The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football: Spring Practice Takeaways – March Q&A

By

A month into Rice Football spring practices, some clarity is emerging. This Q&A focuses on what we’ve learned about the Owls on the gridiron so far.

More than half of spring practices are in the books, and a better picture of what Rice football will look like under head coach Scott Abell is beginning to form. This month’s Q&A focuses on some of those takeaways, ranging from the team’s propensity to avoid huddling and the quarterback race to what’s going on with the kicking game.

Questions were edited briefly for clarity. Want to get your questions answered? Subscribe on Patreon for our monthly mailbag.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Q: On the new offense: Will the team huddle? Will the linemen line up in a 2-point stance?

Subscriber content. Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
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?
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football New Offense Musings: February 2025 Q&A

By

Spring practice is looming and questions abound as to what Rice football will look like once new head coach Scott Abell installs his offense.

Much speculation has been made as to what new Rice football head coach Scott Abell is bringing with him to South Main. For those who haven’t lived and breathed option football, this new venture is going to take some time to fully comprehend. This month’s Q&A addresses the offense, the line and what might be next for the Owls as they work to implement the scheme this spring.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Q: With the new Coach Abell, will his offense use the Triple option similar to the Navy, Army, and Air Force offenses? Or will he use a version far more sophisticated?

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

Recent Posts

2025 Rice Football Roster Analysis: January 2025 Q&A

By

The Transfer Portal has closed and the 2025 Rice Football spring roster is set. Are there any gaps? Which positions need reinforcements before the fall?

New Rice football head coach Scott Abell has wrapped up a whirlwind first few weeks on the job, finalizing his staff and his initial roster before spring practices get underway in the coming weeks. Before the team gets onto the field, though, how did he and his staff do on the first pass of the roster? This month’s Q&A addresses that current state and digs into which positions made the biggest strides and a few areas potentially in need of more reinforcements.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

First, the Fine Print

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Position Battles to Watch in Fall Camp: July 2024 Q&A

By

Rice Football reports for fall camp this week. With the season approaching in earnest, this month’s Q&A focuses on what we’re watching for in camp.

After what felt like forever, Rice football is back on the grass this week. There are a lot of returning pieces, but not every section of the two deep is written in stone, far from it. This month’s Q&A focuses on some of those less certain areas and highlights which position groups will receive the most scrutiny over the next few weeks.

Questions were edited briefly for clarity. Want to get your questions answered? Subscribe on Patreon for our monthly mailbag.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Subscriber content. Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.

Q: Is it too early to talk about fall camp? Obviously wide receiver is up in the air without Luke [McCaffrey], but what other positions are you most interested in?

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?


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

Recent Posts

Grab Bag: What’s going on around Rice Athletics? May 2024 Q&A

By

Rather than drill down on one topic, subscribers had a variety of questions this month touching all areas of Rice Athletics. We hit on them all.

A lot is going on around Rice Athletics right as the academic year winds down. This mailbag touches on a host of topics ranging from the state of college sports, possible Rice Athletics sports additions, existing sports and more.

Want to get your questions answered? Subscribe on Patreon for our monthly mailbag.

This article has been temporarily unlocked.

Q: What’s happening with upgrading Rice Stadium?

A: Finding a solution for the current stadium situation was one of the first things athletic director Tommy McClelland mentioned when he was hired and while proposed solutions haven’t been communicated yet… hang tight. The wheels are turning and progress is being made on that front. When the time comes to share those next steps, I think most Rice fans will be excited about the direction the administration wants to head with the stadium.

Q: Any chance for men’s soccer?

A: In short, probably not. Rice had now added two women’s programs, diving and golf, but both of those were logistical slam dunks. Now that the Owls are adding the sport, every D1 program in the state has women’s golf and bolstering the swimming program with diving was an obvious next step. When it comes to a brand new program with a larger scholarship base, I’d look towards the possibility of another women’s program, but a decision like that probably isn’t imminent.

Q: What’s going on with women’s soccer? The last two years have been disappointing. Is Brian Lee the right guy for the job?

A: Lee made noise when he arrived on campus and took Rice soccer to the Sweet 16, a first in program history. They were undefeated in conference play in 2022 before the aforementioned rough 2023 campaign in which they went 3-13-2. McClelland has demonstrated he’s not averse to making a change if needed, but I’d find it hard to believe there was imminent pressure on Lee or the program given what they’ve accomplished so far.

As far as recent news, Rice has the No. 32 recruiting class in the country coming to campus. Those reinforcements should be a huge boost to the program.

Q: Where does Rice fit in the future of college sports?

A: Rice obviously doesn’t have the resources of some of the biggest national brands that are making headlines. And while that’s true, it’s equally apparent Rice is committing itself to being competitive in collegiate sports for the long haul. What that will look like in two years, five years, ten years? Nobody can be certain.

The most recent NCAA House case settlement has cast further uncertainty around what that future world will include, but it won’t spell the end of college sports, far from it. Things are going to look different. Athletes are going to get compensated in ways that were unfathomable even a few years ago. But college sports aren’t going anywhere and Rice will continue to participate.

Consider this an educated guess. Rice Athletics will strive to maintain its spot in the highest level of competition available to them and will spend commensurate amounts alongside its peers to compete for championships. I don’t envision a scenario where the Owls voluntarily “give up” on that aspiration because conditions become too challenging or vary too far from the traditional model of collegiate athletics that existed in the pre-NIL world.



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

Recent Posts