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Keys to victory over FIU

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Rice football is still searching for their first win in conference play. The Owls will be underdogs against FIU, but a win is still within reach.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Owls. After falling to UAB, the leader in the CUSA West, in Week 7 they’ll travel to Miami to play FIU, the leader in CUSA East, in Week 8. The Owls are beat up, but still retain plenty of confidence.

Here’s how they get it done against FIU:

1. Find the right mix up front

The offensive line has been a continual question mark for this team. After the Hawaii game the secret to stopping the Owls’ rushing attack seemed to get out. Opposing defenses stacked the box. Rice didn’t quit on the run, but their effectiveness since has been limited.

The struggles of guys like Jack Greene and Uzoma Osuji have opened the door for several new faces. Jake Skyptak got the start at left tackle against UAB. Freshman Clay Servin and Cole Garcia saw an increase in snaps, a trend which should continue against FIU.

Sooner or later, the Owls have to find the right mix. If the guys up front can’t block the right rushers or open up lanes for the running backs it doesn’t matter who’s lining up behind them. No running back or quarterback is going to find success if they’re being met in the backfield. This unit must take a step forward, especially with redshirt freshman quarterback Evan Marshman making his first start behind them.

2. Don’t give up any deep shots

The secondary had their moments this season when things looked to be turning around. They limited deep shots well against Southern Miss and held UTSA to less than 50 yards through the air and no passing touchdowns. They did not fare well against UAB. Justin Bickham, the star of the UTSA game, was the victim of a 95-yard touchdown pass. Brandon Douglas-Dotson gave up a 38-yard strike on the first drive of the game.

Rice has allowed 18 passing plays of 30 yards or longer this season. That’s two more than any other team in CUSA. They’re the only team in the conference to allow multiple 70+ yard completions against them. UAB was successful through the air against Rice, and it could have been worse. Quarterback A.J. Erdely missed a few receivers that had a step on Rice defenders.

If the Owls want to keep this close they can’t spot their opponents any free touchdowns. Successful deep shots and quick scoring drives must be avoided.

3. Win the turnover battle

Rice is second to last in CUSA with a -5 turnover margin. The defense has registered eight takeaways in seven games while the offense has turned it over 13 times. Only one team has turned the ball over more times than the Owls. Giving away extra possessions is the opposite of what this team needs right now.

The defense was the recipient of multiple short fields against UTSA. It set up easier scoring opportunities for the Roadrunners and ultimately leds to the Owls’ undoing in what could have been their first conference win.

Playing on the road isn’t easy, but the Owls can make the challenge more doable with a few big plays from their defense and better protection of the ball on offense. If they don’t win the turnover battle they’ll be in for another rough Saturday.

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New starting quarterback and lots of injuries, practice notes (10/18)

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Rice football will have their second starting quarterback of the 2018 season on Saturday against FIU. Evan Marshman will get the call. How is the team responding?

There was a buzz around Rice football practice this week. Starting quarterback Shawn Stankavage suffered an injury against UAB and won’t play against FIU in Week 8. That’s opened the door for redshirt freshman Evan Marshman, who walked on at Rice, to start his first game this weekend.

The young guys and the season vets have all rallied behind Marshman. Senior Austin Walter called him “an easy guy to follow” and a “workaholic”, noting his focus and aggressiveness throughout the week of practice. Offensive coordinator Jerry Mack agreed with those sentiments, saying Marshman “gets guys fired up in the huddle” and “plays with a sense of urgency.”

The change at quarterback has prompted a condensed playbook and a more streamlined plan of attack. Mack and the rest of the offensive coaching staff want to make sure they put their quarterback in the best position to succeed. That’s going to take several other players stepping up on Saturday.

Mack put some of the onus on the Owls’ offensive playmakers, noting that the job for guys like Austin Walter, Aaron Cephus and Austin Trammel is to “make Evan [Marshman] better.” With Emmanuel Esukpa out there will be even more room for Walter to make plays, and true freshman Juma Otoviano is expected to see time as well.

They’ll be supported by a trio of freshman offensive lineman. Who starts the game has not been formally released, but expect to see heavier usage from Jake Syptak, Cole Garcia and Clay Servin. All three saw action against UAB and each will continue to push for more playing time going forward. The offensive line is an area where the Owls have struggled this fall, making fresh legs and new faces a must.

Winning anywhere in conference play on the road is difficult. The Owls will be underdogs once again, but the energy and the intensity of this week of practice indicate this team isn’t stagnating. If they can get off to a strong start, they’ll be ready to push FIU on Saturday.

Most importantly, Marshman says he’ll be ready. “I’m going to fully give myself to the gameplan and the team.” He’s in. The Owls are in. Now it’s time to put it all together on Saturday.

Injuries

The Owls’ depth chart has taken several hits. These players will not be traveling with the team and are officially out against FIU:

QB Shawn Stankavage
RB Emmanuel Esukpa
TE Will Phillips
WR Brendan Harmon
LB Kebreyun Page
DE Cameron Valentine
CB D’Angelo Ellis

Wide receiver Cam Montgomery, who has yet to play this season, has been ruled out for the year.

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2019 offensive lineman Nick Wagman commits to Owls

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Offensive line will be a priority in the 2019 Rice football recruiting class which now includes preferred walk-on Nick Wagman.

As a former offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Stanford, Mike Bloomgren understands life in the trenches. Part of that wisdom will require the addition of some new players up front, something that has already been made clear in the Owls’ 2019 recruiting class.

It wasn’t a coincidence Bloomgren’s first commitment of the 2019 class came from an offensive lineman. Dallas, TX guard Regan Riddle pledge his commitment to Rice this summer. The Owls have since added to their offensive line haul with the addition of Potomac, MD offensive lineman Nick Wagman. The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder will most likely play along the interior of the line at South Main.

Wagman will walk on at Rice, just like his brother Jack did this year at Maryland. He won’t count toward the Owls’ football scholarship limit, something that will enable the program to take in as many players as possible in this group. This team needs an injection of talent; the more they can get the better.

Walk-on or not, Wagman is ready to contribute as quickly as he can. He had the opportunity to visit campus during the Owls’ junior day this spring and walked away extremely impressed. “You could tell as soon as you walked into the building that there was something special happening,” he said.

A refreshing endorsement from someone outside the program looking in, Wagman has now jumped into the Rice family. He cited his relationship with associate head coach and special teams coordinator Pete Lembo as a key factor in his recruitment. Lembo has been busy along the eastern seaboard, keeping tabs on several prospects of interest to the Owls. Wagman could be just the beginning.

 

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Urgency, focus drivers for Owls, FIU presser notes (10/16)

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Rice football remains winless in Conference USA play and gets their next shot at a win against FIU in Week 8. Mike Bloomgren remains confident this team can make progress.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren kicked off this week’s press conference with an endorsement of this team’s effort and will to win. He said the last six weeks “have been hard on everyone in our building,” but remained resolute that “this team still cares” and is working to right the ship.

Translating that effort into results has been the challenge for this team of late. Bloomgren referenced a quote from the late Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder and Seattle Seahawks owner who passed away this week.

As long as we work together with both urgency and determination there are no limits to what we can achieve

Bloomgren cited the diligence and effort of the senior leadership and the freshman class. Both of those groups have seen success on the field. Many of the seniors were a part of the team that won the Hawaii Bowl in 2014. Many of the freshman are coming off successful high school campaigns of their own. The Owls’ current junior class has won five games at Rice. Bloomgren didn’t try to sugarcoat it: “That stinks.”

Coaching up “what’s between the ears” for that group of players is going to be key to the Owls success on the field against FIU this weekend. If that means a change of who’s playing, so be it. More individual packages and plays are going to continue to be incorporated as the coaching staff determines which guys are excelling in particular areas.

Presumably with Evan Marshman starting at quarterback, Rice will try once again for their first win in conference play. Bloomgren said he knows how important a win on Saturday would be for this program. He feels it, and so does the team, who is coming off what he called their “best practice of the year”. The question is: can they do it on Saturday? We’ll find out soon enough.

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Quarterback depth chart, practice update (10/15)

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Rice football returned to practice on Monday with plenty to work on following the Owls loss to UAB plus a quarterback position up in the air.

Starting quarterback Shawn Stankavage was initially diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and underwent an MRI this weekend. The results are pending, and while he has not yet been officially ruled out, he is not expected to be available for the Owls’ upcoming game against FIU.

Stankavage left the UAB game with the injury midway through the second quarter. Redshirt freshman Evan Marshman replaced him and fared no better moving the ball down the field. Stakavage spent practice sidelined with a walking boot while Marshmann and true freshman Wiley Green worked with the first team offense in his place.

Jackson Tyner practiced with the second team offense. Bloomgen had said he would reopen the backup quarterback job prior to Stankavage’s injury. That has this case, but at this time all signs point to both Marshman and Green being ahead of Tyner. One of those two will be in line to make his first career start Saturday on the road.

Green had a strong fall camp and continues to play well in practice. He was considered to be a prime candidate for the newly instituted redshirt rule that allows players to play four games without forfeiting a year of eligibility. Bloomgren is going to do whatever it takes to win Saturday, so don’t expect to see a potential redshirt play a meaningful role in the decision making process.

Special teams

The first drills of practice focused on special teams. Even though Jack Fox racked up punt yardage in bunches the unit was far from excellent against UAB.

The most glaring issue came on a blocked up, recovered by UAB for a touchdown. That’s exactly where the team started, address any protection issues to ensure that doesn’t happen again.

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