0 0 3 5 2 0 0 18 13
PARRISH 7 3-5 0-1 1-4 1 1 2 0 3 1 0 0 16 -3
MURPHY III 18 6-9 4-6 2-3 1 2 3 2 3 2 0 0 32 8
MARTIN 12 3-9 1-3 5-8 2 6 8 4 4 1 0 0 28 5

Player of the game – Trey Murphy

Freshman guard Trey Murphy has shown flashes of greatness this season. His shooting smooth has always been smooth, but he’s been searching for his rhythm. He was the hot hand for the Owls against North Texas, playing a career-high 32 minutes on his way to a career-best 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting from distance. His four three-pointers are the most he’s made in a single game this season.

Up next – Middle Tennessee

After an 0-3 road trip, Rice returns to the friendly confines of Tudor Fieldhouse. They’re 2-1 at home in conference play with the lone loss coming in their final game of 2018. Middle Tennessee lost 12 games in a row earlier this season. Despite their 5-14 record, the Blue Raiders head to Houston winners of two-straight.

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Jack Fox shines at East-West Shrine Game

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Rice football alum Jack Fox put on a show in front of NFL scouts and coaches in Tampa, Florida at the 94th annual East-West Shrine Game.

Passed over for the Ray Guy Award given annually to the nation’s top punter, Fox has done everything he can this offseason to make sure NFL decision makers remember his name. The latest in a long line of Rice players to participate in the East-West Shrine Game, Jack Fox took advantage of his opportunity. Fox awed in practices the week leading up to the East-West Shrine Game. During the week he earned recognition from a host of analysts and coaches, many who were watching him in person for the first time.

After a few days of practice, Fox was called upon to put his leg to use for the West Team in a live game setting. The results, for those who’ve followed Fox’s theatrics all season, went just as expected.

Big kicks on a big stage

Fox’s first punt went 57 yards and was downed at the 4-yard line. His second kick went 34 yards before it was downed at the 2-yard line. After his second punt, the defense forced a fumble and promptly punched it in from the goal line. Fox’s superb punt resulted in seven quick points for the West team. In totality, Fox kicked five times for 234 yards, averaging 46.8 yards per punt, downing three kicks inside the 20-yard line and two kicks inside the 5-yard line. He allowed zero return yards.

Distance, accuracy and versatility, Fox can do it all. He’s an NFL caliber punter who has all the requisite skills to make a name an impact on Sundays.

Next, Fox will officially turn his attention to the NFL Draft scheduled to take place from April 25 to April 27. He’s hoping an impressive collegiate career and a strong showing at the Shrine Game can make him the first Rice specialist selected since Alan Pringle was chosen by the Houston Oilers in the 10th round of the 1975 NFL Draft. After Saturday’s showing it’s well within the realm of possibility. Drafted or not, Fox is going to get a shot at the big leagues.

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MBB: Owls prep for rematch with North Texas

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Rice basketball enters their rematch with North Texas with a sour taste in their mouth from the UTEP finish. Can the Owls rebound with a win over the Mean Green?

To say Rice fans, the team and head coach Scott Pera are frustrated with how the final seconds of the Owls’ road loss* to UTEP were officiated would be an understatement. Despite Conference USA’s ruling the “clock did not start on time” there won’t be any changes to the Owls’ record, which now sits at 2-3 in conference play. Time to move on.

Outside of a rough outing in their first CUSA road game against UTSA, Rice has been competitive in each of their five conference games to this point. That includes a 103-87 loss to North Texas, a game in which Rice led by double-digits early on.

Since downing Rice, North Texas has more or less maintained their status as one of the conference’s top teams. They lead all CUSA squads with 16 wins — no other school has more than 13. The rematch with Rice scheduled for broadcast on ESPN+. Radio is available via the Stretch Internet Portal.

North Texas 16-2 (4-1), Last 5 (4-1)

  • L, 76-74 @ UTSA
  • W, 58-51 @ UTEP
  • W, 65-62 vs Southern Miss
  • W, 63-59 vs Louisiana Tech
  • W, 103-87 @ Rice

Rice 7-11 (2-3), Last 5 – (2-3)

  • L, 65-64 @ UTEP
  • L, 95-79 @ UTSA
  • W, 78-66 vs Louisiana Tech
  • W, 73-65 vs Southern Miss
  • L, 103-87 vs North Texas

North Texas players to watch

North Texas has been one of the most balanced teams in the conference this season. They spread the ball around on offense and own the third-best field goal percentage against (40.2 percent) in the conference. What makes the Mean Green so challenging is their lack of one definitive scoring threat. Zachary Simmons, Roosevelt Smart and Ryan Woolridge all topped 20 points in their first matchup with Rice. It’s going to take a collective, disciplined defensive effort on Saturday to limit the many scoring options.

Rice keys to victory

Chris Mullins is riding a 12-game streak with 10 or more points, but the freshman guard has been caught in a modest shooting slump over the past several weeks. He’s connected on fewer than 36 percent of his shots in three of the past four games and is shooting 15.4 percent on three-pointers in conference play.

If guys like Robert Martin and Jack Williams are providing a solid baseline, Mullins has the talent to take over a game and win it for the Owls. His potential is still awaiting a big spark. Getting that spark against North Texas could result in the Owls’ biggest road win of the season.

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