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The Roost Podcast | Ep 61 – Rice Football vs North Texas Preview

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Following two consecutive postponements, Carter and Matthew and look ahead at Rice football’s upcoming game against North Texas.

After playing two games, Rice football has suffered two consecutive postponements. The most recent lost game, which we reference briefly on this podcast, came against Louisiana Tech. The Owls will hope for better fortune this coming weekend against North Texas.

Carter and Matthew walkthrough the schedule as it’s current constructed and what contingencies are left for Rice. Then they look ahead at the game against North Texas and break down how Rice matches up with the Mean Green.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 61.

Episode 61 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Don’t miss this opportunity to subscribe on Patreon. You’ll get practice reports, film room sessions, recruiting news and the latest analysis and updates on all things relating to Rice Athletics.
    Become a Patron!
  • Conference USA news and notes
    • Three C-USA games postponed already for the upcoming weekend
    • Rice and C-USA are running out of open dates for postponed games
  • Rice Football vs LA Tech postponed
    • Rice has now lost games against LA Tech and UTSA
    • Second postponement from a Rice opponent since the season began
    • Decision was announced on Thursday before the game
    • No clear indication on rescheduling plan
  • Rice Football vs North Texas game preview
    • More on Jason Bean, the presumed starter, in this week’s film room
    • Jaelon Darden leads the nation in touchdown receptions, despite only playing five games
    • North Texas run defense is attrocious. Could this be a breakout spot for Juma Otoviano or Khalan Griffin?

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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

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Rice Football Film Room 2020: North Texas Preview

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Quarterback Jason Bean and the North Texas offense are the focal points in this week’s edition of the Rice football film room.

Last week felt like a bit of a Groundhog Day situation, didn’t it? At least we didn’t get all the way to Friday before losing the game this time, but it’s still no fun to have lost the chance to see this Rice team prove itself on the field for the second week in a row.

Film rooms reserved for subscribers. Sign in to see this content or visit our Patreon page.

On the bright side, at least we’re not in the same boat as North Texas fans. After a shootout win against MTSU on October 17th—the week before Rice’s season opener against the Blue Raiders—off weeks combined with a spate of cancellations and postponements have kept the Mean Green from playing for more than a month. So despite the late start and the loss of their last two games, Rice has still played two games since UNT played its most recent one. 2020, y’all!

Like a lot of teams in C-USA this year, the 2020 iteration of the Mean Green is an all-offense, no-defense squad (e.g., they’re 62nd in offensive SP+ and 117th in defensive SP+). Also like a lot of teams in C-USA this year, they’ve had a bit of a revolving door situation at QB. Jason Bean started their opener against Houston Baptist, was promptly replaced by Austin Aune, and then took back over during the MTSU game and led them to their comeback victory. It looks like we’ll see Bean as the starter on Saturday, so this edition of the Film Room will focus on him as the probable signal-caller.

More: Rice Football vs North Texas Game Preview

Regardless of who’s at QB, the Mean Green offense will revolve primarily around star senior receiver (and Houston native!) Jaelon Darden. Despite an unassuming 5-foot-9, 174-pound build, Darden has put up serious numbers this year. While the Mean Green have played only five games, Darden is in the top ten in the country in receiving yards and leads all of FBS with a whopping 10 receiving TDs. He single-handedly accounts for 40.7% of the team’s total receiving yards and 43% of their total receptions.

One, if by air

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: North Texas

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Rice Football hopes to get back on the field this weekend in Denton against North Texas. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

It’s been a long while since either Rice football or North Texas played a football game. The Owls have been off (unintentionally) for two consecutive weekends, losing games against UTSA and Louisiana Tech because of COVID-19 concerns within their respective programs.

Things haven’t been much better for North Texas. Off weekends and COVID-19 complications have forced the Mean Green into a break that stretches back all the way to October 17 against Middle Tennessee, the week before the Blue Raiders visited the Owls in Houston. That’s four weekends in a row without a game.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 1:00 PM CT
Venu | Apogee Stadium – Denton, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs North Texas on Episode 61 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Thursday. 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.)

Visual Preview

Make sure you check out Inside the Hedges, a weekly show with myself and former Rice football quarterback Taylor McHargue. Watch it live on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. here or watch it at your leisure on the Rice Athletics Youtube page.

Join the Conversation

What are your keys to victory this week? What pitfalls must the Owls avoid? Did you like that third down call? Share your thoughts on the matchup on the forum and make sure you tune in Saturday for our live game blog keeping track of every score and key moment.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice looked to have shaken off the rust in a big way when they blew out Southern Miss in Hattiesburg in their last game before a string of last-minute postponements. When they have been on the field, they’ve been playing well. Rice has won four of their last five games, dating back to last year. They just want a chance to extend that streak further into 2020. A win over North Texas would help solidify their up-and-coming surge is legitimate.

North Texas is coming at things from a very different angle. The Mean Green are 2-3 and haven’t been able to stop anyone on defense. Head coach Seth Littrell has been praised for his quarterback development, but the dreams of perennial C-USA contention could be falling by the wayside. Back-to-back losses to Rice would certainly knock them further from that rosy expectation.

Series History

All Time | Series tied 5-5
Last Five | North Texas leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2019, Rice won 20-14

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 30/52 (57.7 percent), 475 yards passing, 8 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 10 receptions, 219 yards (21.9 yards per reception), 5 TD | Myers – 6 receptions, 65 yards (10.8 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 21, Montero – 17, Garcia – 13
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Devones – 1 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

North Texas Stat Notables

Passing | Aune – 76/137 (55.5 percent), 1233 yards passing, 8 TD, 4 INT | Bean – 27/44 (61.4 percent), 427 yards passing, 6 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Torrey – 67 carries, 444 yards (6.6 yards per carry), 4 TD
Receiving | Darden – 46 receptions, 689 yards (15.0 yards per reception), 10 TD | Simpson – 16 receptions, 328 yards (20.5 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Davis – 34, Sanders – 28, Nixon III – 28
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Whitlock – 3 PBU / Sanders, Johnson – 1 INT

North Texas X-Factor | No self-inflicted wounds

North Texas has won two games this season, both of which required the Mean Green to score 50+ points with their opponents crossing the 30-point plateau. This is a team that is going to have to win shootouts and put up points in bunches. This offense has been productive for several seasons under Littrell and hasn’t shown signs of stopping yet.

If anything can slow them down, it’s their own mistakes. North Texas has lost the turnover battle in all five of their games this year. They turned the ball over three times in their loss to Southern Miss and three times in a win over Middle Tennessee.

Scoring 50 points a game isn’t easy to do, no matter how frequently you’ve done it in the past. Upping the ante by spotting the other team extra possessions makes it even harder. If North Texas is going to win, they have to limit the free possessions they hand to Rice. The Owls, who milked 13 minutes of clock in the fourth quarter against Southern Miss, might just not give the ball back.

Rice X-Factor | Pound the Rock

The easiest way to contain an explosive offense is by keeping them off the field. That should be fairly easy for the Owls to do given the putrid state of the North Texas run defense. The Mean Green are allowing 5.6 yards per carry, the worst in Conference USA. Their opponents have averaged 243.2 yards per game.

Rice has multiple running backs they trust to run with power and fall forward for extra yards. If North Texas can’t get them down at or behind the line of scrimmage, the Rice offense is going to continue to operate at a pace similar to their first two games.

Quarterback Mike Collins has proven he can distribute the ball and move the team downfield quickly, but allowing him to remain poised and work at a more comfortable pace will only aid his efficiency. Rice is a team committed to running the football. There’s no reason for them to let up this weekend.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

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Need More?

The Roost’s 2020 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for every team in Conference USA. 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 every foe.

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. Which team scores the first rushing touchdown?
    Rice / North Texas (or neither)
  2. How many total points are scored?
    Over 64.5 / Under 64.5
  3. Which team registers the most first downs?
    Rice / North Texas (or tie)
  4. How many players throw a pass in this game
    Over 2.5 / Under 2.5
  5. How many Rice wide receivers catch at least three passes?
    One / Two / Three / Four or more
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / North Texas

One Final Thing

At this point, getting to Saturday will be a win. Both of these teams are chomping at the bit to get back onto the field, especially Rice, which is one of only five C-USA teams that hasn’t been the at-fault party for a postponement since they began their season in late October.

This was a tight game last year, decided on a violent fourth-down pass breakup by Treshawn Chamberlain in the endzone to save the day. Building on that monumental play with a winning streak over a conference opponent would be huge for this team which believes they’ve turned the corner. All they want now is a chance to prove it.

Hopefully that chance comes on Saturday against North Texas.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 60 – Rice Football vs LA Tech Preview

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Rice football had its game against UTSA postponed last weekend. Carter and Matthew talk discuss the fallout and the Owls upcoming contest against Louisiana Tech.

What we had hoped would have been a postgame debrief turned into talk of the Owls’ first unexpected postponement of the 2020 season. UTSA called off last week’s game on Friday morning, citing COVID-19 issues within the football program. That left Rice without an opponent on Saturday.

Carter and Matthew discuss how that postponed game fits into the ever-complex maze of 2020 scheduling and look ahead at Rice football’s upcoming (currently scheduled) game against Louisiana Tech.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 60.

Episode 60 Notes

  • Housekeeping — Don’t miss this opportunity to subscribe on Patreon. You’ll get practice reports, film room sessions, recruiting news and the latest analysis and updates on all things relating to Rice Athletics.
    Become a Patron!
  • Conference USA news and notes
    • Four C-USA games were canceled last weekend
    • Only four C-USA teams played
  • Rice Football vs UTSA postponed
    • First postponement from a Rice opponent since the season began
    • Decision was announced on Friday before the game
    • Both Rice and UTSA hope to reschedule with hopes that Rice could drop the Marshall game
    • Rice gets the added benefit of more players healthy with the off week
  • Rice Football vs LA Tech game preview
    • Bulldogs two-quarterback system has proven faulty, at best
    • Justin Henderson and the running game are going to have a hard time gaining ground
    • Louisiana Tech is opportunistic and aggressive on defense. Limiting mistakes is a must.

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: Louisiana Tech

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Rice Football and Louisiana Tech played to the wire last season. Could this year be different? How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Neither Rice football nor Louisiana Tech saw action this past Saturday, although both were originally scheduled to play. North Texas pulled out of its game with Louisiana Tech and UTSA left Rice without an opponent. Fresh from a week of rest, both schools will be eager to get back to the field this coming Saturday.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 2:30 PM CT
Venu | Joe Aillet Stadium – Ruston, LA
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Louisiana Tech on Episode 60 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Thursday. 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.)

Visual Preview

Make sure you check out Inside the Hedges, a weekly show with myself and former Rice football quarterback Taylor McHargue. Watch it live on Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. here or watch it at your leisure on the Rice Athletics Youtube page.

Join the Conversation

What are your keys to victory this week? What pitfalls must the Owls avoid? Did you like that third down call? Share your thoughts on the matchup on the forum and make sure you tune in Saturday for our live game blog keeping track of every score and key moment.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice football is off to an encouraging start, but their delayed season and recent postponement leave the Owls with just two games under their belt entering the Nov. 14 road trip to Ruston, LA. Rice hasn’t won in Ruston since 2013, the year they won their most recent conference championship. A win would put them near the top of the standings, necessary with potential games against divisional leaders UAB and Marshall still on deck.

Louisiana Tech also has conference championship aspirations, but they have less wiggle room to work with than the Owls. The Bulldogs already have two conference losses and narrowly escaped Houston with a win last year.

Series History

All Time | Louisiana Tech leads 9-4
Last Five | Louisiana Tech leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Home 2019, Louisiana Tech won 20-14

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 30/52 (57.7 percent), 475 yards passing, 8 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 10 receptions, 219 yards (21.9 yards per reception), 5 TD | Myers – 6 receptions, 65 yards (10.8 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 21, Montero – 17, Garcia – 13
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Devones – 1 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

Louisiana Tech Stat Notables

Passing | Anthony – 110/176 (62.5), 1208 yards passing, 13 TD, 4 INT | Allen – 52/75 (69.3), 482 yards passing, 4 TD, 3 INT
Rushing | Tucker – 82 carries, 336 yards (4.1 yards per carry), 2 TD
Receiving | Hardy – 33 receptions, 440 yards (13.3 yards per reception), 4 TD | Harris – 23 receptions, 223 yards (9.7 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Grubbs – 72, Baldwin – 64, Williamson – 45
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Woods – 5 PBU, Williamson – 3 INT

Louisiana Tech X-Factor | How many quarterbacks?

Luke Anthony started the season for Louisiana Tech. Aaron Allen is the most recent of the Bulldogs’ quarterbacks to complete a pass. And it’s not quite as simple as Anthony being benched in favor or Allen, both have been in and out of the lineup over the course of the year. Shuffling passers isn’t an ideal long-term solution, certainly not against a secondary that quieted Jack Abraham last time out.

The challenge for Louisiana Tech head coach is the lack of separation. Both guys have shown flashes and both have had rough outings. The tandem have left the Bulldogs with a middle-of-the-road offense, averaging 26.4 points in conference play.

With the rushing attack ranked dead last in C-USA and the Rice run defense being particularly stout, Louisiana Tech absolutely has to find a quarterback that can attack Rice downfield. Otherwise, it’ll be tough sledding, even at home.

Rice X-Factor | Bring the pressure

Rice only registered one sack against Southern Miss, but the Eagles’ quarterback Jack Abraham felt the pressure before being knocked out of the game before halftime. Sacks have been hard to come by for this Rice front seven in recent years, but the early showings in 2020 have been positive.

Neither Louisiana Tech quarterback possess the mobility of someone like Middle Tennessee’s Asher O’Hara. If the Owls can pin their ears back and go after the passer they’ll have a better chance of producing a repeat performance of their last time out. Over the past three seasons, O’Hara remains the only current starting C-USA quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns on the Rice defense.

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?

Need More?

The Roost’s 2020 Rice Football Season Preview has four pages dedicated to every opponent the Owls face. There are depth charts, important new arrivals and depth chart breakdowns for every team in Conference USA. 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 every foe.

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. Will Rice commit more than four accepted penalties?
    Yes / No
  2. How many third downs will Louisiana Tech convert?
    Over 8.5 / Under 8.5
  3. Which team registers the longest play from scrimmage?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech (or tie)
  4. How many players throw a pass in this game
    Over 2.5 / Under 2.5
  5. How many Rice wide receivers catch at least three passes?
    One / Two / Three / Four or more
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech

One Final Thing

Louisiana Tech is going to pose a tougher challenge to Rice than UTSA. The Bulldogs have been up and down this year, but their road win over UAB speaks volumes. This is a team that can hit the high notes when they’re playing well, and one that has historically been able to capitalize on Rice mistakes.

Rice has the opportunity to seize some real momentum with games against North Texas and UTEP on deck. They best not look too far ahead, though, because in this strange, shortened season, every opportunity is magnified. At no fault of your own, you might not play the next game.

There have been a lot of firsts for Mike Bloomgren and his staff this year. Back-to-back 30 point games was a nice starting. The first win over a (presumptively) bowl-bound team would be a nice feather to add to the cap. It’s the next hill to climb, but one that doesn’t feel insurmountable.

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

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