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2024 Rice Football Recruiting Class pickup up steam before NSD

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As National Signing Day nears, the 2024 Rice Football Recruiting class (and the 2025 class) keeps getting better and better. Here’s the latest.

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Big moves since the Early Signing Period

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Rice Football Recruiting: DB Lavonte Johnson commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class picked up a massive late cycle get, adding DB Lavonte Johnson, the highest-rated commit in program history.

One of the higher-rated unsigned players following the early signing period, North Shore defensive back Lavonte Johnson has his fair share of opportunities to play at the next level. With time ticking down before National Signing Day, Johnson has made his decision and become the latest member of the 2024 Rice Football Recruiting class.

Johnson picks Rice after receiving offers from a host of notable programs including Ole Miss, Houston, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and SMU. He was also offered by fellow AAC programs Tulane, North Texas and UTSA.

Recruiting services agreed with his lengthy offer list, grading him out as a high three-star prospect. As things currently stand, Johnson would become the highest-rated signee in program history when he puts pen to paper in February. That distinction currently belongs to Jeremy Eddington (2010). Gabe Taylor (2020) is the highest-rated signee under head coach Mike Bloomgren so far, third all-time.

Johnson played his senior season at North Shore High School, the longtime home of current Rice linebackers coach Jon Kay, however, he spent his first three seasons at CE King High School and wouldn’t have played for Kay. This isn’t merely Kay landing a former player of his, this is Rice continuing to elevate their talent level with an impressive recruiting win.

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The tape matches the ratings. Johnson is quick out of his breaks and arrives ready to deliver a heavy blow. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds he has the size to match up with just about any pass catcher. It remains to be seen where he’ll land in the Owls’ defensive scheme which emphasizes versatility, but his natural athleticism and abilities to cover one-on-one downfield will suit him wherever he lines up

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Rice Football Recruiting: JUCO LB Blaise Tita commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class picked up another transfer this week. JUCO linebacker Blaise Tita has committed to the Owls.

The first junior college transfer in the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class is officially in the fold. A local product who played his high school ball just down the road at Alief Taylor High School, Killgore Junior College linebacker Blaise Tita has committed to the Owls.

Tita spent the 2022 season with Lamar, initially playing sparingly before finishing the season with 19 tackles in his final three games. From there he transferred to the JUCO level, looking for a bounce back. When he reentered the portal this offseason he had received offers North Alabama, Southeastern, Mississippi Valley State and Abilene Christian. Then Rice swooped in and sealed the deal.

“It’s truly a blessing,” Tita told The Roost. “I can’t wait to make the most of it.”

Tita is the first commitment since the early signing period when Rice formally announced 13 additions to their program. He’s the second linebacker in the class and should pair well with incoming freshman Kaleb Blanton. Tita has at least two seasons of eligibility remaining, with the potential for a third.

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Tita is always ready to deliver a big hit. A quick look at his play from his stint at Lamar makes that abundantly clear. And unlike a perfectly cut up highschool highlight reel, Tita’s season’s worth of action at Lamar lays his play out in the open. He’s aggressive and instinctive and appears to have some range. Rice football definitely knows what it wants from an outside linebacker at this point. Tita fits the bill.

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Rice Athletics: Top 10 Moments from 2023

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2023 was filled with highs and lows for Rice Athletics. The Roost picked out 10 moments that stood out the most along the way.

10. Rice women’s basketball beats BYU in WNIT

Getting back to the postseason was something near the top of the priority list for head coach Lindsay Edmonds and Rice women’s basketball. Not only did the Owls achieve that, qualifying for the NIT, but they were able to go on the road and get a win over a very good BYU team.

9. Forbes named Top 30 NCAA Women of the Year Award

Forbes was on pace to be one of the most decorated women’s track athletes ever to run for Rice before sickness abruptly ended her collegiate career. An excellent student an ambassador for the university, seeing Forbes continue to receive honors well after her athletic career had come to an end was extraordinary and much deserved.

8. Rice football inks another historic signing class

For the fourth time in the past five years Rice football head coach Mike Blomgren signed the No. 1 recruiting class in program history. Despite only adding 13 players in this cycle, the Owls made sure their limited scholarship slots were well utilized, bringing in a Texas-centric crop of high school athletes with five impactful transfers.

7. Field Athlete of the Year, times two

One of the final Conference USA honors before Rice made the move to the AAC, the Owls claimed not one, but two Field Athlete of the Year awards. Alexander Slinkman took home the men’s honor for his prowess in the pole vault. Tara Simpson-Sullivan took care of the women’s side of things, dominating the weight and hammer throw events.

6. Rice baseball has three players drafted

Justin Long (7th Round), Hayden Durke (13th) and Matthew Linskey (16th) heard their names called in the 2023 MLB Draft. While the Owls work to return to their winning history at Reckling Park, it’s encouraging to see the pro pipeline continue to produce results.

5. Rice basketball upsets North Texas in Denton

North Texas and Grant McCasland had been the standard in Conference USA for years and Rice basketball hadn’t faired well against the Mean Green, losing 10 of the last 11 by an average of 25 points. To win, and to win by double-digits on the road, was one of the most significant victories of head coach Scott Pera’s tenure.

4. Rice Volleyball beats USC

There have been a lot of high points for Rice volleyball under head coach Genny Volpe, but few individual matches were as impressive as a win over No. 22 USC in straight sets. It was the first sweep of ranked team for Rice since 2009 and the fans in Tudor Fieldhouse had the arena rocking the whole way.

2. Rice football goes bowling once again

Although the results of the SERVPRO First Responders Bowl left much to be desired, reaching back-to-back bowl games is a feat that has only happened on two other occasions in program history. The next step will be finding a way to win and seeing if the Owls can improve their win total once again — but those are questions for 2024.

2. Tommy McClelland named Athletic Director

Following the departure of Joe Karlgaard for the private sector, Rice president Reginald Desroches named Tommy McClelland the Owls’ newest Athletic Director. McClelland has already bolstered the athletic staff and discussed potential renovation projections at Rice Stadium. Having someone with his track record to guide Rice into the AAC will be crucial for all the Owls’ programs.

1. Rice football upsets Houston, wins Bayou Bucket

For the first time since 2010, Rice football won the Bayou Bucket, defeating rival Houston in overtime. The win would eventually become crucial for the Owls’ bowl eligibility hopes and serve as the only Power 5 win by any American Conference team in the regular season. This singular victory will go down as one of the most impactful wins for Rice football in quite some time.

Honorable Mentions…

How about you? Which of these moments from Rice Athletics did you enjoy the most? Cutting this down to 10 was challenging. Which Rice Athletics events should be added to the list?

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Rice Football Recruiting: Penn State P Alex Bacchetta commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class landed a big special teams piece. Penn State punter and kicker Alex Bacchetta has committed to the Owls.

The Early Signing Period arrived with a bang for the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class in addition to eight high school additions, the Owls also received a boost from the Transfer Portal at multiple spots. One such boost comes in the special teams department where Penn State punter Alex Bacchetta has committed to the Owls.

Bacchetta was the No. 1 rated punter in the nation when he committed to Penn State out of high school. Baccetta saw in action in two games in 2022 as a true freshman and did not play in all in 2023. In search of an opportunity to contribute on the field, Bacchetta entered the portal and Rice scooped him up.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren noted during media availability on Wednesday that Bacchetta brought more to the table than just his punting ability. The Atlanta, Georgia native is also a field goal specialist and can kick off as well thanks to a very strong leg.

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Rice could use reinforcements at every specialist role after a frustrating 2022 season on that front. Bacchetta will immediately be inserted into the competition at those positions this spring and will offer special teams coordinator Pete Alamar at least one more option to improve the production of those units come next season.

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