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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 10 – 2019 LA Tech Recap, UAB Preview

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Carter and Matthew work through the Louisiana Tech loss before transitioning to a preview of the UAB. Owls fans have reason for hope after a tough loss.

The Rice football offense came out fast, but went away quietly in the second half against Louisiana Tech. In Episode 10 Carter and Matthew talk further about why the Owls remain committed to the concept of Intellectual Brutality and what we should take away from the overtime defeat. Then they transition to the upcoming game against UAB. You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page.

Saturday’s game against UAB kicks off at Legion Field on Oct. 5 at 6:00 pm. Check out the written preview for more information and the film room study for a deeper dive on the Blazers.

Give a listen to Episode 10 below.

Episode 10 Notes

  • News and notes — With next week marking the midpoint of the season, we’re going to do a Q&A portion in next week’s show. Leave a question in the comments, on twitter (@TheRoostPod) or send us an email at [email protected].
  • Player updates — Wiley Green is the QB1 and Chris Barnes will assume both punting and kicking duties.
  • Breaking down the Louisiana Tech game — The good and the bad from both sides of the ball in what was a frustrating loss to Louisiana Tech. A few standout players get shoutouts and we take a look at what sort of things Rice has to clean up if they’re going to win a conference game soon.
  • Previewing the UAB game — Tyler Johnston and Spencer Brown are names to know for the Blazers who are relatively young on both sides of the ball. Despite being defending Conference USA Champs, UAB might actually be a better matchup for Rice than Louisiana Tech was last week.

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 2019 Game Preview: Week 6 vs UAB

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Rice Football hits the road in search of their first road win Saturday against UAB. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

On Saturday Rice football will square off with UAB in the Owls’ first road test in conference play. Rice is still looking for their first victory of the season after falling in overtime to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs last weekend. Despite never trailing in regulation, the Owls were unable to close things out at home.

The test won’t be any easier this week against a UAB squad coming off their first defeat of the young season. The Blazers weren’t able to must much in the way of offense, falling on the road to Western Kentucky, 20-13.

Both teams are 0-1 in Conference USA action. One will take home their first conference victory this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about both teams prior to their Week 6 game.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venu | Legion Field – Birmingham, Al
TV | ESPN+ (Streaming ($))
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview the UAB game on Episode 10 of The Roost Podcast which will be released on Wednesday. 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.)

Sizing up the contenders

Rice has fallen just short too many times to count. The Owls have discovered a formula to keep things close — physical defense and methodical offensive attacks. Finishing has been the struggle. Rice needs to find whatever switch they need to flip this week. If they can do that, the Owls could be a dangerous team in the second half of the season.

UAB has had quite a different road. Rather than face a slew of Power 5 teams like Rice, the Blazers whipped through a slate of relatively weak foes in nonconference play. The defending Conference USA champs’ toughest test came last week; they lost. Nevertheless, Bill Clark’s squad didn’t raise the trophy a year ago on accident. UAB will be out to prove last week was an aberration, not the norm.

Series History

All Time | UAB leads 4-3
Last Five | UAB leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Home 2018, UAB 42-0

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Green – 37/64 (57.8 percent), 387 yards passing, 0 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Walter – 76 carries, 293 yards (3.9 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Rozner – 20 receptions, 314 yards (15.7 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 42, Montero – 33, Chamberlain – 32
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Thornton – 5 PBU, no team interceptions

UAB Stat Notables

Passing | Johnston – 63/101 (62.4), 927 yards passing, 8 TD, 6 INT
Rushing | Brown – 78 carries, 262 yards (3.4 yards per carry), 5 TD
Receiving | Watkins – 15 receptions, 289 yards (19.3 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Wilder – 25, Boler – 20, Moll – 19
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Marino – 2 PBU, no team interceptions

UAB X-Factor | Winning the line of scrimmage

Spencer Brown is one of the best running backs in Conference USA, but he’s averaging 3.4 yards per carry, the 21st best mark in the conference. As capable as Brown is, a relatively young offensive line hasn’t done enough up front to open up room for him to operate.

The status of senior center Lee Dufour, injured in practice last week, is up in the air. If he can’t go for the Blazers their ability to win against a stingy Rice defensive front would be made much more challenging.

Regardless of Dufour’s status, if the Owls can force UAB to be one dimensional, they’re going to be better off. Quarterback Tyler Johnston attempted a season-high 31 passes last week and threw a season-high four interceptions.

Rice X-Factor | Third down

What eventually doomed Rice against Louisiana Tech last week was of their own doing. The Owls could not stay on the field and sustain drives. They converted 4-of-16 third downs (including 2-of-11 in the second half), half the number of third down conversions they managed a week prior against Baylor.

Whether its more aggression, better run blocking or a higher level of play from quarterback Wiley Green, Rice is going to have to find a way to win on third down.

This has been a sticking point for the team since Bloomgren’s arrival. The Owls were dead last in third down conversion rate last year (28.7 percent) and enter the UAB game 12th in the conference (32.4 percent). If they can solve this problem, they’ll open up the offense significantly.

Injury Report

Freshman receiver Zane Knipe got off the injury list and made his collegiate debut last week against Louisiana Tech. While he should be set going forward, the status of fullback Reagan Williams remains in limbo. Bloomgren wasn’t confident he would be back this soon, but we’ll be monitoring the situation going forward. Stay tuned here for updates later in the week.

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 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 UAB convert?
    Over 8.5 / Under 8.5
  3. Which team registers the longest play from scrimmage?
    Rice / UAB
  4. Will Wiley Green throw at least one touchdown pass?
    Yes / No
  5. How many total yards will the Rice defense allow?
    Over 365 / Under 365
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UAB

One Final Thing

Anything can happen in Conference USA. The talent differential between the top teams in the conference and the lower-tiered squads is slimmed than in the Power 5 conferences. At this point in the season, it’s still too early to decipher who belongs with the top dogs anyways.

Coaching and execution are where games are won and lost. Mike Bloomgren and his staff have been hard at work preparing a gameplan capable of taking down the Blazers. Members of the staff were up through the later hours of Sunday morning following last week’s loss, literally not sleeping until they found answers.

The Owls are committed to finding a breakthrough. The groundwork has been laid. All that’s left is to put the pieces together for four quarters.

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

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The Roost Podcast | Ep. 9 – 2019 Rice Football Baylor Recap, Louisiana Tech Preview

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Conference USA play is here. Carter and Matthew recap Rice Football vs Baylor before jumping into the Owls’ Week 5 game with Louisiana Tech.

The Rice football nonconference schedule was brutal. Sitting at 0-4, the Owls are ready to flip the script and have that opportunity against a familiar opponent. Miss part of the journey? You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page.

In Episode 9, Carter and Matthew assess the good and the bad from the Baylor loss and breakdown how that should translate into the start of Conference USA play. Saturday’s game kicks off at Rice Stadium on Sep. 28 at 6:00 pm.

Give a listen to Episode 9 below.

Episode 9 Notes

  • News and notes — Thanks to TFW for writing a review on iTunes. Your words and your stars help! Leave a review wherever you listen, we might just read it on the show.
  • Breaking down the Baylor game — What’s the problem with the Rice offense and can conference play offer a respite from the heightened level of athleticism the Owls have faced thus far. Should there be significant concerns or will things get better soon? And what do you do with two quarterbacks?
  • Previewing the Louisiana Tech game — How do the Owls matchup with the Bulldogs? What will the team need to do to keep the Louisiana Tech offense from having a big game led by quarterback J’Mar Smith. That and a few names to note on the defensive side of the ball for the Bulldogs.

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 2019 Game Preview: Week 5 vs Louisiana Tech

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Rice Football kicks off conference play in Week 5 with a home contest against Louisiana Tech. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

Rice football saw another fourth quarter rally fall short as the Owls closed out nonconference play with a loss to Baylor last Saturday. The close loss was hard to swallow, but the shift from a string of Power 5 opponents to Conference USA play will be welcomed with open arms at South Main.

Louisiana Tech enters the game on the heels of their first conference victory. The Bulldogs dispatched a struggling FIU team, outscoring the Panthers 43-31. Here’s what you need to know about both Louisiana Tech and Rice before their Week 5 battle.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 6:00 PM CT
Venu | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We previewed the Louisiana Tech game on Episode 9 of The Roost Podcast which was released on Wednesday. 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.)

Sizing up the contenders

An 0-4 start wasn’t what Rice was hoping for, but expectations remain high at South Main because of the competitive nature of those defeats, particularly against Army and Baylor. There weren’t many outside of Houston who expected Rice to win any of their first four contests. The mere fact that they were a touchdown away from two big upsets was telling.

Like Rice, Louisiana Tech was beaten handily by Texas. Unlike Rice, Louisiana Tech won their other three games, including their Conference USA opener in Week 4 against FIU. The difference between the Bulldogs and the Owls early starts was the quality of the competition. Louisiana Tech has only played explicitly great team — they lost.

Saturday these two divergent storylines converge at South Main. Rice is out to prove they’re better than their record says while Louisiana Tech hopes to continue to stockpile on their winning resume as they build a case toward what they hope will be a C-USA West crown.

Series History

All Time | Louisiana Tech leads 8-4
Last Five | Louisiana Tech leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2018, Louisiana Tech 28-13

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Stewart – 36/61 (59.0 percent), 414 yards passing, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Walter – 56 carries, 181 yards (3.2 yards per carry), 1 TD
Receiving | Rozner – 15 receptions, 250 yards (16.7 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 29, Montero/Chamberlain – 26
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Alldredge/Smith/Thornton tied with 2 PBU

Louisiana Tech Stat Notables

Passing | Smith – 97/143 (67.8), 1108 yards passing, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing | Henderson – 35 carries, 277 yards (7.9 yards per carry), 4 TD
Receiving | Hebert – 15 receptions, 218 yards (14.5 yards per reception), 2 TD
Tackles | Jackson – 30, Scott – 28
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Robertson – 7 PBU, 1 INT

Louisiana Tech X-Factor | Stopping the run

For Louisiana Tech, the formula for beating Rice starts with controlling the ground game. The Bulldogs have been solidly mediocre against the run this season. On the plus side, they were able to hold Bowling Green to 119 yards on 47 carries (2.5 yards per carry). In their other three games against Texas, Grambling State or FIU under they allowed an average of 167 yards rushing (4.7 yards per carry).

Rice has been the most successful on offense this season when the ground game is moving. Churning out a respectable rate on the ground opens everything else up. No ground game and the offense has struggled to get moving until the second half, at the earliest.

Louisiana Tech can’t afford to let Rice dictate the pace of the game in their own stadium. The Owls are frustrated with the 0-4 start and itching to impose their will on whoever shows up on their field next.

Rice X-Factor | Winning in the redzone

Beyond running the football successfully, Rice needs to finish drives. The Owls kicked their first two successful field goals in their last game against Baylor, but both game inside the redzone. Their final field goal came after the team squandered three straight attempts from the 6-yard line.

Assuming the offense is going to take more than one more week to work out the kinks, Rice needs to find a way to capitalize on their opportunities. As good as the defense has been early on, 13 points isn’t going to be enough to win many games. Turn those two field goal opportunities into touchdowns and Rice will be near the threshold it takes to grind out wins.

Louisiana Tech ranks first in Conference USA with a 50 percent touchdown rate in redzone possessions. They’ve turned their opponents away without any points on eight of 18 redzone trips. It’s going to be a tall task for the Owls.

Injury Report

Justin Gooseberry, Clay Servin and Reagan Williams highlighted a few somewhat surprising inactive for Rice against Baylor. We’ll be watching them closely this week. On a positive note, kicker Zach Hoban made his debut, handling kickoff duties last weekend.

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 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 has more rushing yards?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech
  2. How many field goals are made by both teams?
    Over 3.5 / Under 3.5
  3. Will both teams score in the first quarter?
    Yes / No
  4. How many third downs will Rice convert?
    Over 5.5 / Under 5.5
  5. Will Blaze Alldredge register at least two tackles for a loss?
    Yes / No
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / Louisiana Tech

One Final Thing

Opening conference play with a loss would be deflating for the Owls, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. The Rice offense is still very much a work in progress and they might have more questions at quarterback than they thought they would at this point of the season.

And Louisiana Tech is a solid football program which has won five consecutive bowl games. Rice would pick up the pieces and move on.

But, a win on Saturday would speak volumes. It would serve as validation, of sorts, to the Owls’ meticulous dedication to process and effort. If this team is as good as they believe themselves to be, there’s no reason the Owls can’t be a factor in Conference USA this season.

One game won’t definitely prove that one way or another, but those inside the Patterson Center could use some confirmation they’re on the right track. Bloomgren himself said it best. “We got a new season on the horizon. Every goal that our players put on the covenant is intact.”

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

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The Roost Podcast | Episode 8 – 2019 Rice Football Texas Recap, Baylor Preview

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Three games down and plenty more to come, Carter and Matthew recap Rice Football vs Texas, preview Baylor and give some reasons to keep the faith.

Rice Football has had their ups and downs through three weeks of the 2019 season. The Owls have one game remaining in their nonconference slate. It’s time to keep moving onward, but if you want to check our work you can always find previous episodes on the podcast page.

In Episode 8, Carter and Matthew discuss what in the world happened in the Texas game and how concerned Rice fans should be about the showing on the field last Saturday. Once that conversation ran its course, the Baylor game took center stage. That one kicks off at Rice Stadium on Sep. 14 at 7:00 pm.

Give a listen to Episode 8 below.

Episode 8 Notes

  • News and notes — There were some notable Conference USA results, some which concern teams Rice has on the schedule in the coming weeks. Also, please don’t forget to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
  • Breaking down the Texas game — An honest assessment, within the context of where these two programs are in the present time, helped put some clarity around the one-sided result. There were some good things and some things to keep an eye on.
  • Previewing the Baylor game — The last game of the nonconference schedule will give Rice football a new challenge. The Bears are a balanced offense, willing to run the football. Physicality and an early effort will be key in this one.
  • State of the program — What should we make about this team after an 0-3 start? More on the culture, the coaches and the long term viability of what Mike Bloomgren and his staff are building at South Main.

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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