The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football 2019: Week 5 LA Tech Press Conference quotes

By

Rice Football head coach Mike Bloomgren made his final comments on the Baylor game as the Owls move onward to Louisiana Tech in Week 5.

Running back Charlie Booker and safety Treshawn Chamberlain joined head coach Mike Bloomgren at the podium on Tuesday. All three made comments on the end of nonconference play and what the team expects as the begin their Conference USA schedule this coming week against Louisiana Tech.

From Mike Bloomgren

On the team’s goals…

“The team’s goals are very clear. We want to win the conference. That conference trophy is at the very top. The other goal is to go to a bowl game and win. That’s what we want to do.”

On where the program is right now…

“I just believe so much in the steps we’ve taken. I don’t know if anybody outside of our program thought two years ago that we could be here. Standing toe-to-toe with an Army team that’s going to play the way they do for 60 minutes and fighting with Baylor and giving ourselves a chance in the end. I’m really proud of the progress. But, like I told these guys yesterday morning, it’s about time to win.”

On the current quarterback dynamic…

“I probably hoped that someone would really separate in the last game. The reality is they both played really well. So, we’re going to continue to do what we did last game. Wiley (Green’s) going to start. He’ll get take two series and then Tom (Stewart) will come in and we’ll see where it goes from there.

“We’re going to treat it, really right now until it defines itself completely, like any other position on our team. I think that they can all do everything we asked, but each of them brings something different to the table.

“Wiley’s time in our system allows him to be more comfortable with any change that we can make on the sideline. Obviously, pre-snap Wiley is still, not light years ahead, but he’s still ahead of him. What Tom does better is Tom elongates plays to keep them alive and when Tom runs with the ball he runs with a passion to get in the end zone. We’ve seen him do it on multiple occasions now. He’s a determined runner.”

On the redshirt rule and the recent decisions at Houston…

“I love our kids and our culture and I’m so glad we’re not dealing with it. It wouldn’t be good for our football team right now if a starter decided not to continue to play. It would make me question what we were doing”

From Charlie Booker

On how he hopes to contribute to the team this year…

“From my standpoint, I’m just going to do whatever I can do. I’m going to go out there — my job is every week when I get out there, I’m supposed to make the right reads and I’m always supposed to break the first cycle. So that’s my main focus right now.”

From Treshawn Chamberlain

On how the defense can improve…

“The next step would be to eliminate explosive plays. Most of the explosive plays are due to your own mistakes so being able to take this in and going to this week with the mindset of perfecting every personnel every formation that they’re giving us so we can basically be a step ahead of the offense without them knowing.”

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Owls vs Wake Forest

By

Rice Football returns to Houston for their 2019 home opener against Wake Forest. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

A 1-0 start for Wake Forest and an 0-1 start for Rice were both results of games that came down to the final minutes. Neither team faced a deficit larger than seven points in their first game the difference was what each squad was able to accomplish when the clock ticked under two minutes.

Rice quarterback Wiley Green saw his fourth down pass fall to the ground incomplete. Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman found Kendall Hinton in the endzone on fourth down for the go-ahead score.

The Owls feel like their Week 1 loss to Army was a winnable game which got away from them. Here’s how they stack up with their Week 2 opponent, Wake Forest.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 7:00 PM CT
Venu | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | CBS Sports Network
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)
Streaming | CBSSN Online

Audio Preview

Episode 6 of The Roost Podcast is live. 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.) This week Carter and I broke down the good and the bad from the Army game then moved on to Week 2, discussing how Rice matches up with Wake Forest.

Sizing up the contenders

A year ago these teams didn’t look to belong on the same field. Wake Forest rolled at home, winning 56-24 behind the dangerous combination of quarterback Sam Hartman and wide receiver Greg Dortch. That duo combined for four touchdowns in the rout, but neither will be in the starting lineup against Rice on Friday. Dortch has moved on. Hartman was beat out for the starting job this fall.

The 2019 versions of these teams look slightly different. The Rice defense looked aggressive in their opener against Army while their offense stalled. On the other sideline, Wake Forest had a hard time getting off the field against Utah State, but overcame those deficiencies with a surplus of offensive firepower.

This matchup will pair strength against strength (Rice defense vs Wake Forest offense) and weakness against weakness (Rice offense vs Wake Forest defense).

Series History

All Time | Series tied 1-1
Last Five | Series tied 1-1
Last Meeting | Wake Forest won at Wake Forest 56-24 in 2018

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Green – 7/14 (50 percent), 62 yards passing, 0 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Ellerbe – 9 carries, 103 yards (11.4 yards per carry), 1 TD
Receiving | Trammell – 4 receptions, 40 yards (10 yards per reception)
Tackles | Montero – 11
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | N/A

Wake Forest Stat Notables

Passing | Newman – 34/47 (72.3 percent), 401 yards passing, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Carney – 25 carries, 105 yards (4.2 yards per carry)
Receiving | Surrat – 7 receptions, 158 yards (22.6 yards per reception), 1 TD
Tackles | Strnad – 12
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Henderson, Strnad, Rucker – Tied with 1

Wake Forest X-Factor | The ground game

Quarterback Jamie Newman is not a traditional pocket passer. He has a good arm, but he’ll try to attack the Owls on the ground too, along with lead running back Cade Carney. That duo combined for 46 carries, 141 rushing yards and a touchdown in their Week 1 win over Utah State.

Stopping the run was a strength of the Rice defense a year ago and the notable bright spot of their Week 1 game against Army. That will make setting the tone in the trenches a necessity for the Owls in Week 2. If Rice can hold their own up front, they’ll limit force Wake Forest to be more one-dimensional, allowing the safeties to spend more time helping in pass coverage than plugging holes at the line of scrimmage.

Rice X-Factor | Corner play

This will be the first true test for a Rice secondary of the season. Army quarterback Kelvin Hopkins attempted just eight passes, but the lone touchdown came on a critical fourth quarter drive with no defender in the vicinity of the wideout who snagged what would be the game-winning touchdown.

Rice has had strong safety play, highlighted by the swarming defense of Treshawn Chamberlain and the intensity of George Nyakwol. The corners are unproven. Corners Andrew Bird, D’Angelo Ellis, Tyrae Thornton, Josh Landrum and Tre’shon Devones saw action against Army and should all be in the mix against Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons are going to throw the ball around the yard, something they succeeded in against the Owls last year. If the corner play doesn’t show improvement, the Rice offense is going to be tasked with digging out of a sizable hole.

Injury Report

A detailed injury update is available in our Sunday practice update. Further updates will be provided here as the week progresses. Here’s a quick synopsis.

Running back Juma Otoviano underwent a procedure and will be out for the foreseeable future. Given the depth in the backfield and the uncertainty of his recovery timetable, he could be a candidate to redshirt this season, possibly playing in a few games down the stretch.

Both running back Charlie Booker and wide receiver Zane Knipe were last minute scratches against Army, but both could have gone if the situation warranted it. Barring a set back during the week, it’s possible both play against Wake Forest.

Kicker Zack Hoban is out of his boot but not yet kicking in practice. His status for Friday’s game is unknown.

Need More?

The Roost’s 2019 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth chart, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for each foe. Better yet, it’s not just speculation, each profile was created with insight from local experts who cover those teams day in and day out. Pick up your copy today and get four pages and more than 1,000 words on Wake Forest.

Pick ‘Em Contest

If you haven’t yet, make sure you submit your entry for The Roost’s weekly pick’em challenge. Choose an answer to each of the six questions below and submit them on the forum thread to enter.

  1. How many players attempt a pass for Rice?
    (Over 1.5 / Under 1.5)
  2. Which team will have more rushing yards?
    (Rice / Wake Forest)
  3. Which happens first – Rice touchdown or Rice forces a turnover?
    (Touchdown / Turnover)
  4. How many sacks will the Rice defense get?
    (Over 2.5 / Under 2.5)
  5. Who is leading at the end of Q1?
    (Wake Forest / Rice or Tied)
  6. Who wins?
    (Rice / Wake Forest)

One Final Thing

There was plenty of good and bad to take away from the Owls’ Week 1 loss against Army, but it was just one game. The sample size is too small to draw too many meaningful conclusions. That’s what makes this next game all the more important. Rice can either solidify concerns leftover from their season-opening defeat or they can alleviate the worry with a strong showing in Week 2.

Wake Forest is a good football team, another quality opponent in a challenging non-conference slate. Rice showed their competitive spark against Army, now it’s time to see if they can get all phases working together at the same time. At this point in the season, it’s hard to be sure exactly what this team is going to be but the first impression was overwhelmingly positive.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

2019 Rice Football Season Preview by The Roost

By

 

The staff of The Roost is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Rice Football Season Preview, a 143-page digital magazine detailing everything you could imagine about the Owls’ upcoming season.

This preview is the culmination of months of research, interviews and analysis. Consider it your one-stop-shop as you prepare for the Owls’ 2019 season.

Available as a downloadable PDF for on-the-go access, this preview contains the following:

1. A breakdown of every position group on the team

Who are the favorites to start entering fall camp? What sort of production should you expect from returning starters? Which of the incoming transfer players should make their mark the quickest? Answers to all of those questions are included, as well as notes on every single player on the 102-man roster.

2. An exclusive interview with head coach Mike Bloomgren

We sat down with coach to get his honest evaluation of where the Rice football program is right now and how he views the progress the team is making as they approach 2019. He’s sticking to a process, one which he remains confident will bring success to South Main.

3. Previews of each 2019 opponent and all 14 CUSA Teams

Supported by local beat writers and experts who cover each team, this section has a wealth of knowledge about every CUSA Team and all the Owls’ 2019 opponents.

Rice fans will want to familiarize themselves with the teams they’ll be facing this year. Get to know which players each squad will have to replace, which newcomers could make noise in 2019 and what outstanding questions those in the know have about their respective squads.

4. A complete 2019 Conference USA Football Preview

Available separately to purchase, everyone who purchases the 2019 Rice Football Season Preview will also get The Roost’s 2019 Conference USA Football Preview. We made our picks for preseason honors, top games to watch in 2019 and a closer look at how every team in the conference stacks up.

Don’t need any more convincing? Get a copy for yourself today

Buy Now

 

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football: Offseason transfers add up favorably for Owls

By

The era of the Transfer Portal is upon college athletics. So far, Rice football has gotten the better end of the player movements between schools.

It was hard to see so many former Rice players depart for new schools following the 2018 season, but the Owls didn’t sit back and sulk. The coaching staff made upgrades across the board. Rice has brought in a stellar freshman class and 10 new transfers. In some cases, the Owls have traded out starting-caliber talent for even better options. Here’s how the incoming and outgoing transfers stack up.

Quarterback: Edge to the Owls

Outgoing | Jackson Tyner — 132 passing yards, no touchdowns, one interception
Incoming | Tom Stewart – 1,614 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, two interceptions

Stewart got significantly more playing time in 2018 than Tyner did, but it’s not like Tyner didn’t have opportunities to earn more playing time. At the very least, Stewart represents some kind of a wildcard without lesser defined potential. Tyner has since transferred to Texas Tech.

Running back: Push

Outgoing | Emmanuel Esukpa — 122 carries, 461 rushing yards, 3.8 yards per carry, three touchdowns
Incoming | Charlie Booker — 41 carries, 213 yards, 5.2 yards per carry, two touchdowns

Both Esukpa and Booker are built in a similar mold. They’re bruisers who run with an attitude. Booker was slightly more productive in lesser time last year, but a healthy form of either of them would serve the Owls well in 2019.

Lineman: Edge to the Owls

Outgoing | Roe Wilkins — 50 tackles, 4.5 TFL, one sack, Zach Abercrumbia — 55 tackles, 4.4 TFL, no sacks
Incoming | Justin Gooseberry, Brian Chaffin, Nick Leverett

The interior of the defensive line is going to miss the presence of two proven veterans. But Rice has managed to work a three-for-two trade with big bodies in the trenches. The impacts will be spread across two different position groups, but the net is a slight positive for the Owls.

Defensive backs: Edge to the Owls

Outgoing | Justin Bickham — 30 tackles, 2.5 TFL, nine passes defended, Houston Robert — 24 tackles, 2.5 TFL, seven passes defended
Incoming | Naeem Smith — 61 tackles, six TFL, four passes defended, Miles McCord — 11 tackles, no TFL, two passes defended

Rice made upgrades in the secondary too. Both Smith and McCord have eligibility remaining beyond 2019 and their best football is ahead of them. Not only should their raw talent pay off for this program in the long term, Smith could work his way into a significant role this season.

The Rest: Edge to the Owls

Incoming |  FB Reagan Williams, WR Bradley Rozner — 44 receptions, 616 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns, P Adam Nunez — 41 punts, 19 inside the 20, 39.5 yards per punt

Williams followed Bloomgren from Stanford to South Main and knows the system better than anyone. Rozner led JUCO in receiving touchdowns. Nunez could take over for departing punter Jack Fox. Three big needs met in three big ways.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Football: Former Harvard Running back Charlie Booker to transfer to Owls

By

Former Harvard Crimson running back and Houston native, Charlie Booker has committed to play out his remaining eligibility with Rice football at South Main.

Mike Bloomgren spent the winter and early spring scouring the Transfer Portal in search of players who can provide an impact on the field immediately this coming season. After adding several graduate transfers in the weeks leading up to National Signing Day the Owls are working to put the finishing touches in place this spring.

There are a few loose ends to wrap up in the 2019 class, but Rice crossed one area of need off the list with the addition of former Harver running back Charlie Booker. The former Cy Ranch standout plans to join his former quarterback Tom Stewart at South Main in the fall.

A two-time team MVP and senior captain for the Crimson, Booker was a first-team All-Ivy League selection in 2017, racking up 733 yards and six touchdowns that season. In three seasons he amassed 1,230 yards and 10 scores. He fell into a timeshare role in 2018, but remained every bit as explosive. Rice has several shifty backs on the roster. Booker has some twitch, but more importantly, he runs hard north and south.

Booker’s addition gives the Owls a stable of talented running backs to lean on to support Bloomgren’s run-heavy scheme. That’s especially important given the offseason departures of Austin Walter (graduation) and Emmanuel Esukpa (transfer).

The new transfer will be aided by Aston Walter and Juma Otoviano. Freshman Jawan King could force his way into the mix as well. Having this many capable mouths to feed is a good problem to have. That’s especially true when two of those four horses are experienced veterans like Booker and Walter.

Standing 5-foot-9, Booker tips the scales right at 200 pounds but he plays big. He’s a candidate to be the most physical runner on the roster from day one. Just check out the first play on his highlight reel.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts