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Rice Football: After-season Transfer Portal updates

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Rice football has lost a handful of players to the Transfer Portal this week. Who is heading out and how what impact will that have on the Owls?

If the Rice football season spans from August to November, December is Transfer Portal season. The Owls aren’t alone in this modern college football phenomenon. There have been more than 250 transfers in the past week across the country and more are certainly coming.

Why now? At first glance, the end of the regular season seems to be a natural breakpoint in the calendar, but it’s what coincides with that break that is the more likely impetus. College programs around the country hold what many call “exit interviews” where players and staff sit down and talk through the season with individual players and discuss the future. If that future doesn’t align with the desire or expectations of a particular student-athlete, some will choose to part ways.

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That sort of changeover is happening at Rice right now, just as it’s happening in football facilities around the nation. To this point, Rice football has largely benefited from this process. For every Blaze Alldredge that enters the portal, Rice has found a Bradley Rozner or Naeem Smith. Current NFL offensive lineman Nick Leverett was a transfer addition, too, as have been five Rice starting quarterbacks.

With that as a preamble, here is the latest list of Rice football players that have reportedly entered the Transfer Portal this week:

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Rice Football: Owls stun UAB in first-ever trip to Protective Stadium

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Rice Football bounced back with a vengeance, knocking off UAB on the road in the Owls’ most complete performance of the season.

Empowered by a productive week of practice and the excitement of a move to the AAC, Rice football came out ready to play against UAB on Saturday. Despite entering the game as heavy underdogs, the Owls traded blows with the Blazers, never once looking overwhelmed or outmatched.

For all the productive plays created by the UAB offense and defense, something in this game was abundantly clear. Rice wanted this one. Not only did they play with intensity, their quality of play matched their level of desire. For the second year in a row, Rice has upset one of Conference USA’s best. And they’ve pulled off both wins away from home. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

As fast as fast can be

The X-factor for Rice football in this week’s game preview was extremely straightforward: start fast. From the moment the ball was kicked into the waiting arms of Juma Otoviano, Rice did exactly that.

Special teams started fast. Otoviano burst through the coverage team and took the ball out to the 50-yard line.

The offense started fast. Rice converted two fourth downs, marching the remaining 50 yards down the field to score the opening touchdown and put Rice up 7-0. They’d follow that up with a second touchdown drive on the ensuing possession to take a 13-0 lead.

The defense started fast. Gabe Taylor forced a fumble on UAB’s first offensive play. Antonio Montero recovered, setting the offense up for another scoring drive.

Rice goes Green

It’s been quite a career for Rice quarterback Wiley Green. Given the bench following a rough showing against Arkansas then injured in the loss to Texas, Green surprisingly resurfaced this week when Jake Constantine was unable to play. Dropped down the depth chart multiple times in his Rice career, Green’s shortcomings have always been decision-based rather than ability-based. He can make the plays, and he showcased that ability on Saturday.

Green wasn’t perfect. He was credited with a fumble on a bang-bang play where it appeared he attempted to hold back a throw he had already committed to, leading to the fumble ruling rather than an incomplete pass. Nevertheless, he bounced back and marched Rice up and down the field, again and again.

This quarterback job still belongs to Constantine when he’s ready. But Green’s big day gave proof to the coaching staff’s longstanding belief that the offense didn’t need herculean playmakers to work. It just needed execution. Now, to Green’s credit, he made some big plays like this one:

Green finished the game 17-for-22, throwing for 205 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 77 percent of his passes, the best mark of his career in any game in which he attempted at least seven passes. Green proved this offense can work, and he did it against one of the best defenses in Conference USA.

Defensive absences noticed, but overcome

Rice managed to get by with a largely depleted secondary during the 2020 season, in part because they had remarkable healthy among the front seven. This year, more or less every level of the defense has suffered an important injury. De’Braylon Carroll was lost for the season during the summer. Rice was without him, Kenneth Orji and Trey Schuman against UAB.

Treshawn Chamberlain, who was one of the healthy cogs in that 2020 defense, missed this game. So too did George Nyakwol. Whether it was those specific absent pieces that were the ones Rice couldn’t afford to lose or the entire defense has taken a step back from where it was last season, this unit isn’t nearly as effective as it once was.

The Roost Podcast: Stay tuned for the game recap this week 

Big plays and turnovers are important, but right now Rice needs to improve on things like tackling and gap integrity. It’s not as if those missing men are the only ones capable of wrapping up. Rice has capable players. They just need to start executing. The Owls are allowing their opponents way too many “easy” yards and setting themselves up for failure.

Fortunately for Rice, the tackling improved as the game progressed. That played a huge role in the Owls’ retaking the lead early and controlling the game into the second half. For the most part, they kept the play in front of them. Well-timed blitzes and solid coverage made UAB work for every yard the rest of the way.

Not consistent, but resilient

The perils of last week’s trip to San Antonio seemed lightyears away to the Rice football players and staff on Saturday afternoon at Protective Stadium. In the wake of what was certainly one of the most frustrating and disappointing losses of Mike Bloomgren’s tenure, the Owls once more found a way to write their own history.

After an 0-3 start, Rice bounced back with three consecutive victories. The UTSA loss was crushing, but this is still a team that’s won 6 of their last 10 conference games — 7 out of 11 now. That included the upset of No. 15 Marshall and now a win over C-USA conference favorite UAB, both of which took place outside the confines of Rice Stadium.

The concern after the rough start and shutout losses to Texas and UTSA was legitimate. But the discovery of quarterback Jake Constantine and the proof the team can still win without him when they play together proved even more meaningful. Rice hasn’t ironed out all the kinks, but they’ve proven they can win, and win big games. And after all the low points over the last few years, winning is all that really matters.

Digging deeper

Every week we’ll have a stat, storyline or key learning from the game reserved for our subscribers.

Point proven

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Rice Football 2021: New faces emerge prior to UTSA game

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Rice football took full advantage of its bye week, evaluating the depth chart and prepping for UTSA. The latest from practice, here.

The bye week is in the books and it was a beneficial time for Rice football. The Owls got a little bit healthier and saw some new faces rise in the extra sessions. We could see a freshman debut this week and others move up the depth chart soon.

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Practice reports are reserved for our subscribers. If you want updates on how Rice football plans to deploy its quarterbacks, position battles, standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. You can get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one when you subscribe to our All-American Tier on Patreon today.

Scouting the “Opportunity Bowl” 

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Rice Football 2021: UTSA presser quotes, injury updates and depth chart

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Rice football returns to action this weekend against UTSA. Here’s what Mike Bloomgren had to say about it, injury updates and practice notes.

This is the first of a couple of updates coming this week as Rice football prepares to take on UTSA. We’ll include updates from head coach Mike Bloomgren’s midweek press conference, then dig further into the details on the depth chart and what the team looks like on the field headed into the weekend.

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The depth chart looks a decent amount different from where things left off against Southern Miss. There are a variety of reasons for that, and a couple of notable injury updates that coincide with some of those changes. This update will focus on those, with some more in-depth practice notes coming later in the week. First, the quotes:

Press Conference Quotes

“It was a great week because we were able to get healthier. Nobody is healthy in Week 7 of the season. But, we got some guys back and they looked great. We also got some young guys some work…. So I would say it was a very good bye week. We got exactly what we needed out of it.” – Mike Bloomgren on the bye week

“I don’t know that our conference has seen a defense like this since maybe 2018 UAB. It is just a dominant group out there. It’s an old, veteran group. I think nine of their 11 starters are seniors or super seniors. They are a very good group. They’re very well-coached.” – Mike Bloomgren on the UTSA defense

“I think, with a win like this, people will really start to wake up and understand Rice is here to play. We didn’t ahve the best start to the season, but like we said whenever we started out first confernece game against Southern Miss, it’s a new season… our goals are still attainable.” – Jordan Myers on the significance of the UTSA game

“I got to rest my legs a bit and heal up some minor bruises. It was good to get off your feet for a couple days, but I’m excited to be back in this building and back to work. It got a little boring over the weekend, just not playing in the games, watching games on tv. I want to be out there right now, playing.” – Elijah Garcia on the significance of the UTSA game

Depth Chart

The Rice football depth chart looks slightly different after the bye week. Here’s how the two-deep the Owls will trot out against UTSA on Saturday.

Rice Football

Pitre poised for return

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Rice Football 2021 Game Preview: UTSA

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Rice Football took a pause for a bye week then began prep for its upcoming game against UTSA. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

The last time we saw Rice football take the field, they left as victors, defeating Southern Miss at home in their second consecutive win of the season after an 0-2 start. UTSA is also riding a winning streak, albeit a much longer one. The Roadrunners knocked off WKU in a thrilling affair on Saturday while Rice watched from afar. Now both teams are set to meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2019.

Kickoff time | 5:00 PM CT
Venue | Alamodome – San Antonio, TX
TV | ESPN+
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTSA 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

As things currently stand, UTSA sits atop the West in a three-way tie with UAB and UTEP. Should the Roadrunner seek the most straightforward path towards a conference championship, keeping pace with UAB prior to their showdown with the Blazers in mid-November is an absolute must.

The Owls are one of five teams in C-USA West with unblemished conference records. The East, conversely, only has one program that can make such a claim, Charlotte. Staying among that company with a date against UAB looming the following weekend would position Rice extremely well for a darkhorse conference title run, and at the very least, get them within favorable striking distance of a bowl berth.

Series History

All Time | UTSA leads Rice 5-2
Last Five | UTSA leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2019, UTSA won 31-27

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Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Constantine – 46/60 (76.7 percent), 543 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Myers – 53 carries, 251 yards (4.6 yards per carry)
Receiving | Bailey – 21 receptions, 232 yards (11.1 yds/rec), 1 TD / Patterson – 10 receptions, 207 yards (20.7 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Montero – 39 / Smith – 31 / Garcia – 28
Pass Breakups | Smith/Nyakwol/Dunbar – 3, McCord/Montero – 2 
Interceptions | Nyakwol – 2, Five others tied with one

UTSA Stat Notables

Passing | Harris – 127/182 (69.8 percent), 1475 yards passing, 12 TD, 3 INT
Rushing | McCormick – 154 carries, 661 yards (4.3 yards per carry), 6 TD
Receiving | Cephus – 42 receptions, 457 yards (10.9 yards per reception), 3 TD / Franklin – 37 receptions, 447 yards (12.1 yds/rec), 4 TD
Tackles | Wisdom – 39 / Harmanson – 27 / Taylor – 25
Interceptions | Four tied with one apiece 
Pass Breakups | Robinson – 4, Woolen/Brown – 3

UTSA X-Factor | Flying Frank Harris

Quarterback Frank Harris has had a circuitous path to the starting job at UTSA. Whether by injuries or inconsistency, he’s never held onto the job for very long at any one time. Until now. Harris is playing some of the best football of his career. He ranks second among C-USA passers in completion percentage, fourth in passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns.

Harris threw a career high six touchdown passes against Western Kentucky last time out. Unless this game turns into a similar shootout, reaching that high of a bar probably won’t be a must. But, Harris needs to continue to be efficient on third down and get the ball to his playmakers. If the Rice defense can slow down Sincere McCormick to any degree, it’s going to fall to Harris to carry the load.

Rice X-Factor | Win the line of scrimmage

The Owls’ most recent outing against Southern Miss was perhaps the most impressive showing they’ve had in the trenches on both sides of the ball so far this season. The defensive line forced copious amounts of pressure and the other side of the ball more than held their own, giving quarterback Jake Constantine plenty of time and room to maneuver.

It wasn’t a coincidence those strong outings up front led to one of the more complete games this team has posted this season. Now they have to prove they can do it again and improve on the consistency that has been missing at times thus far.

UTSA is more well-rounded and dangerous on both sides of the ball than Southern Miss is, but Rice has shown they have the ability to execute, be disciplined and win one-on-one battles. That starts up front. Sometimes it really is that simple.

Pick ‘Em Contest (Subscribers only)

Make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. There will be swag and prizes for the top finishers at the end of the season. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and comment on this post on the Patreon page to enter. It’s that easy.

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Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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Need More?

The Roost’s 2021 Rice Football Season Preview has FIVE pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and positional breakdowns for every team in Conference USA sourced from local beat writers and sources on the ground who cover these teams every day. It’s the most thorough C-USA publication on the market.

One Final Thing

This should be a great “measuring stick” game for Rice football. One way or another, everyone will know how close they are to the upper-echelon of Conference USA over the next two weeks (UAB is on deck). Winning at least one of these games would be a definitive step forward from where this program has been in years prior, and having a healthy enough roster to go toe-to-toe with an undefeated UTSA squad should give as good of a shot as they could have asked for this season.

The past two weeks really felt like must-win games for this team. This one doesn’t have that same level of direness to it, but the opportunity present is undeniable. It’s a big game for Rice, which was unable to turn things around at the Alamodome in 2019. How poetic a season to continue an upward ascent than this? Rather than returning to ashes, this could really be an opportunity for the Owls to take flight.


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