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2025 Rice Football Season Preview: Defensive Line

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Next up in our 2025 Rice Football Season Preview: defensive line. Here’s our breakdown of the Owls’ plans for the group this season.

There’s a new coordinator at the helm of the Rice Football defense and a mix of new and old faces who will be asked to step into significant roles this coming season. Even with the changes, getting to the passer and creating havoc in the run game will be the marching orders for a front that believes it has enough depth to make a difference.

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

This piece is part of our 2025 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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Rice Football 2025 Fall Camp Notebook: Offense Coming into Focus

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With two weeks remaining until the first kick, the Rice football offense is coming into focus with players emerging and the scheme taking shape.

With two scrimmages in the books and more than half of fall camp in the rearview mirror, the depth chart is starting to materialize for Rice football as position battles resolve themselves. We got a closer look at the offense in action and garnered a few takeaways at key position groups of interest as well as a few individuals who have stood out so far.

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

This update digs into those key position groups of focus, sheds some light on the offensive evolution — which continues to make good progress — and ends with some nuggets on the running back competition and a wide receiver of note.

Ahead of schedule

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Rice Football 2025 Fall Camp Notebook: Position Battles Brewing

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At a few key positions, the Rice football depth chart remains up in the air. Who’s making their case to be in the two-deep in the secondary and the trenches?

As the team nears the midpoint of fall camp and battles the sweltering heat of Houston, Texas, attitudes and focus remain high. “They continue to bring energy and show up every day,” Rice football head coach Scott Abell said of his team.

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

This update digs into impressions up front along the defensive line, some (hopefully) minor injury concerns and a handful of key individual standouts after a team scrimmage period on Friday.

A flurry of moving parts along the line

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Rice Football 2025 Spring Practice Notebook 6: In the Trenches

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The Rice football offensive line has impressed this spring as the group evolves into the Owls’ new offensive scheme one practice at a time.

Watching the offensive line transition from a West Coast scheme to a spread option offense has been one of the more intriguing journeys of Rice football spring practice. Every group has been learning a new language and a new way of doing things, but the way the offensive line has had to adapt and how effectively they’ve turned the page has been notable.

More: Spring Practice Notebook 5 — Slot School

This update dives into the progress the offensive line has made, what’s going to look different when it comes to how they’ll play on Saturdays and an early look at what players are lining up where this spring.

Impressing up front

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Rice Football 2025 Spring Practice Notebook 3: Defense takes shape

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The first signs of a hierarchy within the Rice football defense are beginning to form as the Owls work through the first few weeks of spring ball.

So much focus has, understandably, been given to the Rice football offense as it installs a new scheme under head coach Scott Abell. And while that has been fun to watch and filled with unexpected twists and developments, the relatively smooth deployment of the defensive scheme under first-year DC Jon Kay has begun to crystallize.

More: Spring Practice Notebook 2 — Unpacking the offense and QBs

This update digs into what potential starting roles on defense are nearly secured, which pieces are fighting for meaningful depth spots and a host of other spots still up for grabs as spring progresses.

Early contenders for First Teamers

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