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Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Owls vs Wake Forest

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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.

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2019 Rice Football Season Preview by The Roost

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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

 

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Week 13 Statpack – Juma Otoviano’s touchdown and Old Dominion’s streak

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Rice football has one game left in the 2018 campaign and we’ve got 10 stats that paint a picture of the LSU loss and the upcoming matchup with Old Dominion.

1 – career rushing touchdown for Juma Otoviano. He entered the year buried on the Owls’ running back depth chart. He became the team’s wildcat quarterback midway through the season and scored his first career touchdown on Saturday, at night, in Death Valley. That’s pretty cool.

2 – consecutive games. With a win over VMI in Week 12, Old Dominion has won two games in a row and four overall. That’s their first winning streak of any kind since they beat Rice last year, their third win in a row.

3 – different kinds of touches for all-purpose talent D’Angelo Ellis. Listed as a corner on the preseason depth chart, Ellis registered one tackle, one carry and a team-leading three receptions for 66 yards against LSU.

4 – forced fumbles by Old Dominion defensive end Oshane Ximines, the most of any player in Conference USA.

5 – Old Dominion players with 100 or more yards rushing, part of a balanced attack that ranks second in yards per game in Conference USA. ODU ranks in the top eight in both passing and rushing yards.

6 – points separating Rice and Old Dominion in two meetings all-time between the schools. The Monarchs have won each of the games by a field goal margin, the first in 2014 and the most recent game last season.

7 – completions by Rice quarterbacks against LSU, the lowest number of completions registered by the team this year. The 101 total passing yards ranked third from fewest.

8 – yards per attempt by Old Dominion quarterback Blake LaRussa, a top five mark in Conference USA. He leads an offense that has produced 53 pass plays of 20 yards or more, the most in the conference.

9 – receiving touchdowns by Old Dominion receiver Jonathan Duhart which leads the Monarchs and ranks second-most among all CUSA pass catchers.

10 – field goals this season for Hayden Tobola. His 51-yard kick against LSU was a career long and the longest field goal made by Rice this season.

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Practice notes – Thanksgiving plans and more Wiley Green

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Rice football has one more game left in 2018 against Old Dominion. The Owls are hard at work doing everything they can to make it a victory.

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate and be with family, but there’s still plenty of football to be played. Coach Mike Bloomgren has found a way to do both. Rice will practice in the morning on Thursday before joining together for a family-style feast. The meat will be catered and the families will bring sides and share the meal together at the Patterson Center.

Bloomgren has spent his tenure at Rice working to build a family. Nothing says family more than a shared Thanksgiving meal together. Culture is built over time — and over food. Now, a few notes on practice from Wednesday.

More quarterback shakeup?

Shawn Stankavage started against Louisiana Tech and LSU after returning from injury, giving freshman Wiley Green enough of a break to ensure he would retain his redshirt this season. Green is eligible to play one more game in 2018 and should be in the mix to see significant minutes on Saturday.

Neither of the other backup quarterbacks are expected to play meaningful roles on Saturday. Jackson Tyner attempted one pass against LSU. Parker Towns has run a spread package which incorporated his legs and saw limited success.

D’Angelo Ellis continues to impress

Ellis led the team in receptions and yardage against LSU with a pair of acrobatic sideline catches. His ball skills might be the best on the team. Combine those with top-flight speed and Rice has a weapon they’ll continue to feature on offense. He had a few more head-turning catches at practice on Wednesday.

Injury update

  • Collin Whitaker suffered a foot injury in the second quarter against LSU and was in a boot during practice on Wednesday. He won’t be available against Old Dominion.
  • Wide receivers August Pitre and Brendan Harmon are both doubtful. Harmon will be evaluated on game day and has the better chance to play of the pair.
  • Prudy Calderon injured his shoulder against LSU but will be available to start and play as usual.
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Quarterback changes take center stage, practice notes (11/8)

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Rice football continues to work on the practice field as they prepare for Louisiana Tech in Week 11. Here are the latest news and notes.

The plan at quarterback behind Stankavage

True freshman quarterback Wiley Green has looked promising so far this season. The Owls’ former fifth stringer racked up 525 yards passing, four total touchdowns (one rushing) and four interceptions across three games. Green can only play in one more contest this year and preserve his redshirt — something Bloomgren indicated was important to the coaching staff during his Tuesday press conference.

Bloomgren is going to get that fourth game in at some point this season, the question is when will that be? If the situation arises where Rice has to turn to the bench late in a winnable game to Louisiana Tech we might see Green over fellow backup Jackson Tyner. Otherwise, Tyner is the probable No. 2 behind Stankavage this week. He took reps with the second team on Thursday. Green ran the scout unit.

D’Angelo Ellis is going to be a thing

The junior defensive back saw limited action as a member of the Owls’ offense in their game against UTEP. He registered one carry for three yards, playing as a wide receiver motioning out of the backfield. That was his first dose of game action this season and his involvement is only going to go up.

Ellis is quick and could provide a jolt to this offense. Him, alongside a guy like Austin Walter, can be spark plugs for a unit that all too often gets stuck. He has the potential to be that kind of big-play guy.

Get a good look at Jack Fox

It’s not often that you get transfixed in practice by special teams, but it’s worth taking every moment remaining to appreciate punter Jack Fox. His punts boomed effortlessly down the field with a subtle thump each time he launched the ball off his foot. He’s going to be playing on Sundays.

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