Next up for Rice football: UConn. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren had to say about the matchup and a few depth chart notes.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren and a set of players met with the media for their customary weekly availability. They recapped the Tulane game and looked ahead at their upcoming matchup with UConn.

More: Game Preview: Rice Football vs UConn

We touch on those items, then dig into the Rice football depth chart and what the team looks like heading into the weekend. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“If you remember the fight scenes from Star Wars where the lasers are flying everywhere, that’s kind of what it looks like post snap on their defense. Coordinator does a great job… it looks like chaos to the offense, but it’s all really well planned and really well coordinated.” – Mike Bloomgren on the UConn defense

“EJ did not practice yesterday. We had all the imaging done Sunday and all the things match… imaging was exactly the same as it was prior when we had done it in the preseason… He feels a lot better today than yesterday.” – Mike Bloomgren on the status of QB EJ Warner

“I don’t know if we can count the other team to make more mistakes. We’ve got to be more violent in how we take the ball away and attack the ball, the second guy in ripping it out. We’ve had opportunities for multiple interceptions that we just haven’t completed. When the ball’s in both our hands, we’ve got to make those things go ” – Mike Bloomgren on forcing more turnovers

“Try not to get taken down. It’s one thing that my uncle used to always tell me playing football, you’re a bigger dude. Let them know it. Don’t get taken down by the first defender.” – Tight end Elijah Mojarro on his mindset after the catch

“Pressure and responsibility, I think it’s something to be grateful for, something to seek after because that means there’s opportunities and there’s different ways we can help other people.” – Defensive end Michael Daley on pressure and responsibility

“We’re a group of fighters. I think, one play in particular, that reminds me was the play that Mojo had a few weeks ago where he’s literally throwing defenders off him. I think that’s the culture and the environment that we’ve created here at Rice. Since we have guys that are going to fight through whatever we got going, regardless, if we’re down, regardless if we’ve lost. We’re all going to have that rice fight never dies, mentality.” – Defensive end Michael Daley on the team’s culture and minset

Depth Chart

Depth Chart Notes

Left tackle Ethan Onianwa returns to the depth chart this week which shifts Chad Lindberg to left guard. Trace Norfleet is listed as the starting right guard, but we’ll have more details on how the front five is likely to shake out in our practice notes later in the week. That will be especially important regarding the status of EJ Warner, which is up in the air even considering the good imaging news after he left the Tulane game with an injury on the Owls’ final offensive possession.

On defense, defensive tackle Elroyal Morris returns to the two-deep after being replaced by Aquantis Clemmons a week ago. Andrew Awe is listed as the starting Mike linebacker, a role that has seemingly bounced back and forth every other week between him and Ty Morris. Safety Tyson Flowers has shifted over to the Viper safety spot with Daveon Hook moving over to free safety. On the second team, corner AJ Stephens moves in front of Ephraim Dotson.

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