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Rice Football Fall Camp Report: New coaches and players take the field

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The first practice of Rice football fall camp is in the books. Here’s your first of many updates in the run up to the 2021 season.

Rice Football opened fall camp on Friday. It was the first of four weeks of practice as the team prepares for their opening game against Arkansas on Labor Day weekend. There was a lot that happened on and off the field this week, and in the past couple months to catch up on. Here is the latest.

Collin Spencer promoted to coach safeties

There was some shifting on the coaching staff during the offseason. As previously announced, Marques Tuiasosopo was hired as the Owls’ new offensive coordinator. Former tight ends coach Chris Monfiletto bounced over to coach special teams with Jim Jackson taking over the tight end room.

Defensive coordinator Brian Smith is now coaching linebackers, opening up a spot with the safeties. Bloomgren tapped former quality control analyst Collin Spencer for that job.

Originally hired as a graduate assistant, Spencer has risen up the ranks over the past few years. His understanding of the scheme and ability to communicate it well gave Bloomgren comfort in the decision.

“He’s like a mini Brian Smith,” Bloomgren said of Spencer, “It’s always good when you can have your proteges step into those roles.”

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Practice reports are reserved for our subscribers. If you want updates on the quarterback battle, camp standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. You can get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2022 WR Rawson MacNeill commits to Owls

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The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class is picking up steam heading into the fall, securing a commitment from wide receiver Rawson MacNeill.

For the 2022 Rice Football recruiting class, good things come in pairs. The Owls have reached seven commitments in their current class, but for the second time in the past few months, they’ve added a pair of players on the same week.

On Sunday, Rice grabbed a pledge from safety Reece Sylvester. Two days later they added a commitment on the offensive side of the ball from wide receiver Rawson MacNeill from Marietta, GA.

MacNeill is the second-highest rated commitment in the 2022 Rice Football recruiting class and the eighth-highest player the Owls have earned a commitment from during Mike Bloomgren’s tenure.

Rice had competition when it came to MacNeill’s services. At the time of his commitment, MacNeill picked Rice over offers from Iowa State, Charlotte, Tulane and several Ivy League schools.

Although he hails from several states away, MacNeill still felt the familial connection. His mom grew up in Texas and his uncle lives nearby. That familiarity plus the connection he made with the coaches and players, made the difference. In his words, getting to interact and build bonds with those within the program “truly made it feel like home”, giving him peace in his decision.

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MacNeill has the potential to be a difference-maker as soon as he gets to Rice. Standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 190 pounds, he profiles as an X receiver in the Rice offense. And even though he can win with size, he prides himself in being a player that is quick out of his breaks and can win with speed, too. Wherever he lines up, the football is going to find him.

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Rice Football Burning Questions: How high is the team’s ceiling in 2021?

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Now in Year 4, Mike Bloomgren and Rice football will face the highest expectations they’ve encountered to this point. How far can they realistically go?

Things were never expected to get better for Rice football overnight. The roster needed retooling. New schemes needed to be put in place and other adjustments were necessary in the name of program-building. With three years* (two, plus whatever the COVID-19 season counts as) to tinker, the expectations are starting to mount.

Which brings us to the third installment in our Burning Questions series this offseason. What are fair expectations for Rice football in 2021 and more importantly, can they reach them?

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The Roost has you covered in season and throughout the offseason. Get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and special features like this one. Subscribe on Patreon and unlock them all today.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2022 Safety Reece Sylvester commits to Owls

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The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class closed the summer on a high note, adding safety Reece Sylvester to the fold as the calendar marches toward the fall.

Fall camp is right around the corner, but that hasn’t slowed the Owls down on the recruiting front. The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class has now added its sixth member to the fold, earning a commitment from Baytown Sterling safety Reece Sylvester.

Sylvester is the second defensive back among the Owls’ current 2022 commits and the fourth defensive player so far. The other safety in the class, Southwest Christian safety Tyson Flowers, was the most recent pledge prior to Sylvester.

Rice was the first to offer Sylvester, who had no other public offers when Rice made their push in mid-July. That was true on August 1 when Sylvester decided to pull the trigger.

Sylvester played a little on both sides of the ball in high school, but although he proved himself a capable wide receiver, he’ll primarily slide in at safety for the Owls. The proven versatility and knowledge of the game should give him a leg up in Brian Smith’s defense.

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When it comes to his prowess as a safety, Sylvester is an intriguing prospect. He reads the ball well coming out of the quarterback’s hand and closes the distance between himself and the pass catcher at a furious rate. When he gets there, he’s not afraid to deliver a punishing blow. His pursuit seems to have an extra gear and his drive has the makings of a difference maker at the next level.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 84 – Conference USA Football with Phil Steele

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Creator of one of the most in-depth previews in college football, Phil Steele joins the show this week to dig into his 2021 Conference USA football outlook.

We were fortunate enough to cross paths this week with Phil Steele, create of the most jam-packed college football preview year after year. He was excited to step away debates about the Alabama’s and Texas’s of the world, turning his attention this week to the UAB’s and Texas San-Antonio’s of Conference USA.

Be sure to stick around for some Conference USA sleepers that Steele thinks could have big years, including a couple of picks from the Rice roster. You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 84.

Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping
    • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
    • Please support us on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes our debriefing series on spring football, recruiting news and more.
      Become a Patron!
    • Pick up your copy of the Rice Football or Conference USA Season Preview today or as it’s been called by others, The Bible for Conference USA!
  • Phil Steele joins the show — Steele unpacks his Conference USA projections and dives deeper into the 2021 Rice Football season, including:
    • The impact Luke McCaffrey will have on Rice football
    • Where Rice fits in his Conference USA projections
    • The potential upside Rice football has in 2021
    • How the magazine comes together
    • Under-the-radar players to watch in Conference USA

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Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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