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Rice Football 2020 Practice Notes, Presser Quotes and UTEP prep

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Rice football is eager to get back on the field this weekend and face UTEP. Here are the latest practice notes and press conference quotes.

It was tough sledding for Rice football in Denton, falling to 1-2 on the season with the disappointing road loss. The team returns home to Rice Stadium this week to face UTEP, which enters the game 3-4 with a chance to return to .500 by the end of November. The Owls would like to prevent them from getting there a climb back to .500 themselves.

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The team had some thoughts to share on last week. We’ve selected a few quotes from the Owls’ midweek press conference. Then we’ve got a few more updates on what’s in store for the Owls in the coming days and weeks.

Press Conference Quotes

“They played a very, very physical brand of football. They imposed their will on us in all areas. We had a couple of turnovers that were really, really costly and absolutely affected the outcome of the game, and we’ve got to play better. I don’t think it’s that we got to play harder, we’ve got to play better. We’ve got to play more disciplined. And we got to be better with our techniques.” – Mike Bloomgren on the North Texas game

“Obviously we started really fast, just like we wanted to — we were firing on all cylinders. We had multiple turnovers, which obviously that’s never good, we’ll never win like that so that’s obviously the things we need to clean up the most. We got to keep the ball off the turf. And then we got to hit our shots when we take them. And we did a pretty good job at it but we have to keep working, keep finding that connection, keep getting that rhythm and we will get those will go our way.” – WR Jake Bailey on the offensive performance vs North Texas

“We’ve done a pretty good job stopping the run, especially getting off blocks and making plays, just creating negative plays because those are game-changers. I feel like we’re doing a pretty good job, and we can definitely improve on that. I feel like if we continue to practice hard and come to work every day we’ll continue to get better.” – DL De’Braylon Carroll on the defensive performance this season 

Depth Chart Notes

Here’s an updated depth chart from Rice football heading into the UTEP game.

Running back Juma Otoviano was expected to be back this weekend, but his name is absent from the depth chart this week. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him go through pre-game warmups and have his status evaluated again at that point. Ikenna Enechukwu and Trey Schuman have flip-flopped at the defensive end spot, but the OR designation remains. We’ll most likely see both of them.

Looking ahead

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Rice Football Film Room 2020: North Texas Review, UTEP Preview

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What went wrong for Rice football against North Texas and how do the Owls fix it before they play UTEP? Find out in this week’s film room.

Well, that was no fun. Matt and I talked about it on The Roost Podcast this week, but a loss like that is a lot harder to swallow when you have real expectations, as we have for this Rice team this season. Hopefully they can clean the issues up and get a decisive victory over a UTEP team they’re rightfully favored against this weekend.

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I thought for a while about which play to pick for the North Texas game. It seems the offense would be a natural pick, since that was the side that fared worse. But after watching that game, the recipe for improvement for the offense, to me, is just: block better and stop fumbling. So let’s go with a play from the defense, which generally played well, but gave up a couple key plays, including this one.

The Bean Run

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 62 – Rice Football vs North Texas Recap, UTEP Preview

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Rice football returned to the field this past week against North Texas and struggled. Carter and Matthew recap the game and preview UTEP.

It was a rough Saturday for Rice football. The Roost Podcast walks through what went wrong for the Owls against North Texas and what concerns the team carries with them into their next game against UTEP. There’s still a lot to like about the defense and the offense should find more room to work without Dion Novil crashing the interior this coming weekend.

Carter and Matthew also talk through some of the latest happenings around Conference USA, including a new game scheduled for a Tuesday morning. I suppose that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, given what we’ve seen already in 2020.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 62.

Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping — Don’t miss this opportunity to subscribe on Patreon. You’ll get practice reports, film room sessions, recruiting news and the latest analysis and updates on all things relating to Rice Athletics.
    Become a Patron!
  • Conference USA news and notes
    • Two games already impacted by COVID-19 at time of recording
    • Charlotte and Western Kentucky moved to Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m.
  • Rice Football vs North Texas recap
    • What changed from the strong start to the sluggish final three quarters
    • Breaking down what went well for the defense with a shout out to corner Chris Boudreaux
    • Khalan Griffin’s first career start and high points on the Rice offense
    • How does Rice adjust now that this film is out there for opposing defenses?
  • Rice Football vs UTEP game preview
    • UTEP doesn’t do anything particularly well
    • The Rice defense will limit scoring opportunities
    • Eliminating self-inflicted mistakes and turnovers will be critical

Where can you find us?

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Rice Football 2020: NFL Owls Week 11 Stats Update

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Rice Football is well represented on 2020 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 11.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

Week 11 results

Pittsburgh (Boswell, McDonald) def. Jacksonville, 27-3
Washington def. Cincinnati (Covington), 20-7
Cleveland (Sendejo) def. Philadelphia, 22-17
Houston (Gaines) def. New England, 27-20
Denver (Anderson, Callahan) def. Miami, 20-13
Carolina def. Detroit (Fox), 20-0
49ers (Walter) — BYE

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

For the second straight week, Anderson saw action with the offense at tackle. He blocked for Drew Lock and contributed to the Broncos’ win. The Broncos host the Saints in Week 12.

Vance McDonald – TE, Steelers

McDonald has not appeared in a game for the Steelers since being placed on the COVID list. Head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed on Sunday that McDoanld remained on the list and did not have a further update at that time. The Steelers host the Ravens on Thanksgiving Night in Week 12.

Austin Walter – RB, 49ers

The 49ers were on bye in week 11. They visit the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12.

Defense and Special Teams

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell missed his first field goal of the season on Sunday against the Jaguars, pulling a 45-yard attempt wide left. Entering the game, he and Packers’ kicker Mason Crosby were the only two kickers not to miss a field goal this season. He made his other two field goal tries, including a long of 47 yards. He also made three of three extra point attempts. The Steelers host the Ravens on Thanksgiving Night in Week 12.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Broncos

Callahan had five tackles in the Broncos’ Week 11 win over the Dolphins, the fourth most on the team. The Broncos host the Saints in Week 12.

Christian Covington – DL, Bengals

Covington started again for the Bengals, his seventh consecutive start. He tallied one tackle from his spot on the defensive line. The Bengals host the Giants in Week 12.

Jack Fox – P, Lions

The Lions were shut out in their Week 11 loss to the Panthers, but it wasn’t at the fault of Fox. He punted six times, averaging 42.2 yards per punt, a lower number than usual due to four precision kicks. Thanks to Fox, the Panthers saw starting field positions from the 10-yard line on three occasions and the 12-yard line once. Fox also blasted a long punt of 56 yards. The Lions host the Texans on Thanksgiving in Week 12.

Phillip Gaines – CB, Texans

Gaines had one tackle in the Texans’ Week 11 win over the Patriots. The Texans visit the Lions on Thanksgiving in Week 12.

Andrew Sendejo – Saf, Browns

Sendejo led the Browns in tackles in their win over the Eagles in Week 11. It was his third game of the season with at least seven tackles, with the most recent occurrence coming against the Steelers in Week 6. The Browns visit the Jaguars in Week 12.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are others Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more detail on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

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Rice Football 2020 Game Preview: UTEP

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Rice Football looks to rebound from a disappointing loss with a home win over UTEP. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

The next game can’t come fast enough for Rice football. The Owls are eager to put last weekend’s road loss to North Texas behind them and shake off whatever rust lingered from the back-t0-back postponed games in the weeks prior. Rice looked rattled and far from the dominant form they displayed in their win over Southern Miss.

UTEP wasn’t in action last weekend, losing a game against UAB (scheduled to take place on Friday morning in Midland, TX) because of COVID-19 concerns among the Blazers. Last time out, UTEP was outgunned by UTSA, falling 52-21 in San Antonio.

Broadcast Info

Kickoff time | 12:00 PM CT
Venue | Rice Stadium – Houston, Tx
TV | ESPN3 (Streaming)
Radio | Sports Map 94.1 (FM) / Stretch Internet (Online)

Audio Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs UTEP on Episode 62 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 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

Rice has swung between extremes so far this season, but can get back to .500 on the season with a win against UTEP. The remaining weeks of their schedule are still a bit up in the air with postponed games against UTSA and Louisiana Tech possible candidates to replace a road trip to Marshall on Dec. 5. Before they get there, Rice has to control what’s in front of them, and this weekend, that’s scheduled to be UTEP.

UTEP wants so desperately to rebound from an unfavorable start to conference play. The 3-win Miners haven’t won four games in a season since 2016. Doing so in a shortened year would be a tremendous step forward for Dana Dimel’s bunch.

Series History

All Time | Rice leads 15-8
Last Five | Rice leads 3-2
Last Meeting | Away 2019, Rice won 30-16

Rice Stat Notables

Passing | Collins – 53/86 (61.6 percent), 802 yards passing, 10 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Otoviano – 45 carries, 195 yards (4.3 yards per carry) | Griffin – 41 carries, 159 yards (3.9 yards per carry)
Receiving | Trammell – 16 receptions, 335 yards (20.9 yards per reception), 6 TD | Myers – 14 receptions, 138 yards (9.9 yards per reception)
Tackles | Alldredge – 32, Montero – 23, Garcia – 19
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Calderon – 2 PBU / McCord – 1 INT

UTEP Stat Notables

Passing | Hardison – 108/199 (54.3 percent), 1419 yards passing, 5 TD, 5 INT
Rushing | Hankins – 99 carries, 493 yards (5.0 yards per carry), 7 TD
Receiving | Cowing – 36 receptions, 573 yards (15.9 yards per reception), 1 TD | Garrett – 36 receptions, 498 yards (13.8 yards per reception), 3 TD
Tackles | Forester – 56, Knight – 43, Harrell/Inyang/Prince – 32
Pass Breakups/Interceptions | Amaewhule – 8 PBU / Lowe – 2 INT

UTEP X-Factor | Capitalize on opportunities

Turnovers and self-inflicted wounds have proven to be fatal flaws in each of Rice’s losses to date. The Owls haven’t played a turnover-free game yet. UTEP hasn’t been productive on that front this year. The Miners are averaging just one turnover per game and nearly one and a half giveaways themselves, but recent history suggests they’ll have more opportunities handed to them by Rice — what will they do with those chances?

UTEP enters the game second-to-last in conference play in total offense, averaging less than 300 yards per game. Even North Texas had trouble at times when it came to driving the length of the field against the Rice defense. UTEP’s best chance of putting up points will be to take advantage of opportunities Rice hands to them. And when they get their chances, they need to turn them into touchdowns.

Rice X-Factor | Win in the trenches

When Rice wins on the offensive and defensive lines, they’re going to be in a position to win. Through three games, that’s happened more often than not. There is no Dion Novil in the defensive trenches for UTEP and the Rice front seven won’t be pulling double duty to support coverage threats on the outside. There shouldn’t be any reason why Rice can’t win on both fronts.

Rice is still without a rushing touchdown this year, an odd occurrence considering they’ve run the ball a conference-high 43.4 times per game. The Owls’ woeful 3.1 yards per carry has also been problematic. A kick start from one of their talented running backs and consistent lanes to run through will help them set the tone in this 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. Will either team score on defense or special teams?
    Yes / No
  2. How many combined touchdown passes with be thrown (both teams)?
    Three or less / Four or more
  3. Does Rice rush for at least one touchdown?
    Yes / No
  4. How many total yards will the Rice defense allow?
    Over 330.5 / Under 330.5
  5. Which team defense forces the first turnover?
    Rice / UTEP / No turnovers
  6. Who wins?
    Rice / UTEP

One Final Thing

How Rice football lost to North Texas was almost more concerning than the defeat itself. Rice just wasn’t ready for what the Mean Green threw at them and failed to get things going on offense until time had run out. When this team is on, they’ve proven they can be dangerous. Now they need to prove they have the fortitude to respond to adversity and win a very winnable game.

This upcoming weekend also marks the end of November. With the Conference USA Championship game four weeks away and bowl season beginning on the same day, Rice is running out of opportunities to play football this fall. They simply have to make every Saturday count.

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