The source for Rice sports news

The Roost Podcast | Episode 5 – 2019 Rice Football at Army Game Preview

By

The Roost Podcast is back with Episode 5. Carter and Matthew break down Rice Football’s Week 1 road game against the Army Black Knights.

The preseason has officially wrapped up and Rice Football games are finally here. If you missed any of the lead up to the 2019 season, you can find our discussions on each of the Owls’ position groups and a special interview with Jack Fox on our podcast page.

This week Carter and Matthew turn their full attention to Army, the first game on the 2019 Rice Football schedule. Get ready for the Friday, August 30 5 p.m. CT kick by following along with the show.

Give a listen to Episode 5 below.

Episode 5 Notes

  • News and notes — Read more about Army and get a deep dive on the roster in our 2019 Rice Football Season Preview. Don’t forget to join our season-long pick’em challenge on the forum. Also, three Owls earned scholarships and team captains for the 2019 season were announced.
  • Army offense — The fundamentals of the triple-option make it a unique challenge for defenses. How does it work and what will Rice do to combat the scheme with personnel and discipline?
  • Army defense — The Black Knights have a lot of pieces to replace on a defensive unit that was good, but not great last season. Where will the Owls have an edge and what battles look the most intriguing?
  • Special Teams — Both Rice and Army are breaking in some new specialists, but the Owls weapons have D1 kicking experience under their belts. How much will that experience matter in the game?

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.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2019 Game Preview: Owls at Army Black Knights

By

Rice Football kicks off their 2019 season on the road against Army. How to watch, stats to know, x-factor picks for both teams and more.

The triple-option requires discipline and focus for a full sixty minutes. The resiliency of Rice football against a team that is committed to grinding away at the clock and pounding the rock will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

Rice won their season opener last year, besting Prairie View A&M on a last-second field goal from Jack Fox. Prairie View went 5-6 in the SWAC last season. Army went 11-2, narrowly missing an upset of Oklahoma in Norman and blowing the doors off cross-town rival Houston 70-14 in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Both teams faced some notable personnel turnover in the offseason, but for the most part, it’s a similar cast of key characters returning for both squads. Here’s everything you need to know about the game.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 5:00 PM CT
Venue | Michie Stadium – West Point, NY
TV | CBS Sports Network
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)
Streaming | CBSSN Online

Audio Preview

The Roost Podcast for Week 1 will be dropping later this week. 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.) Carter and I broke down both sides of the ball and delved into the matchups you’ll want to watch on Friday.

Sizing up the contenders

Army isn’t flashy, but their offense is effective. The complexities of the option attack are predicated on making three-yard runs consistently. If the Black Knights can do that, they’ll keep their offense on schedule, opening up options for their passing game with play-action and their stable of running backs to make plays. Army wants to lul the Rice defense to sleep. The Owls had better be ready.

On the other side, Rice wants to employ a similar clock-controlling scheme. If things go how the Owls would hope, they’re trading blows with Army in a close game well into the second half. To do that, Rice is going to rely on making plays on third down on both sides of the ball. The quarterback has to move the sticks and the defense has to get off the field — two sticking points from the 2018 campaign. Friday will be the first real test on both fronts.

Series History

All Time | Rice leads 4-3
Last Five | Rice leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Army won at Rice 49-12 in 2017

Rice 2018 Stat Notables

Passing | Green – 45/88 (51.1 percent), 621 yards passing, 3 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 65 carries, 364 yards (5.6 yards per carry), 3 TD
Receiving | Trammell – 62 receptions, 632 yards (10.2 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Nyakwol – 41
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Calderon – 7/4

Army 2018 Stat Notables

Passing | Hopkins – 51/93 (54.8 percent), 1,026 yards passing, 6 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | Hopkins – 208 carries, 1,017 yards (4.9 yards per carry), 17 TD
Receiving | Walker – 11 receptions, 170 yards, (15.5 yards per reception), 1 TD
Tackles | Christiansen – 42
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Riley – 10/0

Army X-Factor | Kelvin Hopkins Jr

Hopkins isn’t going to throw the ball often on Friday night. He averaged 4.3 completions per game last season, a number dwarfed by Army’s 68.7 carriers per game. But it’s less about Hopkins arm that’s worth monitoring than it is about his decision making with the football.

The quarterback in a triple-option offense is the trigger man. He decides who is getting the football and thus is absolutely essential in the offensive scheme. As his decision making goes, so does the offense. A bad outing from him, of which there weren’t many last season, could put Army in an early hole or prevent the unit from establishing the kind of rhythm it needs to succeed.

Rice X-Factor | Wiley Green

Green was officially named the starting quarterback during the Owls’ midweek press conference. He’ll be tasked with setting the tone for the offensive attack right out of the gate. Green’s command of the offense and ability to convert third downs are essential if Rice is going to stay on the field.

Losing the time of possession battle against Army isn’t the end of the world, but continually opening up the defense to being gashed by the triple option will have detrimental effects in the second half. The quarterback play doesn’t have to be Tom Brady-esque, but it has to be as close to mistake-free and efficient as possible.

Injury Report

Kicker Zack Hoban was held out of the Owls’ final scrimmage of fall camp and had a brace on his non-kicking foot through the week. He appears to be the only notable player who won’t be available for Rice in their season opener. For the most part, the Owls are as healthy now as they could hope to be.

Update: Three players have been officially ruled out and will not make the trip: WR Rhett Cardwell,  LB Myron Morrison, OL Nick Wagman. None were expected to significant contributors.

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 Army.

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. Who takes the first snap at quarterback for Rice?
    (Green / Stewart / Other)
  2. Which player has more tackles?
    (Alldredge / Montero)
  3. How many touchdowns will Rice score?
    (Over 2.5 / Under 2.5)
  4. How many combined turnovers will occur? (Both teams)
    (Over 3.5 / Under 3.5)
  5. Who has more time of possession
    (Rice / Army)
  6. Who wins?
    (Rice / Army)

Odds and ends

Update: When asked about the backup quarterbacks during Tuesday’s press conference, Bloomgren mentioned there was a good chance another quarterback would see action against Army. Rather than Tom Stewart, who Green beat out for the starting job, Bloomgren singled out Evan Marshman. Filling in as a spot starter before an injury last season, Marshman will be trusted with some packages against Army, stemming primarily from his ability as a runner.

One Final Thing

Much of the 2019 offseason has centered around this question: how far have the Owls come since Year 0? Army won 11 games last year, will probably be ranked in the coming weeks and is a favorite to beat Rice at West Point. A loss against the Black Knights wouldn’t be damning, but the optics of this game could prove to be significant beyond the final result.

Rice needs to prove to onlookers and to themselves that what they’re building is, not only on schedule but capable of delivering results. On Friday Rice will set the stage for the 2019 season. Hopefully the lasting image the Owls leave at Michie Stadium will be one of effort, competitiveness and optimism for the year ahead.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Baseball: Owls look to clinch Silver Glove Series vs Houston

By

Winners of a previous meeting at Schroeder Park, Rice baseball can clinch the Silver Glove Series with a win over Houston on Wednesday.

Rice owned the Silver Gloves Series for the majority of the Wayne Graham era, but the crosstown rivalry has grown more contentious in recent years. The Owls won the series from 2001 to 2013. Since then, the Cougars and Owls have traded years with Rice winning the odd years and Houston winning the even years.

If tradition holds, 2019 is the year of the Owls. Rice took the first step in that journey, defeating Houston 5-3 in March to take a 1-0 series lead. They have two games remaining in the series, starting with a home contest at Reckling Park next before finishing the series at Constellation Field in Sugar Land. Here’s how both teams stack up and how to watch.

When and Where

Projected pitching matchup – Kel Bordwine vs Jared Pettitte

Rice hasn’t had a midweek game for a few weeks. Prior to the brief break, Kel Bordwine had settled into the midweek starting role for the Owls. Bordwine has been part of a short rotation and hasn’t thrown more than two innings since pitching four innings against Sam Houston on March 6. Bordwine is 1-2 with a 5.47 ERA in 11 appearances.

Ryan Randel had been the man to go in the Cougars’ midweek games until recently moving into the weekend rotation. Jared Pettitte started the last midweek game against Sam Houston and could in line for action this week, too. He owns a 7.04 ERA in five appearances (three starts).

Names to know from the plate

First baseman Joe Davis carries the water for the Cougars at the plate. He leads the team with 16 home runs, 50 RBI and a .431 on base percentage. Third baseman Jared Triolo is right there with him, batting .310 with a team-high 11 doubles.

Centerfield Tyler Bielamowicz and designated hitter Derrick Cherry round out the upper half of the lineup. The Cougars managed fives hits in the first game of the Silver Glove Series, two of which came from Bielamowicz.

ON DECK | at Western Kentucky (Fri-Sun)

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

Recent Posts

Baseball: Previewing Owls’ opponents at Shriners Classic

By

After a 3-6 start, Rice baseball has the chance for a few marquee wins at the Shriner’s Classic. Here’s how the Owls match up with their opponents.

It’s a long season. That’s true for ballclubs who will go on to win 40 games and for those destined to lose 30+. It’s too early to declare Rice bound for either of those groups, but the results at the Shriner’s Classic could push Rice baseball toward one of those two extremes.

With conference play looming, Rice needs to pick up some notable non-conference wins against ranked opponents. They’ll get two chances this weekend against Baylor and TCU. Here’s how Rice stacks up and how each of their opponents looks entering the weekend.

Pitching outlook

Addison Moss made his season debut Sunday against UC Irvine and didn’t show any noticeable discomfort. If he’s back to 100 percent, or close enough to it, he’d be a prime candidate for an extended relief appearance. He’s as trustworthy of an arm out of the bullpen as the team has right now and will push for a return to the starting rotation soon.

Here’s what the projected starting rotation looks like:

Friday vs Texas State – Matt Canterino (0-1, 3.27)
Saturday vs Baylor – Evan Kravetz (0-1, 3.00)
Sunday vs TCU – Jackson Parthasarathy (1-1, 1.80)

Hitting outlook

Shortstop Trei Cruz (.385/.478/.795) has been everything the Owls’ could have hoped for and more, but he hasn’t been the only consistent bat. When the offense has been producing, right fielder Bradley Gneiting (.381/.409/.476) has been the table setter.

Entering the Shriner’s Classic, Gneiting leads the team in at bats (42), hits (16) and has struck out just six times, the fewest of any Rice player with at least 20 at bats. Both Rodrigo Duluc (3-for-6, 6 RBI) and Andrew Dunlap (5-for-6, 7 RBI) had massive days against Prairie View A&M. Braden Comeaux has a .471 average over his last four games.

Texas State (5-4)

Friday at 11 a.m. – Watch | Listen

Last meeting with Rice: Texas State won 6-2 (3/6/2018)
Probable Starter: Nicholas Fraze (1-1, 6.00 ERA)
Hitters to know: Jaxon Williams (.517/.600/.586), John Wulthrich (.370/.486/.630), Colton Moore (.375/.444/.625)

Texas State started off the year at home, hosting Utah, Nevada and No. 24 Missouri State in the Texas State Tournament. The Bobcats took two of three from that trio, pounding Missouri State 10-0 in the final game. The followed that up the following weekend by taking two games against McNeese State and one against Creighton at the Lake Area Classic.

Baylor (8-0)

Saturday at 3 p.m. – Watch | Listen

Last meeting with Rice: Baylor won 9-2 (3/3/2014)
Probable Starter: Tyler Thomas (0-0, 5.40)
Hitters to know: Davis Wendzel (.516/.628/.903), Davion Downey (.481/.625/.963), Richard Cunningham (.389/.442/.556)

The No. 15 Baylor Bears haven’t given anyone a reason to doubt them yet. Perfect through eight games, the Bears have mowed through their early competition. Baylor posted series wins over Holy Cross and Cornell plus a midweek win over Dallas Baptist.

TCU (5-2)

Sunday at 7 p.m. – Watch | Listen

Last meeting with Rice: Rice won 7-3 (3/13/2018)
Probable Starter: Brandon Williamson (1-0, 2.08 ERA)
Hitters to know: Johnny Rizer (.429/.467/.714), Jake Guenther (.417/.516/.875), Hunter Wolfe (.375/.542/.438)

TCU has had their rough spots, dropping both of their Friday games so far this season. Unfortunately, the Owls get the Frogs on Sunday. TCU holds the most impressive win of the tournament field, taking a 10-2 decision over No. 1 Vanderbilt in the MLB4 Tournament.

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

Recent Posts

MBB: Old Dominion could be Owls’ toughest road test yet

By

Rice basketball heads north to Virginia for one of their most challenging road games of the season. How to the Owls stack up against Old Dominion?

Coming off their first road win in conference play, Rice will be tasked with earning their first road winning streak on Saturday against Old Dominion. The Monarchs are one of the hottest teams in Conference USA right now, but the Owls have played them close in recent years. Rice and Old Dominion went to overtime last year and the Owls’ lone head-to-head win came at Ted Constant Convocation Center in 2015.

The game is scheduled for TV broadcast on ESPN+. Radio is available via the Stretch Internet Portal.

Old Dominion 17-6 (7-3), Last 5 (4-1)

  • W, 72-61 vs North Texas
  • L, 74-73 @ UTSA
  • W, 50-48 @ UTEP
  • W, 76-70 vs Charlotte
  • W, 78-60 vs Southern Miss

Rice 9-13 (4-5), Last 5 (2-3)

  • W, 65-61 vs Charlotte
  • L, 89-86 vs UAB
  • W, 79-68 vs MTSU
  • L, 76-75 @ North Texas
  • L, 65-64 @ UTEP

Old Dominion players to watch

BJ. Stith and Ahmad Caver could be one of the best scoring tandems in Conference USA. Collectively the pair averages 35.0 points per game while also accounting for 13.4 rebounds. As they lead the charge, the rest of the unit fills in with superb defense. The Monarchs allow a CUSA-best 61.4 points per game and are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 5.7 boards per game. Smith is sixth in the conference, averaging 7.7 rebounds.

Rice keys to victory

Old Dominion has lost only one home game this season, falling by three points to a tough Marshall team who’s hovered around the top of the Conference USA standings all season.  In that game Marshall did two things extremely well: share the basketball and play fundamentally sound basketball.

If Rice is going to knock off Old Dominion, they’ll need to limit their turnovers. They’ve averaged 13.8 turnovers over their last five games and have a -3.44 turnover margin in conference play. The ODU defense is stiff enough without doing them any additional favors. Rice needs to play smart and take care of the basketball. If they can do that, they have more than enough firepower to pull off the upset.

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

Recent Posts