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Rice Football vs Marshall: Q&A with HerdNation’s Aaron Perkins

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Rice Football squares off with Marshall this weekend. Aaron Perkins, Managing Editor with HerdNation, tells us what to expect from the Herd.

Q: People were optimistic about quarterback Grant Wells entering the season, but did anyone expect him to be this sharp this quickly?

I think most fans hoped he would be this good, but I am not sure anyone thought he would be this good.  When you look at the numbers he is putting up the biggest thing is the lack of turnovers/interceptions.  That was the biggest issue our previous quarterback had over the past two years.  In the two games that cost us the CUSA East title last year, he had multiple turnovers.  Wells has the ability to keep drives alive without making game changing mistakes.

Q: Marshall doesn’t really have a true go-to wide receiver. How has that impacted the offense, for better or worse?

The season started without that one go to wide out.  Talik Keaton, Broc Thompson and Willie Johnson were all three starting, and Wells was good at spreading the ball around.  All three have missed time, Keaton and Broc missing multiple games.  In that time, sophomore Corey Gammage has stepped up and actually started to be that “go to” wide receiver.  He is big and strong with excellent hands.  He seems to be starting to “get it,” as the season has moved along and is among the team leaders in receptions, yards and touchdown catches.

Q: If there’s a weakness in the Marshall defense what is it? Are there any matchups that concern you?

The biggest weakness would not be in a position or a player but in how overly aggressive they play.  They have given up a few big trick-plays this year as they were over-pursing to try to make a big sack, or a tackle for loss.

Q: How have the string of postponements impacted the team? Do you anticipate any rust?

Early in the year the time off seemed to hurt at times.  But one thing Doc Holliday has excelled at in his career is getting teams ready for bowl games after long layoffs.  That has been the case most of this season.  Marshall has been practicing longer than pretty much any team as we were preparing to play in Week “0” against ECU.  This is the third long break of the season, so it will be interesting to see if the team is still ready to push through this very odd 2020 campaign.

Q: Coach Doc Holliday has fielded a lot of good teams, but hasn’t won a C-USA championship since 2014. Conveniently enough, Rice was the team to thwart them the year before. Is this the year the Herd win it all?

I like Marshall’s chances.  This is one of the most solid teams Doc has had since he has been at Marshall.  Both the offense and the defense has been consistent throughout the season.  The defense is strong up the middle and should match up well with teams from the West.  The offense has just enough fire power in Brenden Knox, Wells, and the wideouts, and returns a veteran offensive line.  One thing is certain, Marshall should at least be favored in all of the remaining games, included a CUSA Championship Game.

Podcast: Rice Football vs Marshall Game Preview 

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Rice Football 2020: Marshall Presser Quotes and practice notes

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Rice football has a big game ahead of them this weekend against a nationally ranked Marshall squad. Here are the latest notes and press conference quotes.

Rice football got close to kickoff against UTEP, but the game was nixed before kickoff, the third game Rice has forgone because of COVID-19 problems at another institution. The Owls hope to return to the field this weekend to take on a ranked Marshall team. Rice hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent in their last 30 tries, so a win against the Herd would be a monumental achievement.

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To that end, head coach Mike Bloomgren and a few players spoke about the challenge ahead of them. 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 plus a look at some changes on the Rice depth chart.

Press Conference Quotes

“With the number of cancelations we’ve had, last weekend felt like a loss, and I can’t have them feeling that way because this is not something we were in control of. They do everything we ask. We were ready to play.” – Mike Bloomgren on UTEP cancelation

“Here’s the deal with their defense. They’re going to line up one of two ways. They’re not trying to baffle you with people swinging in on vines. They aren’t gonna dazzle you with dance. They’re going to line up across from you and they are going to play physical football.” – Mike Bloomgren on the Marshall defense

“There’s two ways to respond. You can either let what happened to you define the rest of your season, or you can come back and you can play one of the best teams — the best team in the conference — and you can surprise everyone. And that’s what we’re looking to do.” – TE Jaeger Bull on the UTEP cancelation and Marshall game

“They really don’t do a whole lot of eye candy stuff. They’re gonna line up in pretty basic packages every play and you’re not always going to know exactly what they’re running but they’re going to try to run it down your throat. And like [Bloomgren] said, if we don’t stop the run it’s going to be a long day for us.” – DE Trey Schuman on Marshall 

Depth Chart Notes

Here’s an updated depth chart from Rice football heading into the Marshall game and some comments on a few notable additions and omissions as well as some injury notes:

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 63 – Rice Football vs Marshall Preview

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Rice football never got to kickoff against UTEP. Carter and Matthew discuss the Owls’ third postponement and preview the Marshall game.

Things were going well for Rice football when they woke up last Saturday morning, but shortly before kickoff, the Owls scheduled home game against UTEP was delayed and eventually canceled. Carter and Matthew work through the disappointment from the Owls’ third postponed game in their last four weeks and discuss the ramifications of the disjointed scheduling.

From there, it’s Marshall preview time. The Herd lead Conference USA in several key statistical categories, making it a tough challenge for the Owls on the road.

You can always find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 63.

Episode Notes

  • Housekeeping — Don’t miss this opportunity to subscribe on Patreon. You’ll get practice reports, film room sessions, recruiting news (the Early Signing Period is fast approaching!) and the latest analysis and updates on all things relating to Rice Athletics.
    Become a Patron!
  • Conference USA news and notes
    • The midweek brunch bowl between Western Kentucky and Charlotte was canceled, then rescheduled
    • Louisiana Tech goes rouge and plans a nonconference game
    • UAB and UTSA are squabbling about tiebreaker scenarios
    • Southern Miss hired a new head coach, their fourth coach of the season, and it’s not the strangest thing going on in the conference this week
  • Rice Football vs Marshall preview
    • Quick trivia: When is the last time Rice football beat a ranked opponent? How about played a close game against a ranked team? Answer on the podcast.
    • What’s the formula for Rice against Marshall?
    • Key facts to know and expectations for the Owls down the stretch

Where can you find us?

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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Rice Football 2020: NFL Owls Week 12 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 12.

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

Week 12 results

Pittsburgh (Boswell, McDonald) def. Baltimore, 19-14
New York Giants def. Cincinnati (Covington), 19-17
Cleveland (Sendejo) def. Jacksonville, 27-25
Houston (Gaines) def. Detroit (Fox), 41-25
New Orleans def. Denver (Anderson, Callahan), 31-3 
49ers (Walter) def. Los Angeles Rams, 23-20

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Broncos

After making a spot start in Week 9 against the Raiders, Anderson has spent his time on special teams over the past two weeks. He only played one snap in Week 12 when the quarterback-less Broncos were held to just one field goal attempt. The Broncos visit the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 13.

Vance McDonald – TE, Steelers

McDonald returned to action for the first time after being activated from the COVID-19 list prior to the team’s Wednesday game against the Ravens. The Steelers host the Washington Football Team in Week 13.

Austin Walter – RB, 49ers

Walter was active on special teams in the 49ers Week 12 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. He didn’t return any kicks, but played 13 snaps, his second-most this season. The 49ers host the Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 13.

Luke Willson – TE, Ravens

Willson signed to the Baltimore practice squad a few weeks ago when tight end Nick Boyle went down with a knee injury. He made his debut with the Ravens on Wednesday afternoon. He was targeted twice in the passing game but not catch any passes and also saw some special teams action.

Defense and Special Teams

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell made both of his field goal attempts on Wednesday and one of two extra points. The Steelers host the Washington Football Team in Week 13.

Bryce Callahan – CB, Broncos

The Saints more or less grounded the ball against the Broncos in Week 12, completing nine passes compared to 44 rush attempts. Callahan had two tackles before being ruled out during the game with a foot injury. The Broncos visit the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football in Week 13. Recent reports indicated Callahan will miss some time, but won’t be done for the season.

Christian Covington – DL, Bengals

Covington had four tackles in the Bengals’ Week 12 loss to the Giants. The team visits the Dolphins in Week 13.

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox had a strong Thanksgiving performance for the Lions, despite the loss. He punted three times, pinning the Texans inside the 20 twice including a long of 50 yards. The Lions visit the Bears in Week 13.

Phillip Gaines – CB, Texans

Gaines’ time in the defensive secondary has been limited over the last few weeks, but he’s remained a fixture on the Texans’ special teams. He saw all of his Thanksgiving action on that front, playing eight snaps in the win over the Lions. The Texans host the Colts in Week 13.

Andrew Sendejo – Saf, Browns

Sendejo has started every game for the Browns so far this season, playing every single defensive snap in nine of 11 contests, including the Browns’ Week 12 win over the Jaguars, in which he had one tackle and his first official pass deflection of the season. The Browns visit the Titans in Week 13.

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 Film Room 2020: Marshall Preview

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Following a third cancelation, Rice football returns to the field to face a stout Marshall squad. How big is the task at hand? We discuss in this week’s film room.

Well, at this point I’m running out of pithy things to say about postponements and cancellations. This stinks! Three very winnable games gone from Rice’s schedule, all in the division, and a rescheduled one this Saturday in Huntington against a juggernaut of a Marshall team.

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I won’t sugarcoat this for y’all. Marshall is very, very, very good. Both of ESPN’s analytical power ranking systems (FPI and Bill Connelly’s SP+) have them as one of the top 25 teams in all of FBS. They’re led on both sides of the ball by ferocious lines: an OL with every spot manned by a senior and a defensive front that’s put up 41 tackles for loss and 22 sacks in seven games. Rice is going to have to play damn near perfect to pull this one off.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Grant Wells has been stellar for the Herd so far, but the heart and soul of their offense is junior running back Brenden Knox. He’s not the most explosive back (5.0 YPC, and his longest run this year is the 45-yarder we’ll see below), but he’s tough, agile, and has great vision.

Knox can make you pay

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