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Rice Football Practice Notes 2020: What to look for after the off weeks

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Rice football has suffered back-to-back postponements. The bulk of the schemes will be the same, but improvements have been made over the last two weeks.

A lot can change in three weeks. That was true of Rice football from the start to end of fall camp. Players came in and out of the lineup, adjustments were made. This time Rice has the added benefit of live reps as a baseline.

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To be clear, I don’t expect seismic change when Rice takes the field next (hopefully on Saturday against North Texas). But there have been a few things over the last few weeks of practice that should look different, most of them for the better.

A breakout from the trenches

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Rice Football Film Room 2020: Southern Miss Review, UTSA Preview

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Rice quarterback Mike Collins might be the real deal, but so is UTSA running back Spencer McCormick. We look at both guys in this week’s Rice Football film room.

So that was fun! I, for one, would enjoy it if Rice won by 24+ points every game. For this week’s Rice Football Film Room, we’ll look at one of my favorite plays from the offense this week (somehow from a drive that resulted in no points for the Owls, oddly enough), and then get a quick look at Sincere McCormick and the UTSA offense. 

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(I’d have loved to do a defensive play from Southern Miss, but it was pretty slim pickings in terms of readily-available-online highlights from the defensive side. Check this week’s edition of The Roost Podcast for mine and Matt’s thoughts on the defense.)

This play showcases what we hoped all offseason, which has been validated in the first two games for the Owls: Mike Collins is a serious talent, y’all.

Mike Collins: The Real Deal

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Rice Football 2020: Post Southern Miss presser and practice notes

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There’s a lot going on in the world of Rice football. Here’s a rundown of the weekly press conference and an update from practice headed into the UTSA game.

The season is back in full swing and we’ve got a full slate of Rice football updates on deck for everyone this week. I’ll include a few snippets from today’s press conference here as well as updates from practice on Monday. The players were off on Tuesday for the Election.

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Press conference notes and quotes

Head coach Mike Bloomgren did note a few players of the week following the victory:

  • Defensive Player of the Game – Chike Anigbogu
  • Offensive Player of the Game – Austin Trammell
  • Special Teams Player of the Game – Charlie Mendes
  • Offense Scout Team Player of the Week – Caleb James
  • Defense Scout Team Player of the Week – TJ McMahon
  • Special Teams Player of the Week – Terreance Ellis

“Anytime you are giving up big plays the way we did in the first game, that’s never a good thing. I think we talked a lot about eliminating the big plays, keeping it in front of us, and I think the guys got the message and we played a lot better in those critical situations at the end of the half and on third down.” – Brian Smith on the what the defense did differently from game one to game two

It felt good to get a win, it really did. It felt great to get a win on Saturday. An incredible effort from start to finish from our guys. I think, really the opening kickoff all the way through the fourth quarter you saw a lot of strain, a lot of physicality. And I can’t say enough about how proud I am of that team for continuing to work the way they did.” – Bloomgren on the Owls’ first win of 2020

“Mike [Collins] is the biggest change. It’s the best play we’ve had out of a quarterback in our time here… Mike is changing the game for our football team. He’s giving everybody a chance to showcase their talent. And it sure doesn’t hurt that the offensive line and the blocking unit is giving him time as well. Everything’s working together, but if I were to identify one change, so far, it would be Mike Collins.” – Bloomgren on the biggest change in the offense from last year to this year

“Two games in, we’re in a good spot… I just don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves I think we’ve got so much we can improve on right now. Yes, we’re better, but that was a pretty low bar. I want to see how good this offense can perform.” – Bloomgren on how the offense meets his expectations

Practice updates and Southern Miss takeaways

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: UTSA Roadrunners

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Fresh off their first win, Rice football returns to Houston in Week 10 to face UTSA. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football bounced back (bad pun intended) from a rough loss to Middle Tennessee with an emphatic win over Southern Miss on the road. The victory marked the first over Southern Miss in Hattiesburg since 2014 and put the Owls back into the think of the C-USA West standings.

UTSA had a less-than-stellar week, falling to FAU on the road and failing to get into the endzone. After winning their first three, the Roadrunners have dropped four of their last five contests.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 2:30 PM CT
Venu | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTSA on Episode 59 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

A Rice win would push the Owls’ record to 2-1 and tie them for UAB for the top spot in the West, keeping them at least one game in front of Louisiana Tech in the loss column. After a long wait to start the season and a heartbreaking opening loss, Rice could control their own destiny once again.

UTSA is on the verge of losing all the momentum they had from their fast start, making a win over a surging Rice squad imperative for the Roadrunners. A win would be the first C-USA road victory for new head coach Jeff Traylor.

Series History

All Time | UTSA leads 5-3
Last Five | UTSA leads 5-0
Last Meeting | Away 2019, UTSA won 31-27

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 | Bailey – 5 receptions, 67 yards (13.4 yards per reception), 1 TD
Tackles | Alldredge – 21, Montero – 17, Garcia – 13
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Devones – 1 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

UTSA Stat Notables

Passing | Harris – 93/160 (58.1), 895 yards passing, 4 TD, 4 INT
Rushing | McCormick – 171 carries, 921 yards (5.4 yards per carry), 7 TD
Receiving | Cephus – 40 receptions, 386 yards (9.6 yards per reception), 3 TD | Franklin – 32 receptions, 390 yards (12.2 yards per reception), 4 TD
Tackles | Wisdom – 63, Ligan – 52, Harmanson – 49
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Mayfield – 6 PBU / Wisdom – 2 INT

UTSA X-Factor | Keep Rice honest

Rice knows UTSA is going to attempt to pound the rock with Sincere McCormick, and winning on the ground would be huge for the Roadrunners’ chances, but connecting on explosive plays through the air could be the determining factor.

Frank Harris might not be an elite downfield passer, but Rice has allowed chunk plays through the air in each of their first two games. His ability to find pockets in the secondary will keep Rice from loading the box to stop McCormick. No passing threat, no reason to leave themselves vulnerable to the most explosive player on the UTSA offense.

UTSA is going to need to hit some deep shots. If they don’t, it’s going to be hard to keep the offense on the field and score with any level of consistency.

Rice X-Factor | Stop Sincere

UTSA is 3-1 when running back Sincere McCormick scores a touchdown this season. They’re 2-0 when he rushes for more than 150 yards, a feat he’s achieved twice. When he touches the football at least 23 times, UTSA is a perfect 3-0.

It really is that simple. If Rice can limit McCormick, they shut down the UTSA offense. Rice has been stingy on the ground through its first two games.

Middle Tennessee running back Chaton Mobley averaged 2.4 yards per carry and dual-threat quarterback Asher Ohara averaged 3.1, reaching 71 rushing yards including overtime. Southern Miss’ lead back Frank Gore Jr. had 71 yards on 11 carries, but was kept in check by the lopsided score and held in check for most of the game.

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 has more rushing yards?
    Rice / UTSA (or tie)
  2. What will be the combined point total?
    Over 49.5 / Under 49.5
  3. Will Rice commit more than four accepted penalties?
    Yes / No
  4. Will either team score on defense or special teams?
    Yes / No
  5. Who leads at halftime?
    Rice / UTSA
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UTSA

One Final Thing

The narrative of a single season doesn’t often hang on a single game, but the Owls’ shortened 2020 campaign feels like it’s hit the highs and the lows of the emotional roller coaster through two weeks. Is the team as good as they looked against Southern Miss or are the issues showcased in the loss to Middle Tennessee too much to overcome with consistency? Another game will give us some answers.

It’s going to be hard not to react to either extreme. A win would put Rice (at least mathematically) tied atop the C-USA West standings with one fewer loss than Louisiana Tech, should the Bulldogs win. A loss would put Rice closer to the bottom half of the division in a home game where they’ll most likely be favorites to win.

Either way, the repercussions from this game in what is currently a six-game season, will carry weight. The Owls control their own destiny. All they have to do now is execute.

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All treats, no tricks: Rice Football crushes Southern Miss on Halloween

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Rice Football put together a complete team performance as the Owls took down Southern Miss on the road for their first win of the 2020 season.

There was plenty of frustration following Rice football’s season-opening loss to Middle Tennessee. The Owls did so many things well, but mental lapses and killer turnovers ended in a heartbreaking defeat.

The Owls took out all of that angst against Southern Miss. From the opening kickoff, Rice dominated Southern Miss. The atmosphere of The Rock turned quiet quickly as Rice found success on offense and defense, scoring points and forcing turnovers in what looked to be one of the most complete team performances of the Mike Bloomgren era.

The win moves Rice to 1-1 on the season, staying a perfect 1-0 against teams from the C-USA West. Here are a few immediate thoughts with an exciting nugget for our subscribers on the end.

Defense starts start strong

You couldn’t have asked for a much better start on defense than Rice got on Saturday, especially considering the circumstances. Neither Kirk Lockhart or Treshawn Chamberlain made the trip to Hattiesburg, further depleting a secondary already running low on bodies.

Southern Miss didn’t waste any time, going straight at the Rice secondary early in the game. It was true freshman Gabe Taylor with a fourth down breakup to stop the Golden Eagles’ first drive. On the second drive, Miles McCord picked off Southern Miss quarterback Jack Abraham, his first career interception.

The defense gave up yards, 85 total on the first two Southern Miss drives, but no points. That’s a recipe for success, especially with so many important pieces absent.

The third Southern Miss drive went three and out as the clock ran out to end the first quarter. Rice has now held their last 11 opponents scoreless on their first possession of the game and has not allowed a point in the first quarter this season.

Seem good? Here’s the first half drive chart for the Southern Miss offense: Downs, Interception, 3-and-Out, Fumble, Field Goal, Fumble, 3-and-Out, Field Goal.

Offensive explosion

It was fairly evident things were off to a good start when Rice ripped off first downs on four consecutive plays on the way to a 14-play scoring drive in the first quarter. The Collin Riccitelli field goal marked the fifth consecutive game in which Rice had scored first, but settling for three points after first and goal from the five was disappointing.

From that point onward, Rice didn’t squander many possessions. Mike Collins hit Austin Trammell for a 72-yard touchdown on the following possession.

The very next play, Collins found Jake Bailey for a 25-yard touchdown reception.

Rice averaged 17.9 points per game last season. Despite the loss of so many receivers, the addition of Collins and strong play from the offensive line have elevated this offense to heights previously unknown in the Bloomgren era. Rice has scored 64 points in their first two games. For reference, it took the Owls five games to reach that point threshold in 2019.

Takeaways help

Both the defense and the offense had fantastic outings against Southern Miss, but those strong days were amplified by takeaways. After losing the turnover battle 3-1 against Middle Tennessee, Rice had three takeaways on Saturday to one for Southern Miss. Better still, Rice scored 17 points on possessions immediately following a Southern Miss turnover.

The Owls’ lone misstep came at the end of the second quarter. The Rice punt coverage unit bumped into return man Jordan Myers, causing a fumble. The mistake cost Rice three points before half, not nearly as damaging as it could have been.

Turnovers amplify production. If the Rice offense wasn’t clicking, they wouldn’t have proven as impactful as they ended up becoming. Combing those turnovers with a dangerous offensive attack proved too much for Southern Miss to handle.

All gas no breaks

The lack of aggressiveness in overtime last week against Middle Tennessee proved costly when Riccitelli’s kick sailed just a few inches too close to the post. There wasn’t an ounce of passivity in the gameplan the Owls’ employed on Saturday. Rice had their foot on the gas from the first possession and never waived.

The team was playing so well that Bloomgren elected to call timeouts to give the team another chance at points in the final minute before halftime. The move would backfire when the Owls’ fumbled on what looked to be a mistake from the coverage unit, but the message was clear: we’re not slowing down.

You saw that aggressiveness repeatedly. Following a special teams fumble from Southern Miss, Collins immediately went to the endzone and found Jake Bailey for a touchdown. Rice rolled the dice on fourth down early in the second half, failing to convert, but showing the intent to go for the jugular and put the game out of reach.

There were execution problems, but no one can accuse this team of playing it too conservative or too safe. And the results, well, Rice picked up its first win in Hattiesburg since 2014 and move to 1-1 on the season.

Digging deeper

Every week we’ll have a stat, storyline or key learning from the game reserved for our subscribers.

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