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5 Pressing Questions from 2025 Rice Football Season

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We learned a lot from the 2025 Rice football season, but a few important questions remained unanswered. Here’s what we need to know after Year 1 under Scot Abell.

The new-look Rice football offense made its debut alongside new head coach Scott Abell in his first season on South Main, which culminated in an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl. The offense showed sparks; the defense struggled through injuries. Both sides of the ball can improve in their levels of consistency and many important questions were left unanswered.

More: 5 Takeaways from 2025 Rice Football Season

Stay tuned for our Team Superlatives, released next week, featuring more traditional awards like Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year and more.

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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Scott Becker commits to Owls

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Another Ivy League product is joining the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Former Princeton offensive lineman Scott Becker has committed to the Owls.

The academic connection between South Main and the Ivy Leagues has long since been established, but the football pipeline between the two realms is picking up steam. Already with one Ivy League product in the fold, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting has picked up another pledge from the region. Former Princeton offensive lineman Scott Becker has committed to the Owls.

Becker steadily saw his involvement at Princeton rise, making 16 starts while serving as the team’s primary center in 2025. The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Briarcliff Manor, NY native will has one year of eligibility remaining and intends to spend it at Rice where he’ll join another offensive line transfer from the Ivies, former Yale center Leo Bluhm.

The tandem of Becker and Blum are the latest in a stead pipeline of Ivy League to Rice transfers. Last season it was offensive lineman Sean Sullivan (Yale) and defensive lineman Ejike Adele (Dartmouth). Before them was defensive lineman Charlie Looes (Dartmouth) and before him, defensive lineman Coleman Coco (Colgate), among others.

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There’s only one ball which means either Becker or Blum (or both) will have to shift from center to somewhere lese on the line at South Main. There’s enough evidence on the film from Becker than he could be adept sliding over to guard, but that’s something that won’t get sorted out until both get on campus. For now, it’s another much-needed veteran addition in the offensive trenches.

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Rice Football Recruiting: TE Preston Zinter commits to Owls

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A talented athlete is flipping sides of the ball when he joins the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Newfound tight end Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls from Notre Dame.

Finding the most talented players possible remains the marching orders for the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class, even if that means going beyond conventional wisdom. That kind of outside-the-box thinking landed the Owls a potential game changer. Former Notre Dame edge Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls to play tight end.

Zinter was a two-way player at the high school level who was listed as an athlete by most recruiting services despite being much stockier than the traditional mold that fits that designation. He opted to play defense at Notre Dame, appearing in 26 games as a reserve defensive lineman and special teams maven. He blocked a punt in a victory over Florida State in 2024.

The addition of Zinter gives the Owls a nice collection of additions on offense in this current transfer cycle. Since the portal opened, Rice has landed commitments from wide slot receivers Ben Grice (Wake Forest) and Max Mosey (Holy Cross) and offensive lineman Leo Bluhm (Yale) as well as quarterbacks Jacurri Brown (UCF) and Gael Ochoa (UNLV).

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Zinter’s immediate experience doesn’t come on offense, at least not at the collegiate level, but Rice took one look at his high school tape and fell in love with the mismatch he presented on that side of the ball. He’s being recruited exclusively for that skillset and will play offense on South Main. And, if the film is any indication, will be a productive piece for the Owls to rely upon in short order.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Max Mosey commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class made sure to save a spot for this do-it-all playmaker. Former Holy Cross receiver Max Mosey has committed to the Owls.

Head coach Scott Abell knows better than most the importance of adding athletes whenever possible and the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class took that reality to heart, signing one of the most versatile Transfer Portal targets available, Holy Cross receiver Max Mosey has committed to the Owls.

Mosey describes himself in his highlight cutups as a “WR/PR/RB/QB”. Regardless of where he lines up, he has a knack for finding the football and getting it into the endzone. Over the past two seasons, Mosey has 1,205 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, including two special teams scores on punt returns. That’s the kind of player you bring into your program, defined position or not.

With a heavy focus on the secondary and quarterback, Mosey now makes up a sizable chunk of the skill additions the Owls have made in the portal. He joins Wake Forest receiver Ben Grice as the only other pass catchers in the fold to this point. There aren’t a ton of days left for players to enter the portal, but don’t be surprised if Rice adds one more offensive tool to the fold in the days ahead.

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As for Mosey, the film speaks for itself. He’s not a burner by any means, but he’s quick and consistently finds ways to get open at all levels of the field. For a team in need of proven pass-catching options, Mosey could become a useful piece for incoming quarterback Jacurri Brown.

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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Leo Bluhm commits to Owls

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A big pickup in the trenches has joined the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Former Yale offensive lineman Leo Bluhm has committed to the Owls.

The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class is going back to familiar stomping grounds to add to its offensive line, nabbing another talented trench warrior from the Ivy League ranks. A year removed from the Owls’ signing tackle Sean Sullivan out of Yale, Rice is bringing in a former teammate of his. Former Yale offensive lineman Leo Bluhm has committed to the Owls.

Bluhm made 16 starts across four seasons with Yale, including all 12 games this season in which he was named a first-team all-conference selection at center, the anchor of the Bulldogs’ front five. The St. Paul, Minnesota native will add an instant boost to the interior of the Owls’ offensive line.

As it stands, Bluhm is the only transfer commitment in the offensive trenches and part of a smaller contingent of linemen on either side of the ball. Rice added JUCO defensive lineman Brock Reddic in the early signing period and edge rusher Tariq May along with Bluhm in January.

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You don’t have to be an offensive line junkie to love what Bluhm puts on film. He’s a 6-foot-4, 310-pound mauler who plays each snap with a vengeance. He’ll bring a level of physicality and toughness to a Rice front that stands to improve when it comes to moving people in the trenches.

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