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Rice Football 2022 Spring Practice Notebook 3: Scrimmage 1

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The first scrimmage of 2022 Rice Football spring practice is complete. Here are a few individual standouts and some big picture takeaways.

Defense won the day on the first scrimmage of the spring. The back-and-forth battle of the two sides of the ball was weighted heavily toward that side of the ball for the entirety of the season as Rice football donned pads to engage in one of their most highly anticipated sessions of the spring. This update breaks down some individual standouts on both sides of the ball and their ramifications on the team thus far.

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Rice Football 2021 Rising Star of the Year: Ari Broussard

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From walk-on linebacker to bellcow back, Ari Broussard saw his opportunity and seized it, earning the 2021 Rice Football Rising Star award.

Just about every college football team across the country has walk-ons, players that don’t have an athletics scholarship but find their way onto the roster for one reason or another. In today’s recruiting landscape, some are actually recruited, identified and sought out even though they might not make the cut for the initial count of 25 scholarships that are divvied out annually.

Rice football is no different in that respect. They target non-scholarship players, too, seeking every was possible to up the level of talent on their roster.

But as is often the case with the Owls, there are some uniquenesses to how walk-on players find their way onto the roster. Most notably, they have to apply to the university and be accepted on their own merit first. Often players of interest are directed to the applications process, then upon admission, granted spots on the roster.

Ari Broussard took a slightly different route. The former high school running back was lightly recruited by other schools and applied to Rice on his own. It was after he was accepted that he reached out to the football staff to see about walking onto the roster. He was the initiator, taking the onus on himself to get to where he wanted to be.

With depth at the running back position and several scholarship players ahead of Broussard on the pecking order, he was asked to play linebacker. Broussard had played some on that side of the ball in high school, and although he preferred toting the rock to tackling, he was eager to help out wherever he could.

The Roost Podcast: Third Annual Edition of The Roostie’s Rice Football Awards

In the spring of 2019, Broussard was asked to help the team out by switching back to running back, where the Owls were light in numbers. He responded with a breakthrough performance in the spring game, capped off by the news he had earned a scholarship following the game.

As fulfilling as that moment was, there would be no immediate encore. Injuries and a suddenly more crowded running back room would every Broussard back to special teams for the 2020 season. That was expected to be his primary area contribution again in 2021, but this time fate had other plans.

Rice football entered the season with plenty of uncertainty in the backfield. Jordan Myers had converted from tight end to halfback in the spring. Freshman signee Christian Francisco was injured late in camp, bumping Juma Otoviano back to scout team duties. That left Broussard, Khalan Griffin and utility man Cameron Montgomery as the top options behind Myers in the backfield.

Myers was productive, but was hurt down the stretch, forcing his role to be scaled back significantly. Griffin ran hard, but lacked explosiveness and surehandedness and consequently fell out of favor on offense. It was finally Broussard time.

Broussard carried the ball 10 times for 61 yards against UTSA. He added 16 carries for 65 yards a week later at UAB. Then he exploded for 186 yards and his first two collegiate touchdowns against Charlotte.

“I told the guys at halftime he was running like a man possessed, ” head coach Mike Bloomgren said of Broussard’s breakthrough game. “Really proud of him. He ended the game averaging 9.3 (yards per carry) and had some big-time runs for us in there.”

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This time he didn’t return to the shadows. Even though he was banged up near the end of that game, he returned the next week to carry the ball 15 times against Western Kentucky, leading the Rice backfield in carries. He’d do the same two weeks later against Louisiana Tech. Whether he was feeling 100 percent or hobbled, Broussard proved to be a true bellcow running back that Rice football could rely on.

From walk-on, to ‘ol reliable, Ari Broussard exemplified a feelgood story, but made sure the heartwarming moments were filled with plenty of productivity. He earned his spot on offense and made the most of it.

Rice football will restock the running back room this offseason. They’ve already received a pledge from a junior college back and could be on the lookout for others, if the right fit materializes. Broussard is no strange to being counted out. He’s been at the bottom of the depth chart before, but now he’s proven he belongs on the field.

Broussard will be ready to go this spring, touting the rock like he always has. But his outlook for the fall will be different. Regardless of what happens next, it feels like Broussard has carved out a role for himself going forward. Our 2021 Rice Football Rising Star isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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The Roost’s 2021 Rice Football Season Superlatives

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The Roost’s 2021 Rice Football Season Superlatives exist to honor exceptional Owls who made a difference on the field this season. Here’s the complete list.

There were many individual performances worth recognizing in the 2021 Rice Football season. In addition to the more traditional awards below, make sure to check out The Roosties, our third annual award show from The Roost Podcast, which features a different angle of honors. From our favorite plays to the players that surprised us the most, we cover some of the more creative superlatives on the show.

Offensive Newcomer of the Year — WR Cedric Patterson | Full Story

Excerpt: “Unstoppable. That’s what it started to feel like when Patterson hauled in a pass with grass in front of him. The speed was always evident, but his maturation as a student of the game who knew where he was supposed to be and how to best execute his responsibility on any given play began to set him apart.”

Defensive Newcomer of the Year — CB Jordan Dunbar | Full Story 

Excerpt: “When the season arrived, it was Dunbar’s turn to shine. And for as much respect as he received during the weeks prior to the season, the young cover man delivered. He was named the starter for the Rice football season opener against Arkansas and lined up opposite future first-round NFL Draft selection Treylon Burks. And Dunbar held his own.”

Rising Star — RB Ari Broussard | Full Story 

Excerpt: “From walk-on, to ‘ol reliable, Ari Broussard exemplified a feel-good story, but made sure the heartwarming moments were filled with plenty of productivity. He earned his spot on offense and made the most of it.”

Sp. Teams Players of the Year  — KR Juma Otoviano, PR Sean Fresch | Full Story 

Excerpt: “Traditionally, The Roost’s Rice Football Special Teams Player of the Year has been reserved for one standout. Jack Fox, Garrett Grammer and Charlie Mendes were previous honorees. This year, we’ve expanded the award to recognize two individuals, Sean Fresch and Juma Otoviano, who each provided game-changing sparks that set Rice up for success and led to Rice wins.”

Offensive Player of the Year — RB Jordan Myers | Full Story

Excerpt: “By the time he hung up his cleats, Myers had graduated from being labeled as simply a utility player. He was someone Rice could count — and did count on — in the most crucial moments. Myers was the man handed the football on fourth and short and asked to find a yard. More often than not, he did.”

Defensive Player of the Year — DT Elijah Garcia | Full Story

Excerpt: “His play spoke for itself, but Garcia did a fair amount of talking, too. Although he wasn’t named one of the team captains during the preseason, Garcia was the man asked to take the mic frequently during postgame press conferences. On those hard nights, he showed composure and poise. He was a leader, on and off the field.”

Team MVP — WR Jake Bailey | Full Story

Excerpt: “Big might be the perfect word to describe the size at which Bailey played. Standing 5-foot-10, there were only five players on the roster with a listed height shorter than Bailey. Yet Bailey never let that stop him. If anything, his stature aided his quickness and made him just that more difficult to bring down in the open field.”

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Rice Football 2021 Game Preview: Louisiana Tech

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Rice football takes on Louisiana Tech in their 2021 season finale. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

The last week of the regular season will feature a battle of 3-8 teams in Houston. Rice football rides a four game losing streak into their home finale, dropping their most recent game to UTEP in El Paso last weekend. Louisiana Tech lost to quarterbackless Southern Miss last time out, who the Owls beat earlier in the season. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

Kickoff time | 12:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, TX
TV | ESPN+
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Louisiana Tech on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, streaming live on Wednesday at Noon on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. You can also catch the recap of last week’s game on The Roost Podcast, which should be released shortly. Find us on the podcast page or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. (And consider leaving us a 5-star review while you’re at it.)

Sizing up the contenders

Even with a win, Louisiana Tech could do no matter than tie their worst season under Skip Holtz. He went 4-8 in his debut season with the Bulldogs in 2013 and has reached a bowl game in every season since. Frankly, reaching four games below .500 isn’t noticeably better than finishing five games below that mark.

Rice football is playing to reach that same 4-8 finish, but with slightly different optics. Four wins would be the most under Mike Bloomgren to date. When combined with a couple of overtime losses and a rigorous non-conference slate, it could be enough to buy him so goodwill. Every win counts at this point.

Series History

All Time | Louisiana Tech leads Rice, 9-4
Last Five | Louisiana Tech leads Rice, 5-0
Last Meeting | Home 2019, Louisiana Tech won 23-20 (OT)

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Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Constantine – 126/206 (61.2 percent), 1622 yards, 8 TD, 7 INT
Rushing | Broussard – 104 carries, 535 yards (5.1 yards per carry), 3 TD / Myers – 89 carries, 334 yards (3.8 yards per carry), 8 TD
Receiving | Bailey – 56 receptions, 714 yards (12.8 yds/rec), 2 TD / Patterson – 33 receptions, 490 yards (13.9 yds/rec), 4 TD
Tackles | Montero/Garcia – 60 / Smith – 57 / Pearcy – 53
Pass Breakups | Dunbar – 7, McCord/Smith – 5, Taylor/Fresch – 4
Interceptions | Smith – 3, Nyakwol/Lockhart/Taylor – 2

Louisiana Tech Stat Notables

Passing | Allen – 50/77 (64.9 percent), 620 yards passing, 2 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Williams – 175 carries, 750 yards (4.3 yards per carry), 8 TD / Garner – 54 carries, 216 yards (4.0 ypc), 3 TD
Receiving | Harris – 65 receptions, 693 yards (10.7 yards per reception), 5 TD / Harris – 35 receptions, 485 yards (13.9 yds/rec), 3 TD
Tackles | Grubbs – 91 / Baldwin – 88 / Buchanan – 47
Pass Breakups | Woods – 5, Grubbs/Baldwin – 4
Interceptions | Williamson/Cole – 2, Four others tied with one apiece

Louisiana Tech X-Factor | One-dimensional Rice

The Louisiana Tech defense hasn’t been particularly strong on any singular front this season. The Bulldogs own the No. 12 passing defense in the conference and the No. 10 rushing defense. Since their C-USA slate has arrived they’ve been a bit better through the air and much worse on the ground, but they’re not going to get confused for an upper-tier unit anytime soon. But maybe they don’t have to be.

Rice hasn’t shown the ability to consistently put up 30 points this season. Their most productive outings have come on days when they’ve been able to run the ball effectively and mix in the passing game. Forcing this team to rely entirely on one or the other has led to struggles. Injuries could further complicate this equation for the Owls, making the task that much more simplistic for the Bulldogs.

Take away the pass or take away the run. Then force Rice to beat you with one hand behind their back for 60 minutes. It’s not something they’ve shown the ability to do this season, especially not with a one-dimensional offensive attack.

Rice X-Factor |  Stop the pass

The Rice secondary has been the problem point for this team and it hasn’t just been the high volume aerial attacks that have found success. After a slow first half, UTEP found tremendous success through the air against Rice, and they did so at all three levels. Conversely, when Rice has been able to hang tough and play tight enough coverage, the defense has been able to get off the field.

Rice held Charlotte to 57 yards rushing. Western Kentucky rushed 25 times for only 93 yards. UTEP tallied 122 on the ground, but roughly half of that came on one long breakaway run. This defense is going to limit the run, if nothing else at least to the degree that it doesn’t cost them the game. The focal point should be the passing game, and more specifically, finding any way at all to slow that down.

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One Final Thing

Following an up-and-down start to conference play, it’s been a rough month for Rice football fans. This team hasn’t lived up to the expectations they set for themselves, and they’re well aware of that. Conversations to unearth why they fell short and deciding what needs to change so that they can continue climbing will be had in the offseason — and that’s only a few days away. For now, the task at hand is Louisiana Tech.

Sending the seniors off on a high note, after all they’ve done to get the program to this point, should be the focus of this week. Thanking those who have worked tirelessly for years to turn a 1-win team into a squad capable of knocking off an undefeated, ranked Marshall squad on the road and follow that up with a win over conference heavyweight UAB a season later has to the focus.

Enjoy this football game. Then we’ll get to the offseason. And we’ll be tired of the offseason almost as soon as it arrived.

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Rally falls short as Rice Football falls to UTEP on the road

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Rice football rallied from an early deficit to take a halftime lead, but could not hold on, running out of time as they fell to UTEP on the road.

Saturday’s Rice football game in El Paso was anything but boring. The game had lead changes, turnovers, big plays, scoring runs and fourth-down theatrics. A desirable result for the Owls was all it lacked when the time came for the final whistle. The loss drops the Owls’ record to 3-8 before their regular-season finale against Louisiana Tech next weekend. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Weathering the storm

Starting fast has been an important talking point for Rice football all season long. No matter how you slice it, when they took the field at the Sun Bowl on Saturday, Rice was slow.

UTEP drove down the field with ease, cutting through the Rice defense on a 75-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the game. Safety Kirk Lockhart was ejected for targeting during the drive, cutting an already thin secondary down even further for the remainder of the game.

The Rice offense took over after that sequence and proceeded to go three-and-out, gaining zero yards. The second drive wasn’t much better, a three-and-out netting three total yards.

The Roost Podcast: Stay tuned for the game recap this week – Rice football vs UTEP

Yet when the dust settled, Rice trailed UTEP by just seven points at the end of the first quarter. The defense rebound with two straight four-play drives, including a huge play by Desmyn Baker to cut through a well-blocked screen and neutralize the play for no gain. That got the ball back to the Rice offense.

Jake Constantine and company then manufactured a 15-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game, with two fourth-down conversions along the way. After the slow start, Rice found themselves in the middle of the second quarter in a tied game. Not fast, but gritty. Rice weather the storm and made sure this would be a four-quarter game,

Waking up

Early on in the season, Rice football would fold when their opponent threw the first punch. That’s how non-conference games against Houston and Texas ended in one-sided routs, and how Rice was blanked in conference play by UTSA. Even though the Owls haven’t found the win column of late, they have shown the ability to fight for four quarters.

After falling behind against UTEP, Rice fought back, scoring 21 points in the second quarter. Rice had managed 21 points in a half just twice entering this game. To put up 21 points in a 15-minute span, including two touchdowns scored less than a minute from each other, was arguably the most explosive outing from the offense this year.

It was the highest-scoring quarter since Rice scored 28 in a quarter against UTEP in 2016.

But it wasn’t just the offense that deserves credit for the quick answer. The defense held UTEP to 81 yards in the second quarter, zero third down conversions and two rushing yards on four attempts. The big play came following the Owls’ second touchdown when Gabe Taylor lept in front of a Gavin Hardison pass to prevent a quick answer by UTEP before the second quarter came to a close. Instead, Rice found paydirt:

Cedric Patterson’s big play put Rice ahead at halftime for the first time since they played UAB which was, not coincidentally, their last win. Unfortunately for Rice, they seemed to spend all their points at once.

Out of gas and overwhelmed by injury

Jake Bailey was supposed to be “the guy” for Rice football this year. One of the highest-rated recruits in Rice history, the heir apparent to Austin Trammell had understandably high expectations entering the 2021 season. He was productive early on, hauling in his first touchdown of the year against Texas Southern and racking up a career-best 83 receiving yards against Southern Miss.

But it was really when Jake Constantine became the guy at quarterback that Bailey took his game to the next level. Bailey put up 143 yards against North Texas, 143 yards against Charlotte and 80 yards against Western Kentucky. He tallied 58 yards against UTEP before leaving the game midway through the third quarter after a hard hit.

With Bailey already sidelined, Jake Constantine scrambled on third down and was tripped up two yards short and injured on the tackle. Luke McCaffrey came in cold and could not hit Patterson on a deep shot. Rice turned the ball over on downs.

Jordan Myers did not play in this game. Ari Broussard was limited solely to two short-yardage carries, scoring once. Cam Montgomery had a career-long 43-yard carry. Kobie Campbell came in for Bailey and had a pair of important receptions. The next-man-up played well, but in the end, Rice ran out of steam.

Amidst the turmoil, UTEP scored 24 unanswered points. Rice’s first score in the second half would come with 5:42 to play in the fourth quarter, a two-yard fourth-down touchdown run by McCaffrey. Unfortunately for Rice, it was too little, too late.

Searching to snap a streak

The difference between a four-win season and a five-win season might not matter all that much in the grand scheme of things, but finishing the season 2-0 felt much more important for this after coming painstakingly close in a couplet of overtime finishes in weeks prior.

Not only will the Owls not finish within striking distance of six wins, they’ll have started and ended the season on low notes, the bright spots coming in the middle of the year. Fair or not, how teams start and how they finish tend to linger in memories with more staying power than what happened in say, Week 7.

It also sets the stage for a dangerously crucial finale against Louisiana Tech. Rice football is currently riding a four-game losing streak. If they are unable to beat Louisiana Tech at home next weekend, they’ll bump that trend to five consecutive defeats. Selling an upward trajectory gets tougher when the team goes winless in the final month of the season.

The totality of the year will be evaluated once the dust settles, and that goes beyond any singular result. Nevertheless, going 1-0 this week just became even more important.

Digging deeper

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Fourth down frenzy

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