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Quinton Jackson propels Rice Football Past UConn in 2OT

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UConn scored first. Rice Football scored last with running back Quinton Jackson clinching a walk-off win in double overtime to lift the Owls over the Huskies.

A tale of two halves, plus a little extra, ended in a thrilling Rice football victory. The two teams combined to score 38 points in the first half, 10 in the second half and 17 in overtime. No points were more important than Quinton Jackson’s 23-yard run in the second and final overtime period, securing the Owls’ victory.

“Two weeks ago, we left San Antonio kind of battered and bruised. Our egos were beat up. Our bodies were beat up,” head coach Scott Abell said. “Today speaks so much volumes of our locker room, our players our staff. Incredibly proud of them. What a great win for our program here at home.”

Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Corner Room Concerns

The Rice football corner room was an open point of concern entering the bye week. The indefinite suspension of top corner Khary Crump days following the UTSA contest, which featured the Owls’ other starter Omari Porter being briefly sent to the bench for allowing a big play, signaled trouble at the position that had little proven depth behind them.

Then UConn hit an 80-yard touchdown pass on their first play from scrimmage.

Huskies’ receiver Skyler Bell beat Porter one-on-one, catching the ball in stride at full speed in the open field. From there, it was a race to the pylon against the rest of the Owls’ secondary, a race that Bell won.

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Linebacker Andrew Awe said it best during the Owls’ off week. The defense is schemed in such a way that players have to make the plays assigned to them. At some point, the players have to make the plays. To be completely fair to that unit, there were some good moments like Jerrick Harper’s red zone swat to deny UConn on a fade late in the second quarter.

The reality of the situation is sobering. After a coaching change and transfer portal attrition, there wasn’t much that could have been done. With Crump gone and no reinforcements coming, this room is going to be the focal point for opposing offenses the rest of the way.

Unforced Errors and Mental Mistakes

Given the heightened focus, Rice absolutely cannot allow the situation to worsen by committing unforced errors. UConn’s first quarter touchdown was explainable — a man got beaten. Their second quarter scores? Both came on walk-in receptions with no Rice defender in the area to offer any sort of challenge.

On the first bust, UConn back Cam Edwards was left wide open when Porter moved inside to cover the tight end, who was also being shadowed by Jack Kane. That left two men on the tight end and none on Edwards, who waltzed in for six. A minute later, Jerrick Harper passed his man off to the help behind him. Except there was no help and the receiver galloped free into the endzone for another gimme touchdown.

Getting out-talented is something that’s hard to scheme around. Both of those plays were execution busts, something that cannot happen if there’s already reason for concern given the personnel issues.

Additionally, Rice was flagged for having 12 men on the field coming out of a timeout. Later, they squandered a chance at points before halftime by attempting a deep shot play on third and long. That ball fell incomplete, leaving Rice outside of field goal range on fourth and medium.

None of those singular mistakes cost Rice the game, but in aggregate they made for quite a large mountain the Owls had to overcome. Fortunately, those issues were sparse in the second half. Defensive coordinator Jon Kay ratcheted up the pressure and made UConn quarterback Joe Fagnano uncomfortable and that proved to be the difference.

New Wrinkles and Fresh Legs

Given a bye week to regroup and reassess, the offensive design Rice football put on display this past Saturday was masterful. Jenkins was effective as a runner and a thrower, but it was his ability to make good reads and keep the offense on schedule that kept this train on the tracks.

Rice racked up 296 of offense in the first half alone, roughly 60 yards short of their season-best totals against an FBS when they tallied 353 yards in four quarters against Charlotte. They hit the high-points of what had worked for them to this point, mixing in traditional and option run schemes with short passes to keep the defense honest.

More: Rice Football by the Numbers — Midseason Checkup

With a productive base offense moving the ball, head coach Scott Abell was able to incorporate some new elements that caught UConn off guard. Some two-back sets produced productive runs. The offense lined Jackson out wide in a diamond formation for a couple of quick screens.

None was more impressive than Jackson’s long touchdown reception — which has to be specified because he also had a breakaway touchdown on the ground — late in the second quarter.

The base concept was one of the Owls’ staple triple-option plays, which they’ve run numerous times this season. Jenkins faked the ball to the back and took a step to his right, appearing to be setting up to continue to option on a roll out with slot Aaron Turner trailing him for the pitch. Instead, Jenkins took one step to get the defense to bite, reversed field, and tossed it long to Jackson, who had turned his fake into a wheel route. Jackson took it the rest of the way.

That run, and the overtime clincher, were part of a standout performance from Jackson, who finished the game with 248 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

“If he’s not conference player of the week or national recognized player of the week, people aren’t paying attention,” Abell said after the game.

Jackson tried to modestly deflect the praise to his teammates, crediting their efforts for the big day the offense had as a whole. In his eyes, the entire mentality of the unit had shifted.

“I think we’re out there having fun. I think the past few weeks, we weren’t’ having fun, we were thinking too much, trying not to make mistakes, playing scared,” he said. “I think this week we went out there and just let it loose. We didn’t have nothing to lose.”

Changing the Narrative

Oh how much difference can one week make. Heading into the bye this was a team in crisis, reeling from injuries and riding a three-game losing streak. Now the Owls are feisty again, winning for the second time this season as a double-digit underdog, this time against a team that beat a Power conference opponent seven days before they landed in Houston.

“We needed a win. I don’t hide from that,” Abell said. “I knew that we had this capability in us. It’s just win was it going to hit? And that’s a real good football team we beat.”

The win came in what was truly a complete overall team performance. The defense was tremendous in the second half and the end of overtime. Special teams contributed some important field position swings late. The offense made big plays when they needed to most, looking as consistent and confident as they had all season.

“I felt like truly for the first time you saw a lot of trust and confidence in some of the things that we were trying to get done. Some of the things that we’ve done a lot this year and we’ve just missed on a couple things,” Abell said. “Today, they trusted each other. They trusted the concepts and the game plan. They executed in phenomenally.”

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Defense Tightens Up

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Rice Football 2025: UConn Game Week Practice Notes

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It’s been a week of rest and strategizing for Rice football as they prepare to kick off the second half of their season against UConn. Here’s news from the practice field.

A week and a half removed from losing three quarterbacks in a game and suffering a third straight defeat, Rice football looks refreshed and restored heading into its Week 7 game against UConn. It’s not all positive news on the health front, but the program is certainly looking in much better shape than it did two weeks ago.

This week’s update will hit on those key injuries, particularly at quarterback, as well as what wrinkles the program has been able to implement in the bye week and a few other risers and fallers in the off week.

And This Week’s Starting Quarterback Will Be…?

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Rice Football 2025: Bye Week Practice Notes

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Rice Football is in recovery mode this week, working to get the roster healthy and well-rested during the bye week, particularly at the quarterback position.

The health of Rice Football starting quarterback Chase Jenkins is, understandably, at the front of everyone’s minds as the team enters their first bye week of the season after a brutal seven game run to open the year. This update shares what is known on Jenkins at this point, discusses the implications of corner Khary Crump’s suspension and a few important bye week items the team is addressing.

The Quarterbacks Quandary

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Rice Football comes up short against FAU

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Rice Football threw the first punch, but was unable to go the distance, dropping their home conference opener to FAU on Saturday, 27-21.

In a game that shared many similarities to previous contests, Rice football waded through sluggish offensive waters, surrendered some key third downs on defense and came up just short of what could have been a big win for the program. Sitting at 3-3 with a road trip to UTSA looming, here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Offense Strikes First, but Remains Work in Progress

Getting the offense going more quickly was the primary focus of Rice football practice all week long. They’d been slow out of the gate and forced to rally, an ill-advised strategy for a team committed to an option offense. Head coach Scott Abell backed up the talk by opting to receive the opening kickoff, a first this season after the Owls had deferred all four of the previous tosses they’d won.

Abell and the Owls were rewarded by a perfectly executed option play with quarterback Chase Jenkins correctly sticking the ball in the belly of Quinton Jackson, who did the rest, scampering 68 yards up the middle for the game’s first score.

Unfortunately, that one play would not absolve the Owls of their struggles. Jackson would rip off a 20-yard carry on the next possession, giving the Owls 92 yards of offense on their first four plays. The problem was what came next; Rice tallied 96 yards on their next 34 plays, failing to add any more points to their total in the first half.

Things did get better, including another resurgent second half performance. Rice converted 10-of-16 on third down and did not post a single three-and-out for the duration of the game.

“I hate it for our older guys, our seniors,” Abell said, reflecting on the disappointing result amidst an offense in media res. “Our younger guys, we talk about it all the time, we’re building something. A build doesn’t happen overnight, so you recognize that. But for older guys, their future is now. And we recognize that.”

Negative Plays Persist

Those growing pains have been exacerbated by the ease with which opposing defenses have been able to break plays in the trenches. Some of the Owls’ scheme allows for unblocked linemen, so a free rusher isn’t always the chief concern. What is problematic, however, is the frequency with which Rice football is being struck behind the line of scrimmage.

“It should be the opposite. When you run the football you should have few tackles for a loss,” Abell quipped. “It’s a stat we gotta improve on because we can’t play behind the sticks.”

FAU tallied eight tackles for a loss on Saturday night, a number that will only add to the Owls’ league-worst mark in that regard. No offense has allowed more TFLs per game than Rice, an indication that either the blocking or the keep-give decisions being made in the backfield are not operating as optimally as they should.

Much of this is supposed to get better over time. That’s good news for the future of Rice football, but the current 2025 team needs to find answers now. Rice showed a remarkable amount of resiliency to overcome so many of those negative plays, but it’s not a pattern that can continue if the team wants to turn the corner on offense.

To the Skies?

The passing offense has grown by leaps and bounds since the season opener against Louisiana. For most traditional offenses, 137 yards through the air won’t trigger any celebratory response, but for a Rice football offense devoted to the ground game, this represented a season-high in passing yardage.

Quarterback Chase Jenkins completed 71 percent of his passes and looked sharp on throws down the field. Outside of a trick play that resulted in a throw into triple coverage, the rest of the looks were clean.

Frankly, Rice was much more consistent in their passing attack than they were in their running game. And without the commitment to the running game, plays like Drayden Dickmann’s streaking score probably aren’t available to the same degree:

Still, it might be worth exploring the question. How can Rice incorporate a growing passing game as they work to establish an option attack that’s in its fledgling stages of development?

Abell credited a portion of that to looks that are more prevalent in those late game situations, but it’s something he and his staff will have to consider moving forward. An injury-plagued receiving corps won’t help those aspirations.

Make Your Own Breaks

Winning the turnover battle by two is usually a good sign, and while it was proof that not all the things broke the wrong way against the home team, it wasn’t enough good will for a team still learning as they go. This young program is going to need a few breaks. And while there is talent enough to overcome a few negative bounces, once again Rice seemingly came up short on the luck factor.

Where do we start? Jenkins being ruled an inch short of a first down on his second drive? And while it’s often not the officials fault for any particular result, that Florida Atlantic converting a massive third quarter third down on a pick play that left a wide receiver streaking wide open across the middle certainly did the home team no favors. Likewise, the same was true when the Owls’ opening third down conversion in the fourth quarter came back on a holding call.

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On mic, Abell said all the things he must and refused to gripe about some officiating decisions that did his team no favors. He did make this comment though, which rings true of the place this team is right now.

“Sometimes you want to get a break or you need to get a break but you also have to go make your own breaks. Especially when you find yourself where it’s hard,” he said. “Right now, it’s hard. No games are going to be easy. We shouldn’t expect it, and I don’t think our guys do. You hope to get a break or two, but more importantly you’ve got to figure out how to make your own breaks.”

Staring down the barrel of their first sub-.500 record if they drop their game to UTSA next weekend, Rice football desperately needs to find a way to generate that luck.

What’s more, the trajectory of this season feels like it’s hanging in the balance as Rice football faces one of the toughest remaining schedules in the conference after their bye week. A win this week would have given the Owls six tries to win two games and secure a postseason berth in Abell’s first season on campus.

As of now, it’s easy to readjust those pesky expectations and treat a bowl bid as an upside play for a season that began with very muted hopes. Yet it would be disingenuous to discard that zeal generated by a 3-1 start which faded to distant memory on Caden Veltkamp’s quarterback keeper to ice this game.

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Rice Football comes up short against Navy

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A slow start proved too much for Rice Football to overcome as the Owls suffered their first conference of the season, falling to Navy 21-13 on the road.

First place in the American Conference standings was on the line when Rice football visited Navy on Saturday afternoon. The Midshipmen got off to a fast start and seized the momentum early, sinking the Owls’ upset hopes and handing Rice it’s first conference loss of head coach Scott Abell’s tenure. Here are a few immediate reactions from the game:

Dominated up front

By far the most concerning development of the afternoon was the Owls’ inability to get push in either the offensive or defensive trenches. The Rice offensive line, down their starting center and a rotational tackle could not handle the strength of Navy’s Landon Robinson on the interior. He routinely won at the point of attack and created negative plays, starting with a five yard loss on the Owls’ first snap from scrimmage.

The Owls’ base offense accounted for 19 total yards on 15 plays through four drives. The running game had been effectively silenced with the penetration on the interior and the Midshipmen’s ability to get to the edge on the handful of times Rice tried to win there. Chase Jenkins was sacked two times and Navy tallied seven tackles for a loss.

Head coach Scott Abell didn’t shy away from that harsh reality. “I thought Navy won the battle in the trenches,” he said. “Offensively, we let their movement kind of dictate early what we were going to try to do… we overthought that.”

He went on to emphasize Navy’s offensive experience and execution as the biggest differentiator on the other side of the ball. Navy was routinely able to exploit the spacing of the Rice football defense, averaging a staggering 7.9 yards per play in the first half, finishing the game with a still robust 7.5 yards per play.

Ultimately, in a game pitting two option offenses against each other, getting pushed around on both sides of the line of scrimmage put this team in a place that proved too difficult to overcome.

Dealing with the First Negative Game Script

The trench woes contributed to a two-touchdown deficit for the Owls on the road. That their opponent scored first is nothing new — Rice entered the game 3-0 when falling behind after the first score — but the lack of a counter punch from the offense was quite different.

After scoring in nine consecutive quarters, Rice was shut out at halftime. At the break, Navy was outgaining Rice 308-51 and Rice had picked up just three first downs and was 1-of-6 on third down tries. Remarkably, because both sides had only exchanged a handful of possession each, Rice hadn’t really been forced to abandon their primary offensive philosophy to that point.

That’s largely been true of this team through five games. The Houston game was the only one-sided result, but even that contest was competitive in the fourth quarter.

“My [game] script changed, but it changed more because of schematics. I didn’t feel like we had to change our approach and start slinging the football around, but I knew we needed to find some ways to stay on the field offensively and give our defense some breaks,” Abell shared.

“We didn’t really change the approach until midway though the fourth quarter.”

That Rice was able to cling to their core offensive philosophy was a credit to the resiliency of the defense and just enough progression from the offense from start to finish. It’s also a positive sign of things to come for the future.

Passing Problems More Pronounced with Low Volume

A scattershot passing game was responsible, at least in part, for the Rice football offense being stuck in neutral for so long in this game. The Owls had the right approach with how the dialed up their shots, but their ineffectiveness — for multiple reasons — really hamstrung the Owls’ offense, particularly in the first half.

A wide open Braylen Walker dropped what should have been at least a 25 yard gain. That the pass came in a constant rain in Walker’s first game back after an extended absence didn’t help, but the results were the same. A little while after, Jenkins couldn’t connect on a deep throw that landed just beyond the reach of a streaking Aaron Turner.

Again, that any singular passing play failed isn’t the point. But when you only run 22 total plays in the first half and attempt seven passes — even fewer thrown down the field — you end up at the mercy of variance, perhaps more often than you’d like.

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Rice started to move the ball in earnest in the second half, but still saw the passing game thwart their momentum in key moments. Drayden Dickmann had the ball fall just out of reach in the front corner of the endzone. Rice settled for a field goal and kept the deficit at the time at two scores rather than pulling within a touchdown.

Jenkins did hit Dickman in the fourth quarter to set up the Owls’ touchdown on fourth-and-goal, but the effort would prove to be too little, too late.

If Rice hits a few more of those passing plays, the game might very well have gone differently. However, that they fell incomplete made it abundantly clear this offense desperately needed the boost they would have provided.

Wrestling with Elevated Expectations

The frame of reference for how we evaluate Abell’s program has shifted wildly in the span of a few short weeks. Fair or not, this team was projected to be a bottom dweller in the American Conference. That they started 3-1 and won their conference opener on the road made it clear they wouldn’t be keeping company with the worst teams in the league, but where was their ceiling?

A loss to a now 4-0 Houston team provided a glimpse of that upper bound. Saturday’s road tilt against Navy gave further clarity. Through five games, this 3-2 team has shown itself to be flawed, yet resilient.

“We’re still in the fight. As we get back to Houston, we’ve got to turn the page. We’ve got to see the film from right here and turn the page and get ready for FAU at home. One of the things I’m proud about this team is our fight and our grit. You can see it out on the field, every play, regardless of outcome, we fought. That’s something I’m proud of,” quarterback Chase Jenkins said after the game.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted, obviously, but going forward you’re going to see a team full of heart.”

Effort has never been in question with this group, they’ve mastered the want-to. Saturday’s result made it clear there is still work to be done on the how-to, on both sides of the ball.

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Third Down Woes

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