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Rice Football 2024 Fall Camp Notebook 4: The Rise of Taji Atkins

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Freshman running back Taji Atkins continues to impress whenever Rice Football takes the field. Nothing has been too big for this talented newcomer.

There’s been a “Here’s What Taji Atkins Did Today” section of every report I’ve written from camp thus far, and for good reason. The freshman runner continues to dazzle whenever he gets the football. On Saturday he carried the ball eight times for 41 yards, scoring three touchdowns. As if that wasn’t enough, on the first play of the short-yardage situation drills, Atkins bounced a ball outside and kept running until he reached the endzone.

On a play where he was asked to get one yard, he got 50.

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Rice Football 2024 Fall Camp Notebook 3: Scrimmage 2

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Youth was on display in the second scrimmage of Rice football fall camp. With so many starters resting, we learned a lot about the depth of this roster.

Lightning couldn’t thwart a three-hour showcase of Rice football talent on Saturday night as the Owls’ wrapped up fall with a lengthy scrimmage that saw a myriad of players get on the field at every position. From position battles to individual standouts, there’s a lot to unpack as the team slowly turns their attention toward the Sam Houston game which is now just two weeks away. Here’s what we learned.

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Depth chart on pause

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 181 – 2024 Army/Navy Preview with Omar Borja

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Next up as The Roost Podcast continues its AAC opponent previews: Omar Borja dives into Army and Navy Football in 2024.

Rice football gets both academies this season, facing off with Army in an American Conference game before meeting Navy later in the season. These triple option teams share some similarities, but it might not be as cookie-cutter of an offensive scheme as one might think. Omar Borja joins the shows to talk through the eventful offseasons for both programs and preview what the Owls can expect from both squads this fall.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 181.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite as is the Luv-Ya-Owls shirt. Make sure you check out the brand-new sailor hat (pictured below) as you shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Patreon

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Previewing 2024 Army and Navy Football with Omar Rashon Borja

  • Was joining a conference a good thing for Army?
  • Fliterations with non-traditional offensive schemes at Army and Navy
  • What makes the Army offense go?
  • Differences with the Navy offense with a new offensive coordinator
  • Key playmakers for both teams
  • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Rice Basketball Recruiting: G Jacob Dar commits to Owls

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Rice basketball looks to put the finishing touches on its 2024 roster. Emory and Henry transfer guard Jacob Dar has committed to the Owls.

No sooner had the Transfer Portal opened then an influx of new members of the 2024-2025 Rice basketball team began. New head coach Rob Lanier and his staff worked diligently to replenish the roster on the fly, nearly filling it to the brim in a matter of a few short weeks. As the fall approached, few spots remained to fortify that group. The Owls made sure they had room for at least one more, though. Guard Jacob Dar has committed to the Owls.

Dar is a 6-foot-7, 185-pound wing from Emory and Henry College, a Division II school based in Emory, Virginia. The sophomore entered the portal this spring following a season in which he led the Wasps in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game while shooting 77.6 percent from the floor. Dar is also a career 35.6 percent shooter from three.

It’s hard to keep tabs on exactly how many scholarships remain, but the addition of Dar certainly puts them at or near the limit. His commitment also represents yet another source Lanier and his staff have found to increase the talent level of this team. They’ve grabbed a player from a premier brand (Villanova), picked up several from Lanier’s old stomping grounds (SMU) and add others from accros the country (CCSU, Cal Poly, San Diego, Wyoming, UC Upstate and others). Dar could just be the last piece of the puzzle.

More: Rice Basketball Roster Tracker

It’s challenging to project a D2 prospect to D1, but when you’re looking for traits that translate to the next level, Dar certainly has several of those. He moves really well for an athlete of his size and has a beautiful shot, scoring at all levels. The highlights are enticing and could potentially offer more upside once he’s had an offseason with the Owls’ strength staff and worked further with the team. He could carve out a role quickly and has multiple years of eligibility remaining.

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2024 Rice Football Season Preview: Defensive Line

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Next up in our 2024 Rice Football Season Preview: defensive line. Here’s our breakdown of the Owls’ plans for the group this season.

The defensive line has been a solid unit since head coach Mike Bloomgren arrived. Rice football has fielded several all-conference caliber players in the trenches, building on the consistency of having the same position coach, Cedric Calhoun, and same defensive coordinator, Brian Smith, for that entire time period. Armed with that consistency and the right mix of home grown talent and impactful transfers, there are high expectations for the unit this fall.

Rice Football Preseason Preview: Check out the rest of the series here.

This piece is part of our 2024 Rice Football Season Preview. Get access to it, as well as all other preview posts such as positional breakdowns, depth chart and schedule analysis and more when you subscribe on Patreon today. 

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** Photo credit Maria Lysaker **
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