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Rice Football 2023: Charlotte Game Week Practice Report

November 16, 2023 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice football is in “playoff mode” as they visit Charlotte, two wins away from six with two games to go. Here’s what we learned from the Owls at practice this week.

There was definitely an extra dose of intensity at Rice football practices this week. The Owls said all the right things and seemingly did all the right things in preparation for Charlotte, even as they waded through continued uncertainty at quarterback and a few other key positions.

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This week’s roundup focuses on what the Owls plan to do if Daniels misses another week, a potential adjustment in the backfield and the stated importance of this matchup by several Rice players.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

The Plan at Quarterback, again

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Filed Under: Featured, Football, Premium Tagged With: AJ Padgett, Ari Broussard, Ethan Powell, Izeya Floyd, Jack Bradley, JT Daniels, Juma Otoviano, Kobie Campbell, Micah Barnett, practice notes, Rice Football, Sean Fresch

Rice Football 2023 Season Preview: Roster Grid

August 9, 2023 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice football has a 113-man roster entering the 2023 season. From position changes to eligibility remaining, this chart will help keep everything in order.

Keeping track of eligibility and positions can be challenging and there wasn’t one single source that had the most up-to-date information — now there is. In addition to the roster tracker and as a complement to the roster, which has been updated to account for all the final additions and changes with the start of camp, this grid tracks every Rice football player by position and classification. Position changes from last season and/or the spring are also detailed below.

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

This piece is part of our 2023 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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Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Football, Premium Tagged With: 2023 Rice Football Season Preview, AJ Padgett, AJ Stephens, Alex Scherle, Andrew Awe, Aquantis Clemmons, Arden Napier, Ari Broussard, Ashton Ojiaku, Beau Barton, Boden Groen, Brad Baur, Braedon Nutter, Brant Banks, Braylen Walker, Chali Taylor, Chase Jenkins, Chibby Nwajuaku, Chike Anigbogu, Chris Bruce, Chris Clark, Chris conti, Christian Edgar, Christian Francisco, Clay Servin, Colby Connell, Coleman Coco, Colin Giffen, Conor Hunt, Cooper King, Daelen Alexander, Daveon Hook, Dean Connors, DeMone Green, DJ Arkansas, Drake Dragoo, Drayden Dickmann, Elijah Mojarro, Enoch Gota, Ethan Broughman, Ethan Onianwa, Ethan Powell, Gabe Taylor, Geron Hargon, Hudson Perroni, Ichmael Joseph, Isaiah Gonzalez, Jabari Ellison, Jack Bradley, Jaggar Hebeisen, Jalen Hargrove, Jamarion Clark, James Falk, Jeremiah Williams, John Long, Jojo Jean, Jordan Campbell, Jordan Dunbar, Josh Pearcy, Joshua Williams, Jovoni Johnson, JT Daniels, Juma Otoviano, Justin Williams, Kenny Seymour, Kobie Campbell, Lamont Narcisse, Landon Ransom, Lavel Dumont, Lloyd McFarquhar, Luke McCaffrey, Luke Needham, Marcus Williams, Matt Hall, Matt Sykes, Max Ahoia, Micah Barnett, Michael Amico, Michael Larbie, Miguel Cedeno, Mike Leone, Moh Bility, Myron Morrison, Nate Bledsoe, Nathaniel Beal, Netane Fehoko, Patrick Valent, Peyton Farmer, Peyton Stevenson, Phillip Gallegos, Plae Wyatt, Quinton Jackson, Rawson MacNeill, Reese Keeney, Rice Football, Ryan Guillo, Sean Fresch, Shawqi Itraish, Shepherd Bowling, Tim Horn, trace norfleet, Tre'shon Devones, Trey Phillippi, Ty Morris, Tyson Flowers, Tyson Thompson, Van Heitmann, Weston Kropp, wyatt freeman

2023 Rice Football Season Preview: Running Back

July 9, 2023 By Matthew Bartlett

Next up in our 2023 Rice Football Season Preview: running back. Let’s dive into the position and break down the Owls’ plans for the group this year.

The running game was meant to be the bread and butter of the Rice football offense under Mike Bloomgren, but it’s been a slog in recent years for a myriad of reasons. Will 2023 be the year the ground game breaks through? And if so, what is it going to take from the personnel on hand (and/or the scheme) to get that aspect of the Owls’ offense moving? Here’s how the position looks in 2023.

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

This piece is part of our 2023 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. 

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
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Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Football, Premium Tagged With: 2023 Rice Football Season Preview, Ari Broussard, Christian Francisco, Colin Giffen, Daelen Alexander, Dean Connors, Geron Hargon, Juma Otoviano, Micah Barnett, Michael Amico, Quinton Jackson, Rice Football

Luke McCaffrey soars, lifting Rice Football past Louisiana Tech

October 22, 2022 By Matthew Bartlett

After a shaky start, a banner day for Luke McCaffrey helped push Rice Football to their first road win of the season, downing Louisiana Tech.

It wasn’t pretty. There were large swathes of the game that each phase — offense, defense and special teams — will want to forget. But when the dust settled, Rice football won on the road as a favorite for the first time under head coach Mike Bloomgren. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Maddening offense finally figures it out

Fixing the offense was priority one this week during practice. Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren was adamant that nothing was “broken” and that the team could get things turned around. They focused their running back snaps, reconfigured the offensive line and put their trust in quarterback TJ McMahon. When it came time to play the game, it felt like things had gotten worse, not better.

A gutsy fake punt on the Owls’ first drive of the game was the only run that went longer than four yards in the first quarter. Excluding that fake, converted by fullback Micah Barnett, Rice averaged 0.6 (yes, zero point six, not a typo) yards per carry on their first three possessions. Early on, the passing game wasn’t much better. Even when accounting for two early third down conversions, McMahon started the game 3-for-8 for 23 yards.

The Roost Podcast: Stay tuned for the game recap this week – Rice Football vs LA Tech

Instead of improved, this offense looked broken for two-plus quarters. The running game wasn’t fixed, and one could argue it might even have gotten worse. No matter the combination, the offensive line hasn’t gelled to the degree it needs to for this offense to be effective. On top of that, McMahon is learning on the job and the highs and lows are being experienced in real-time.

It was encouraging to see the team start moving the ball in the second half. But we already knew they could score. We knew they had playmakers that could make plays and we’ve seen McMahon at his best. They’re just maddeningly inconsistent right now and it’s going to be hard to have much confidence in the unit until they string together a few consecutive quarters of quality play.

Fortunately for Rice football, McMahon’s high came at the right time.

How about the grit of TJ McMahon? Rough start? No problem. He goes 64-yards untouched to give Rice the lead.pic.twitter.com/PeB4LwGEhF

— The Roost (@AtTheRoost) October 22, 2022

The silver lining? The second half. Rice football scored 28 points in the second half and accounted for 322 yards, including 204 on the ground. The ability is there. The consistency needs to arrive soon.

When in doubt, Luke McCaffrey

Bradley Rozner caught a touchdown but was otherwise quiet. The running game was non-existent. Turnovers plagued the team all day long. Had it not been for the big play ability of Luke McCaffrey, Rice might have scored at all on Saturday. McCaffrey hasn’t been perfect in his transitional year from quarterback to wide receiver, but it’s abundantly clear that his raw speed and tremendous athleticism give this offense a spark.

McCaffrey scored the first touchdown of the day on a perfect throw from McMahon, one of his best on the day. Then McCaffrey made some magic of his own in the third quarter, breaking off a 66-yard reception after catching a pass in stride. His 77 yards after the catch was more than any other receiver on either team had receiving yards in regulation. He finished with 171 receiving yards, two receiving touchdowns and a receiving score.

Outside of McCaffrey, it was McMahon and Otoviano that provided the sparks. It might not be possible to build the entire offense out of McCaffrey, and if McMahon can settle in and the running game can show any semblance of life, Rice football shouldn’t have to. But it’s nice to know that when in doubt, Rice has a guy that can make it happen.

Have a day, Luke McCaffreypic.twitter.com/BZ7hfxm8tN

— The Roost (@AtTheRoost) October 22, 2022

Stop. The. Turnovers.

As if things weren’t hard enough for the offense, the unit continued to make its own job more challenging on Saturday. Rice football entered the game tied for eighth-worst in Conference USA with 13 giveaways. McMahon was second nationally with 10 interceptions.

The Owls had given the ball away too many times, but there was some hope that all the tipped passes that fell into defenders’ hands were bad luck, rather than symptoms of a growing problem. Luck or not, the issues persisted. Against Louisiana Tech, Rice fumbled four times, losing two of them. turned the ball over three times. They turned it over on downs once as well.

After a three-and-out in which the offense went backward nine yards, Broussard fumbled on a first down carry. That set the Louisiana Tech offense up on a short field from which it took a goal line pick from Sean Fresch to keep points off the board. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Broussard fumbled on the one-yard line a few drives later and was benched. Sean Fresch added a turnover on a punt return, too.

This offense is not consistent enough as it is. They can’t afford to lose possessions and spot opponents with better field positions. And it’s maddening to watch them turn things on in the second half and score points in bunches as soon as they ceased handing the ball to the other team.

The defense can’t hold on forever

Louisiana Tech entered the game averaging 34.0 points per game in conference play and 29.7 points overall. Rice held them 35 points in regulation, essentially on par with their standards. Had it not been for some opportunistic plays by this unit, Rice football might have been out of the game entirely before halftime.

The defense gave this team a chance on a day in which the offense struggled mightily, but the signs of exhaustion were there. Louisiana Tech broke off a 49-yard carry in the first quarter. The Bulldogs scored a 32-yard touchdown on a screen pass immediately following a sack that pushed them back to second-and-20.

It’s true, the defense is being asked to carry its weight and more, but lapses in concentration of that magnitude are quick to undo the positive gains accrued on the other 95 percent of their snaps. Louisiana Tech’s final fourth quarter drive was another heart-pounding reminder they’re not perfect, yet.

Rice entered Saturday tied for second-best in Conference USA with only 11 plays of 30+ yards allowed on defense, so it’s not time to hit the red-alert button just yet. But after looking dominant at times in recent weeks, there were some signs of tiredness that seeped through on Saturday, particularly on that final drive and subsequent conversion.

Digging deeper

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Recent Posts
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  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Football, Premium Tagged With: Ari Broussard, Bradley Rozner, Cam Montgomery, game recap, Juma Otoviano, Luke McCaffrey, Micah Barnett, Rice Football, Sean Fresch, TJ McMahon

Rice Football 2022: USC Game Week Practice Report

August 31, 2022 By Matthew Bartlett

Rice football is days away from opening its season against USC. Here’s what we learned from the practices leading up to the game.

Following Wednesday’s practice as Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren surveyed his team as they began to pack up their things and leave the field, he offered this comment: “This is what I wanted it to look like.”

He was speaking of the Owls’ roster, of the program as a whole. He and I had talked about what this team would look like in Year 4 in Year 5 back when he first arrived at the program for the 2018 season. The depth he’d dreamed of has arrived. The speed, athleticism and raw talent is evident in so many players. And now this team is days away from being put through its first test.

With most of this week’s practice wrapped up, here’s a deep dive on all three phases, some standouts from this week and a few notes on how Rice football is preparing to take on USC.

Subscriber content.<br /> Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts
  • Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls
  • Hickson gem propels Rice Baseball to series win over Charlotte
  • Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Filed Under: Archive, Football, Premium Tagged With: Aidan Siano, Andrew Awe, Ari Broussard, Cam Montgomery, Cedric Patterson, Chris conti, Christian VanSickle, Conor Hunt, De'Braylon Carroll, Dean Connors, Enoch Gota, George Nyakwol, Isaiah Esdale, Izeya Floyd, Jack Bradley, Juma Otoviano, Kobie Campbell, Luke McCaffrey, Marcus Williams, Micah Barnett, Myron Morrison, Plae Wyatt, practice notes, Rawson MacNeill, Rice Football, Sam Crawford, Sean Fresch, Trey Phillippi, Tyson Thompson, Uriah West

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