Next up in our 2023 Rice Football Season Preview: linebacker. Let’s dive into the position and break down the Owls’ plans for the group this year.
It took some time to get there, but Rice football found some stability at linebacker in 2022, replacing the electric duo of Blaze Alldredge and Antonio Montero without any significant hiccups. Added experience will only help with a room that is largely less proven at the collegiate level on the whole. Here’s how the position looks in 2023.
Rice Football Preseason Preview: Check out the rest of the series here.
Breaking down the Linebacker position
The linebacker room has been a hodge-podge of personnel on the player side and the coaching side over the last few seasons. That carousel continued on the coaching side this offseason with the hiring of former North Shore head coach Jon Kay to coach linebackers.
Kay was overwhelmingly energetic in the spring, gushing about the opportunity to get back to the X’s and O’s and dig into the daily grind that comes with being responsible for a single position rather than an entire program. Kay’s football intellect comes highly regarded. Rice is hopeful that translates into an equally large effect on the linebacker room.
As for the scheme, Rice will stick with its two-backer approach they’ve operated under almost exclusively under defensive coordinator Brian Smith. Joshua Pearcy might line up alongside them with his hand out of the dirt, but for the most part, Rice will trust a tandem to do most of the dirty work in the middle.
The frequency of those starters rotating out will depend on a host of intriguing — albeit less proven — options behind them.
Projected Starters – Chris Conti, Myron Morrison
Chris Conti led the team in tackles last season with 75. Myron Morrison was right on his heels, notching 73 himself, with Morrison missing two games along the way. That duo enters the 2023 season as the odds-on favorite to retain their starting jobs, although they’ll be pushed by a few younger names, particularly in the later portions of the season.
For the time being, though, it’s worth noting what Conti was able to achieve in his first year at South Main. He learned the defense in the fall and was the opening day starter against USC, starting 12 of the Owls’ 13 games last season. Having another offseason to internalize the scheme should help boost his reaction time and make him even more effective in the open field.
As for Morrison, his work away from the ball was almost as impressive as what he did in the box. He finished the season with three pass breakups, fourth on the team and the highest of any player that did not primarily operate in the secondary. He also had two interceptions, which tied with Gabe Taylor for the team lead. He was an extremely versatile piece, something the Owls need in this particular defense.
Rest of the Room
Andrew Awe was an indispensable, unsung hero in the Rice football program last season. He started one game for the Owls and appeared in all 13 contests in some capacity, one of just 10 defensive players to do so and more than a couple of starters. He played special teams and was part of the defensive rotation. Expect him to be that key reserve again this year.
Next up are two intriguing redshirt sophomores. Kenny Seymour worked his way up the ladder last fall and has put himself under consideration for some rotation snaps this season.
Seymour’s classmate DJ Arkansas has spent less time on the field, although not by his choice. Injuries have hampered his opportunities, but his athleticism is unquestioned. If anyone is going to rise up and claim a starting spot midseason among the non-freshman players already on the roster, Arkansas might be the best bet.
Player to Watch
Of all the incoming freshmen on defense, Ty Morris might be the most highly anticipated new arrival. He converted from safety to linebacker in high school and is expected to slide into that role closer to the line of scrimmage at the next level.
The staff has raved about his ability and multiple occasions and it’ll be exciting to see him get on the grass when fall camp arrives. Breaking the starting lineup as a freshman at Rice is difficult, but not impossible. The linebacker core has less obvious gaps up top, making the task a bit more challenging for Morris.
