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Rice Football: 2020 Spring practice closing thoughts

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Rice Football snuck in six spring practices before they were canceled by Conference USA. Here are a few things we learned and questions still unanswered.

My notebook is an organized mess every time Rice football practice is underway. I have notes from each session I attend. Those range from individual moments that impressed me to far-reaching questions that I’ve yet to reach a conclusion. Sometimes coaches or players can shed light on my queries, other times they’re left to ruminate until next session, next week, or longer.

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Rice is fortunate they got to practice at all. Several Conference USA teams called off all sessions before they ever stepped foot on the field. There are a lot of question marks scribbled in the pages from the Owls’ six spring practice sessions. In this case, some clarity is better than none.

Depth Charts

I hesitate to put out defined depth charts, especially from spring ball. Players are cycling in and out, some are learning new positions. The alignment of the team on any one play varies tremendously. Starters are easier to determine. Backups are … well, an exercise best guessing. With that caveat, take these words as being scribed in pencil.

Rice Football First Team Offense

QB | Collins OR Johnson
RB | Otoviano
WR | Trammell, Rozner, Pitre
TE | Myers
OL | Servin (LT), Garcia OR Sheriff (LG), Klarkowski (C), Baker (RG), Woolford (RT)

Rice Football Second Team Offense

QB | McMahon
RB | Montgomery OR King
WR | Knipe, Bailey, Palmer
TE | Bull OR Bradley
OL | Ferraro (LT), Riddle (LG), Baker (C), Floyd (RG), Peterson (RT)

Offensive depth chart notes

I hate OR designations, but I really do believe there are several open spots on the offense right now. Quarterback is the most obvious. If Rice football had to play tomorrow, I’d bet Mike Collins is the guy, but it’s close. That’s not to say he stole the show this spring — he and JoVoni Johnson were both solid — but I like Collins’ combination of size and elusiveness. I’m still looking to see who can make more consistent plays downfield between those two. The more accurate passer could win the job in fall camp.

Cam Montgomery looks really good. Really good. Rice had a deep backfield last year and Montgomery fumbled away some of his opportunities, leaving him buried on the bench. He’s probably the fastest player on the team right now (or at least in the top five). He’ll be the third down and pass catching back. There’s plenty of room for Jawan King to carve out a role as well.

Not much changed on the pass catching front outside of some good plays from sophomore tight end Jack Bradley. He was on a very short list of true freshman that played every game. They’d like to see him more involved this year. August Pitre had a great showing, too. He was much more aggressive in the air, fighting for the football and winning one-one-one matchups.

On the offensive line, it’s encouraging to see Izeya Floyd running with the twos. So far, the transition seems to be going well. Klarkowski as the starting center surprised me a bit, but I attribute that more to the need for answers at guard. If someone emerges there, Baker more than likely moves back to center. JoVaun Woolford is an impressive human being. If he adds another 15 to 20 pounds this offseason he’s going to be a huge asset at the tackle spot.

Rice Football First Team Defense

DL | Schuman, Hubbard, Carrol, Orji
LB | Alldredge, Montero
CB | Devones, Thornton
Saf | Smith, Nyakwol, Chamberlain

Rice Football Second Team Defense

DL | Doddridge, Enechukwu, Garcia, Page
LB | Morrison, Grammer
CB | Bird, White
Saf | Calderon, Lockhart, Richardson

Defensive depth chart notes

The defense looks pretty cookie cutter from how Rice football ended last season. De’Braylon Carroll will slide up into a starting spot replacing the departing Myles Adams. Kenneth Orji will become the full-time man at rush end with Anthony Ekpe gone. The rest of the first team is essentially unchanged.

Myron Morrison has entrenched himself as a rotation player at linebacker. The coaches love his work ethic and he made several big plays this spring. He and Garrett Grammer will back up Antonio Montero and Blaze Alldredge.

There’s a pretty clear delineation from the first and second teams in the secondary, but the top 10 guys are solid. Rice is bringing in some talented playmakers in the secondary, but this shouldn’t be a situation where anyone is forced to play early from necessity. They’ll have to earn it, which they very well might do.

The defensive line is a spot to monitor. I loved what I saw from Kebreyun Page, and Ikenna Enechukwu has been steadily improving from last season until now. I’m not sure about the defensive end spot. Joshua Pearcy and Jacob Doddridge both took some time there during the spring.

Special Teams

There are a few certainties on special teams.

  1. Austin Trammell will be the punt returner
  2. Stanford transfer Collin Riccitelli will be the place kicker
  3. Charlie Mendes will be the punter
  4. Cam Riddle will be the long snapper

There really won’t be any competition whatsoever at those four spots. That leaves kickoffs and the holder as the only real question marks. Those auditions will continue into the fall.

Unanswered questions

1. Who is going to be the starting quarterback?

Collins and Johnson separated themselves this spring, but neither “seized the job” as coach Bloomgren has often wished of his quarterbacks. They’re both great on the ground with Collins getting a slight edge because of his size. Johnson may not be injury prone, but he’s slimmer and did get forced out of his start against Marshall last year with an injury. I still think we could have one guy before the season opener, but don’t expect the competition closed before a week or two of fall camp.

2. Which offense will Rice run?

The way Rice lined up against Army was night and day different from how they played against Middle Tennessee. Bloomgren will stick to his guns and run the football, but he’s not going to discount the success they found through the air. The offensive line might be the key determinant in how Rice attacks on offense. But we still don’t know how that unit will be pieced together quite yet.

3. Where are the gaps that incoming players need to fill?

In previous springs, it’s been fairly evident where the team needs an impact player. Given the little sample size this time, it’s hard to know which of the incoming signing class is going to have the clearest path to playing time.

I have a hunch someone is going to emerge from the running backs. Kobie Campbell and Khalan Griffin are special talents that could impact the game on special teams or as offensive weapons. On defense, I want to see what happens in the secondary. Can someone like Lamont Narcisse work his way onto the field? That might depend on a few factors. On both sides of the ball, we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the fall.

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Rice Football 2020: Spring Practice Week 2 Notes

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Two weeks of Rice football spring practice are in the books. We’ve got standouts on both sides of the ball and updates on the quarterback battle in this week’s notes.

The first scrimmage of spring ball is in the books. Rice football head coach Mike Bloomgren liked what he saw. “I think we’re probably a little bit ahead in both systems. And I guess we should be,” Bloomgren said, “Offensively right now, from an assignment standpoint, we’re probably a little bit better [than last spring]. We’re doing things better.”

The offense finished with a handful of touchdowns drives. No field goals were kicked, all units went for it on fourth down. When adding in for those additional scoring opportunities, the defense edged the offense by a factor of roughly 2-to-1.

Like last year, the defense was clearly the more formidable unit. But this time the offense was able to celebrate touchdowns and explosive plays somewhat regularly — it wasn’t a “once in a blue moon” kind of success. That’s not to say the offense has grown by leaps and bounds. At this point, even baby steps has to be taken with some eagerness.

Bloomgren credits the wins on both sides of the ball, at least in part, to the understanding of the scheme and familiarity with what the coaching staff is asking players to do. “I think that I now have more than my 10 assistant coaches,” he surmised. “I’ve got old heads that have played a lot of football in this system that are coaching younger guys, because they’re so willing to and they so want to help and they just want to make our football team better.”

Quarterbacks

How the quarterbacks perform will continue to be the focal point of the spring. As of now, there appears to be a slight bit of separation occurring. Mike Collins took the majority of the reps with the first team offense during the scrimmage. JoVoni Johnson also saw action with the starters, too, albeit less time with the ones than Collins.

TJ McMahon and Wiley Green were mostly in charge of second and third team duties behind the aforementioned Collins and Johnson. Those two have the leg up in terms of experience, both at the D1 level and, in Johnson’s case, running the Owls’ offense.

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Collins flashed early on in the scrimmage. There was a sequence where he took a keeper around the left side of the line, sprinting 30 yards up the sideline for a first down. He then followed that by hitting a receiver in the flat who caught a block and raced another 30 yards up the field. Rice has 18 plays of 30 yards or more in 12 games last season. Stringing two such plays together in succession was eye-popping.

Johnson had his moments too. Although it’s probably fair to say the offense looked marginally more fluid under Collins, it was Johnson who led the only touchdown drive with the first team offense. He drove the team the length of the field, setting up a fourth-and-goal touchdown run.

Both have struggled with accuracy, particularly on throws down the field. Their advantages come through their legs. Collins is surprisingly mobile for such a big frame and what Johnson is capable of doing on the ground has been well documented on the field already.

Bloomgren’s evaluation remained level. “There was some good and bad with all of them,” he said. Translation: there’s no announcement on a definitive QB1 in the works any time soon.

Competition on the offensive line

This is the first spring during Bloomgren’s tenure that the Owls have had a surplus of players along the offensive line. Rice football is running with a full two-deep, plus some during spring. Only center/guard Shea Baker is pulling double duty, primarily because of his versatility rather than a lack of options.

Here’s roughly what the first team (bold) and second team looked like during the first scrimmage

Left Tackle – Clay Servin | Derek Ferraro
Left Guard – Cole Garcia | Adam Sheriff
Center – Isaac Klarkowski | Shea Baker
Right Guard – Shea Baker | Izeya Floyd
Right Tackle – Brandt Peterson | Jovaun Woolford

The most notable shift is at the right tackle spot where Brandt Peterson is getting an extended look. Bloomgren praised his efforts this spring, saying Peterson is playing “the best football he’s ever played since I’ve been here.” That’s high praise from a man who cut his teeth coaching the offensive line.

Jovaun Woolford is having a great spring as well, so how the starting line shakes out is still very much so a work in progress. Woolford seems to be transitioning well. He said he feels as if he hasn’t missed a beat. “It’s a lot like Colgate, a lot of ground and pound which I like to do.” He’s shuffled back and forth with the first and second team so far.

At left guard, a few guys have been in the mix. Cole Garcia, Adam Sheriff and Regan Riddle have all been seen some reps. That spot is TBD as well. Meanwhile, the shift to the offensive side of the ball is going well for Izeya Floyd. He’s already cracked the two-deep and is running with the second-team as a guard.

Kindling sparks

Explosive plays came at a premium for Rice football in 2019. The defense is still ahead, but there have been a few breaks in their aura of superiority. Several of the offense’s best moments came on singular plays.

  • Cam Montgomery broke two 50+ yard touchdowns, one on the ground and the other via a screen pass. He’s fast, and his acceleration is incredible. Fully healthy with a thinned out depth chart ahead of him, he could see more run if he continues to protect the football
  • Jawan King ripped off a 50-yard touchdown run of his own.
  • Jack Bradley hauled in a 40+ yard reception on a beautifully thrown ball by Wiley Green. He went up over the defender and snatched the ball with his hands. His development will be one to follow in a crowded tight end room.

Standouts on defense

There was some concern on the defensive line with Floyd moving to offense. The young guys on defense are doing just fine. Beyond the usual suspects on the first team, Kebreyun Page has been wreaking havoc off the edge.

The linebacking corps are going to be special. Blaze Alldredge and Antonio Montero are as good as advertised, but Myron Morrison is coming on strong as well. Garrett Grammer is as steady as ever, giving Rice football plenty of options in the middle of the field.

In the secondary, Kirk Lockhart and Jason White have caught my eye on multiple occasions. Lockhart plays tough and has delivered some jarring blows from the safety spot. White constantly outplays his smaller stature, making plays on the ball against receivers who have the height advantage over him. He’s a guy I could see sticking as a slot corner.

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Rice Football 2020: Spring Practice Day 1 Notes

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The first day of Rice football spring practice is in the books. It’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions, but the groundwork is being laid for the fall.

A full complement of players took the field on Monday for the first day of Rice football spring practice. The complete roster lists 79 players, more than enough to field two full units on both sides of the ball. Some positions will be deeper than others, but the Owls have reached enough bodies to make significant strides this spring.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren likes where the team is at entering the spring, particularly on defense. “I love where our defense is…” he said. “I love that coach [Brian] Smith has them in the mindset that nothing they did last year is going to make a single play for them this year. Everything’s got to be earned again. I can’t wait to see what they can build over there on that side [of the ball]”.

Bloomgren did make sure to mention that the Owls return 20 of 22 players on the defensive two-deep depth chart. That’s the best in the nation in terms of returning defensive production.

Quarterbacks

In a somewhat surprising move, there were no “OR” designations on the first Rice football depth chart of the spring. The quarterbacks, listed from top to bottom:

  1. JoVoni Johnson
  2. Mike Collins
  3. TJ McMahon
  4. Wiley Green
  5. Evan Marshman
  6. Parker Towns

A true No. 1 is far from being finalized, but the decision to put Johnson atop the pack was intentional. “He gained a lot of our trust,” Bloomgren said. “He earned the right, in my opinion, and coach [Jerry] Mack’s opinion, to be on top. So he’s taking those [first team] reps.”

After Johnson, Collins and McMahon have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the group. It would be surprising if one of those three isn’t named the opening day starter for the Owls in the fall. The value of having Mack in the quarterback room as well as having all three starting options on campus for the full duration of spring cannot be understated.

Offensive line

Bloomgren spent the majority of the first practice in the trenches with the offensive line. Injecting his extensive experience into that group will be crucial as the Owls look to reconfigure their front five on the fly.

Rice loses Brian Chaffin, Justin Gooseberry and Nick Leverett. The first reps of spring ball featured this revamped first team line:

LT – Clay Servin
LG – Adam Sheriff
C – Isaac Klarkowski
RG – Shea Baker
RT – Jovaun Woolford

Baker at the guard position probably says more about the uncertainty at that spot than it does about the center position. Klarkowski’s work last season in emergency duty had staying power. “I don’t know if we think of him as a walk-on anymore,” admitted Bloomgren, who showed no qualms about him starting the spring with the first team.

Rice has two full lines this spring as opposed to six or seven healthy bodies at the position at this time last year. The tackle spots seem more or less locked down, but the remaining options on the interior could position themselves for a bigger role in the fall with a good showing over the next few weeks.

Injuries

It seems like having 100 percent of the roster fully healthy at the same time is all but impossible. The Owls are relatively healthy, but these four players are expected to miss all of spring ball.

  • Robbie Blosser
  • Jake Bailey
  • Bennett Mecom
  • Trey Schuman

The absence of Jake Bailey is probably the most notable. Trey Schuman is in line to regain his starting role in the fall. He’s somewhat of a more known quantity. Bailey’s absence from the spring will make things a bit more complicated in a wide receiver room that’s starting to get a little more crowded.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking down the 2020 signees – Offense and Special Teams

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The 2020 Rice Football Recruiting class features a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball and a potential multi-year starter on special teams.

Quarterback (2) – Mike Collins (TCU), TJ McMahon (JUCO)

During Mike Bloomgren’s first season at Rice, Shawn Stankavage, Jackson Tyner, Evan Marshman, Parker Towns and Wiley Green took snaps at quarterback. 2019 was marginally better — Green, Tom Stewart and JoVoni Johnson were the primary options. The continuous theme in those jumbled lists is the inconsistency. Rice hasn’t had one singular guy they can count on at the most important position on the field.

Mike Collins is arguably the most high-profile addition this staff has brought in at the position. He won three state titles in four years in Connecticut and set the state record for touchdown passes. Then he bounced around from Penn to TCU. He’s a talented passer with FBS starting experience, something the Owls haven’t had in the past three classes. Most importantly, he’ll be here for the spring, giving him ample runway to learn the offense, a luxury neither Stankavage or Stewart were afforded.

Also an early enrollee, McMahon is less heralded, but an intriguing prospect nonetheless. He’s got a lot of raw talent and a clutch gene that’s been largely missing from the Rice quarterback room recently. Watch the first play of his junior highlights. Anyone can look good on one highlight-reel play, but the poise and playmaking ability McMahon shows are on another level.

Whether it’s one of those two, Green or Johnson who wins the job, Rice should have competent quarterback play next season. Bloomgren says he can rest happily, knowing that “for the first time since we’ve been here, whoever is going to be the starting quarterback is on campus in the spring.” If the defense maintains there stellar performance, that might be enough to flip some of those close losses to wins.

Running Back (2) – Kobie Campbell, Khalan Griffin

The running back room was arguably the deepest position group on offense last season, but they’ll have to replace Aston Walter, Nahshon Ellerbe and Charlie Booker next season. The 2020 Rice football recruiting class needed at least one potential producer. They got two.

Kobie Campbell is a guy who is deceptively powerful for his 5-foot-7 stature. He runs with a vengeance, but it’s his burst that should interest Owls the most. His ability to kick it into high gear at a moment’s notice is impressive. He has the ability to make one cut, hit the hole and pick up yards in bunches. He’s a swiss army knife who can do it all.

More: Breaking down the Rice Football recruiting 2020 defensive signees (UPDATED)

The other addition at the position didn’t play running back in high school. Khalan Griffin was a dual-threat quarterback who frequently made video game-esque runs seem easy. An injury cost him the latter portion of his senior season, but the Owls’ interest never wavered. Once he’s back to full health he’s going to be a difference-maker at the next level, one that offensive coordinator Jerry Mack went out of his way to identify as a player who “will find himself on the field sooner rather than later.”

This is a spot where Rice would probably consider adding a transfer, provided they find the right one.

Wide Receiver (1) – Andrew Mason

The immediate future at wide receiver seems particularly strong, but the depth is a bit lacking. Austin Trammell and Brad Rozner will be the 1A and 1B in this offense next season. Who else emerges from the rest of the pack remains to be seen. We saw a nice cameo from Zane Knipe at the tail end of the 2019 season as well as scattered plays here and there from Jake Bailey and August Pitre.

Andrew Mason has as good of a chance to see meaningful playing time quickly as any of the non-Trammell/Rozer options currently on the roster. The 5-foot-10 wideout is a dominant playmaker who can make people miss in space and haul in stunning catches when the ball gets to his general vicinity.

How dominant is Mason? In a game against eventual 10-2 Arkansas state champion Pulaski Academy this season, Mason went off for eight touchdowns, tying a Tennessee state record that had stood since 1994. Slowed with a cast on his left hand, Mason wasn’t originally supposed to play in the game at all, let alone be the key cog in a massive win.

After a few touchdowns, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Ravenwood was going to throw the ball to Mason. The opposing defense knew exactly where the ball was going. They just couldn’t stop it. Mason can win over the top, across the middle and everywhere in between. He’s a potential game-breaker and a star in the making of an impressive 2020 Rice Football recruiting class.

Tight End (1) – Nate Kamper

Not all tight ends are created equal. The Owls know that better than most. Although you’ll only see one position listed, there are a few different specialized roles that are best suited for different kinds of players.

Rice relied on three tight ends to play the bulk of the snaps last season — Jordan Myers, Jaeger Bull and Jack Bradley. All three of them profile more so as blocking tight ends than downfield threats, combining for 38 receptions total in the past two seasons. They can catch ball, but that’s not their primary function while in the game.

Kamper falls into the latter category of tight end. He’s the kind of player you can line up in the slot or inline and ask to go downfield. His tall (6-foot-6), 200-pound frame makes him a potential problem down the seam, an area where he excelled in high school. Robert French and Jonathan Sanchez were two players penciled into this role for the 2019 season. Neither seized the job.

Kamper has the ability, he’ll just need some time in the weight room.  He’s a raw talent, with a lot more football to learn. But he has all the traits to be a game-changer for the Owls in the middle of the field. Bloomgren said “he’s just scratched the surface of where he’ll be as a football player.”

Offensive Line (5) – Mike Leone, Braedon Nutter, Trey Phillippi, Adam Sheriff (JUCO), Jovaun Woolford (Colgate)

Most every Rice football recruiting class is going to include a heavy dose of offensive lineman. The Owls brought in three transfers at the position last season, all of which started when healthy. They’ll have to fill all three gaps this time around, making the additions of experienced players like Jovaun Woolford and Adam Sheriff big pickups for this group.

In an ideal world, true freshmen won’t crack the starting lineup for a program like Rice which will remain committed to keeping the cupboards stocked at that position. Rice would prefer to do what they did this season where they were able to play and redshirt members of the 2019 class like Isaac Klarkowski, Hunter Jones and Regan Riddle. That’s most likely the role many of these guys will fill next year.

Mike Leone and Trey Phillippi are the names to keep an eye on among the high school additions. Beyond their prototypical frames, they fill a need at the tackle spot. Amplified by the potential departure of Uzoma Osuji and the exit of grad transfer Justin Gooseberry, Rice needed this duo. The Owls didn’t bring in a true tackle in their last class, instead adding several high-caliber interior players who could be in the mix this season. Which brings us back to these tackles.

More: The Roost Podcast – 2019 Rice Football end of season awards

Bloomgren said Leone, who had Power 5 offers from ACC and Big 12 schools, “has all the tools to be a big-time offensive tackle in our conference. Standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 270 pounds, how quickly he assimilates into the offense in the fall will be an intriguing storyline to watch. He’s a guy who could be the potential heir to the left tackle spot following Clay Servin.

Phillippi is similar. His reach and ability to bend set him apart as an elite athlete with his hulking frame. These are top-end players. With grooming, these two could be bookends on the Rice line for years to come. Both will see the field in at least a redshirt capacity this season.

Kicker (1) – Collin Riccitelli (Stanford)

Chris Barnes is out of eligibility and heir apparent Zach Hoban is in the Transfer Portal. That left an opening at the place kicking spot which Rice will fill with Stanford transfer Collin Riccitelli. Although the math works out well enough, Rice had actually zeroed in on Riccitelli much sooner. Rice began their due diligence as soon as he entered the portal last fall.

Riccitelli was a career backup at Stanford, but the coaching staff is confident he’ll have a successful career at Rice. He didn’t ride the bench for lack of ability, rather he sat behind Jet Toner, the all-time leading scorer in Stanford history and a back-to-back All-Pac12 selection. Special Teams coordinator Drew Svoboda gave a nod to former Ohio State transfer turned LSU superstar Joe Burrow. Nobody is promising Heisman Trophies, but the expectations for Riccitelli are reasonably high.

The staff believes they’ll be able to secure a medical hardship waiver for an earlier season in Riccitelli’s career. That would give him two years to play two seasons at Rice.

Last update: Feb. 5, 2020
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Rice Football Recruiting: 5 Takeaways from 2020 Early Signing Period

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The Owls signed their first members of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class this week, setting the stage for an exciting future at South Main.

1. The 2020 Rice Football recruiting class could be the best ever

Recruiting rankings are inherently subjective. If NFL front offices can’t nail their draft classes with several years of college tape, it’s understandable for high school projections to be equally askew. While the projectability of individual players varies, the aggregate measures do a pretty good job of demarcating classes. For example, the top four 2020 classes entering the early signing period? Clemson. Alabama. LSU. Ohio State.

Rice Football RecruitingWhen the early signing period began, Rice had the No. 4 recruiting class in Conference USA before being bumped down to No. 5 by the  afternoon. Since recruiting rankings were first compiled in the early 2000s, the program has only one Top 4 class (2007). The average Rice class has checked in about eighth, and that includes times when Conference USA only had 12 teams.

Mike Bloomgren’s first class was the No. 12 class in C-USA. Last year’s class was No. 11. Assuming Rice picks up a few additional pieces between now and National Signing Day in February, the Owls will be in the range of their best class in school history. That won’t spot the Owls any points in their games, but the more talent you have on the field, the better your record tends to be.

2. Rice can win big battles

Rice flipped offensive lineman Mike Leone from Yale this week, but winning battles against the Ivy League isn’t the only area of growth for this staff. On Wednesday, the signed members of the 2020 Rice Football Recruiting class held offers from some of the following schools:

  • LSU
  • Colorado
  • NC State
  • Syracuse
  • Maryland
  • Pittsburgh
  • Boston College
  • Kansas State
  • Kansas
  • Houston
  • SMU
  • Tulsa

The Owls beat out established Power 5 teams and some of the best Group of 5 programs in the country. They went head to head with programs across the nation with established recruiting strategies and won enough battles to field an impressive class. Rice might not sign a slew of 5-stars any time soon, but the Owls have proven they can get the playmakers to campus.

3. Rice doubled down on the two biggest positions of need

The defense remains mostly intact entering 2020, putting an added focus on the offense for this recruiting cycle with quarterback and offensive line the two positions under the most scrutiny. It’s no secret Rice has had a revolving door at the quarterback spot for each of the past two seasons.

Signing two signal callers in the same class is unconventional, but it’s a step Bloomgren and the staff believed they needed to take. “Durability is a big part of playing that position,” Bloomgren said, stressing the injury problems of the Rice starters and the value of having depth in the room.

To achieve that goal, Rice signed former TCU quarterback Mike Collins and Cerritos JUCO quarterback TJ McMahon, both of which will enroll early in time for the spring. One of those two, or incumbents JoVoni Johnson and Wiley Green will win the starting job next season, and possibly beyond. At this point, it’s hard to say there’s an obvious frontrunner, but the depth from No. 1 to No. 4 is unequivocally the strongest it has been since Bloomgren and his staff arrived. The players are there. The challenge now is to find “the guy” and stick with him.

Losing three grad transfers on the offensive line made finding ready-to-play talent in the trenches imperative. Rice fulfilled that need with four new additions, two high school signees (Mike Leone and Trey Phillippi) and two transfers (Jovaun Woolford and Adam Sheriff).

Woolford should step in and start immediately. Sheriff is another guy who will likely have an inside track. Both will enroll in January and be on campus for the spring. Those two, alongside younger players already on campus like Isaac Klarkowski, Cole Garcia, Regan Riddle and Derek Ferraro, should make up for a strong front five, however the coaching staff chooses to deploy them.

4. The national recruiting strategy works

The 2020 Rice football recruiting class includes players from sea to sea. The Owls went and nabbed Mike Leone, who projects as a multi-year starting tackle from the East Coast. On the same day, they signed Cerritos JUCO quarterback TJ McMahon from California. Altogether, Rice signed players from Texas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

If there’s a player with that can help Rice win, they’re going to find them. In the past few seasons, Rice has signed players from 7-man programs, small schools with barely more than enough players to field all 22 positions and national powerhouse programs. There is no place off limits and that’s made for some of the most impressive additions the Owls have seen in several years.

5. There’s room for more

Rice signed 17 players on Wednesday. Don’t expect the Owls to slow down. This class still has room for several new additions before National Signing Day in February. There will be a handful of more high school signees over the next several weeks. The Transfer Portal should provide plenty of candidates as well.

Last year they loaded up with several grad transfers in the latter portion of the recruiting calendar. Offensive lineman Brian Chaffin and fullback Reagan Williams were added after the early signing period was complete. So were former quarterback Tom Stewart and running back Charlie Booker from Harvard and Justin Gooseberry from Ouachita Baptist. All five of those players either started or played significant minutes for Rice in their only seasons on campus.

More: The Roost Podcast – 2019 Rice Football end of season awards

Rice signed 10 transfers during their 2019 class. They have four transfers in the fold already and at least a half dozen more spots to fill. Expect the Owls to find a few more impact players to bolster a class already teeming with talent. Bloomgren alluded to there being some potential impact additions who could become Owls over the course of the next month.

TLDR: the fireworks aren’t done yet. There’s more to come from the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class.

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