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The Roost’s 2023 Rice Football Season Superlatives

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The Roost’s 2023 Rice Football Season Superlatives exist to honor exceptional Owls who made a difference on the field this season. Here’s the complete list.

There were many individual performances worth recognizing in the 2023 Rice Football season. In addition to the more traditional awards below, make sure to check out The Roosties, our fifth annual award show from The Roost Podcast, which features a different angle of honors. From our favorite plays to the players that surprised us the most, we cover some of the more creative superlatives on the show. This list comprises the more traditional recognitions.

Iron Man — OL Clay Servin | Full Story

Excerpt: “Four of those five players transferred before their senior season. The fifth, offensive lineman Clay Servin, stuck with the program for the long haul, sticking with Rice football from that point onward through the next six seasons. In the era of the Transfer Portal which has made player movement more possible than ever before, Servin has been the rock Rice football has built on for more than half a decade.”

Offensive Newcomer of the Year — TE Boden Groen | Full Story

Excerpt: “When the games arrived, expectations were mounting. Groen responded by leading the team in receptions in the season opener against Texas. He built on that with at least one reception, usually more, in every game of the season. The only other Rice player to achieve that in 2023? Star wide receiver Luke McCaffrey.”

Defensive Newcomer of the Year — DE Coleman Coco | Full Story

Excerpt: “Always the first to credit his coaches for his growth and his teammates for an assist that set up a big play, Coco’s energy was contagious. It seemed impossible to be morose or downtrodden when he was next to you and his mentality permeated the locker room. No matter the score or the situation, Coco was convinced Rice would come out on top. And he hasn’t stopped preaching that message.”

Rising Star — RB Dean Connors | Full Story

Excerpt: “With the Owls’ backs against the wall, in need of two wins in two weeks to clinch bowl eligibility, Connors delivered a combined 33 carries for 259 yards, the best two-game stretch of his entire career. Rice won both games and made it to the postseason, thanks in large part to Connors’ efforts.”

Special Teams Player of the Year — Peyton Stevenson | Full Story

Excerpt: “The blocked punt score was the first for the Owls since Sam McGuffie in 2012. It was Stevenson’s second blocked kick of any kind, a first for any Rice player since Christian Covington blocked a pair of kicks in 2013. Already in rarified air amongst Rice history, Stevenson was one of just four players in the country this season to have blocked both a punt and a place kick.”

Defensive Player of the Year — Sean Fresch | Full Story

Excerpt: “Fresch began the season strong, tallying three pass breakups in the Owls’ upset win over the Houston Cougars and leading a secondary that would go on to finish second in the AAC in yards per game allowed through the air. Fresch started every game and provided a spark on special teams with his dynamic punt return abilities. Opposing defenses didn’t key in on him anymore. In fact, they started going the other way.”

Offensive Player of the Year — Luke McCaffrey | Full Story

Excerpt: “Three years ago, McCaffrey committed to Rice football with aspirations to play quarterback. He leaves South Main as one of the most productive wide receivers the school has ever seen. McCaffrey was a team captain and a leader, someone his teammates and the entire coaching staff leaned on in big moments. Time and time again, he delivered.”

Team MVP — JT Daniels| Full Story

Excerpt: “Daniels led a run-first team, with an explosive back in Dean Connors, to the top of the AAC leaderboard in passing. He took a team that hadn’t beaten crosstown rival Houston in 12 years to a thrilling overtime victory, the only Power 5 win by an AAC program in the regular season. Lastly, with Daniels leading the charge, Rice football reached six wins and a bowl game, their second-consecutive postseason trip.”

Check out the 2022 Rice Football Season Superlatives here.
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Rice Football 2023 Iron Man: Clay Servin

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One of the first signees of Mike Bloomgren’s tenure, left tackle Clay Servin has been a mainstay for the Owls and an easy pick for our 2023 Rice Football Iron Man.

Mike Bloomgren was hired as Rice football head coach on December 5, 2017. Two weeks later, the first-ever Early Signing Period opened and programs across the nation were permitted to sign high school players for the upcoming season in December rather than in February. As a first-year head coach taking over a one-win program, the Owls’ first class was small, with just five players announced on the opening day.

Four of those five players transferred before their senior season. The fifth, offensive lineman Clay Servin, stuck with the program for the long haul, sticking with Rice football from that point onward through the next six seasons. In the era of the Transfer Portal which has made player movement more possible than ever before, Servin has been the rock Rice football has built on for more than half a decade.

“I think coach Bloomgren and the staff in 2018 here at Rice kind of took a chance on me and I’m extremely grateful for that,” Servin said, whose only offer during the recruiting process came from Rice.

Servin made his collegiate debut midway through his freshman season against UAB and his first start the following weekend against FIU. Six years later he started his final game in the First Responders Bowl against Texas State, his 56h career appearance in a Rice uniform, a program record.

“I don’t know if I can put in any quantitative terms, the value of a guy like Clay Servin being here in year six,” head coach Mike Bloomgren said of the veteran offensive lineman.

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Servin surpasses former teammate Shea Baker, who tied the previous record (55 appearances) last season in the Lending Tree Bowl. He is also one of three Owls, alongside running back Juma Otoviano and running back Ari Broussard, who came into Rice with that original 2018 class and played into their sixth season of college football.

That track record gives Servin a unique perspective. Whereas quarterback AJ Padgett has now started back-to-back bowl games in his first two seasons on campus, Servin remembers how things were when we arrived and, of equal importance, why he stayed.

“I wanted to be a part of a program that took nothing into something,” Servin said. “I wanted to be a part of a program that built a legacy, especially as we transition into the American.”

That growth took buy in from Servin, who talked about his internal conflict and decision to recommit himself mentally following a challenging 2020 COVID season, drawing inspiration from teammates like Baker and center Isaac Klarkowski.

He coordinated meetings with the offensive line during the summers, taking younger players under his wing and teaching them the ins and outs of the position and the program before they were allowed to spend time with coaches directly. His voice and his imprint on the program were unmistakable.

“It was really about leaving a legacy with Rice football and showing these young guys in the program, regardless of how hard the academics here are, regardless of the names and other conferences that we are a good football team,” Servin said. “We put our pads on the same way as those five-star guys in the SEC and the Big XII. We are a good football team that can compete.”

In his final season, Servin’s squad reached its highest win in the past decade of Rice football. An offensive lineman at heart, Bloomgren summed up Servin’s impact well. “He’s seen so many things change throughout this program and he’s been a big part of that change, and part of us winning,” he said.

When the 2024 season kicks off, Rice football will have to break in a non-Clay Servin left tackle for the first time in six years. Perhaps that truth conveys his importance to this program better than anything else.

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Rice Football 2023: NFL Owls Week 17 Roundup

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Rice Football is well represented on 2023 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 17.

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

Team NFL Owl(s) This Week Result Next Week
Denver Broncos Elijah Garcia (DL) vs Chargers W, 16-9 at Raiders
Detroit Lions Jack Fox (P) at Cowboys (Sat) L, 20-19 vs Vikings
Indianapolis Colts Kylen Granson (TE) vs Raiders L, 23-20 vs Texans (Sat)
Los Angeles Rams Austin Trammell (WR) at Giants W, 26-25 at 49ers
New England Patriots Calvin Anderson (OL) at Bills L, 27-21 vs Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers Chris Boswell (PK) at Seahawks W, 30-23 at Ravens (Sat)
Seattle Seahawks Myles Adams (DL) vs Steelers L, 30-23 vs Cardinals
Tampa Bay Bucs Nick Leverett (OL) vs Saints L, 23-13 at Panthers

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OT, Patriots

Anderson was active but did not play in the Patriots’ Week 17 game against the Bills.

Kylen Granson – TE, Colts

Granson hauled in just one reception on three targets this weekend, cooling off a bit from a career five-catch game in Week 16.

Nick Leverett – OT, Buccaneers

Leverett was active but did not play in the Bucs’ Week 17 game against the Saints.

Austin Trammell – WR, Rams

Trammell handled all his customary special teams duties on returns for the Rams in Week 17, but did not register any yardage on those snaps. He got on the field with the offense for just one play.

Defense

Myles Adams – DL, Seahawks

Adams saw action with the Seahawks’ defense for the first time since late October, getting on the field for seven plays. He did not record any official tackles.

Elijah Garcia – DL, Broncos

Garcia was inactive for the Broncos’ Week 17 game against the Chargers.

Special Teams

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox did his job on Saturday night. He blasted a 70-yard punt, pushing his average for the night up to a crisp 48.8 yards per punt. He put two balls inside the 20-yard line.

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell did not miss, once again. He handled six kicks, three field goals and three extra points, and put all of them straight through the pipes in the Steelers’ Week 17 win over the Seahawks.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other 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 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: 10 Takeaways from 2023 Season

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The 2023 Rice football season was unpredictable and one-of-a-kind. What can we take away from the Owls’ six-win campaign?

A SERVPRO First Responder’s Bowl appearance marks the end of an eventful 2023 Rice Football season, filled with extremely high highs and some questionable lows. Ultimately, this year will be remembered most for that second-straight bowl appearance, but we learned a lot about this team and this program throughout the season.

Make sure you check out The Roosties, our take on an annual Rice football awards show from The Roost Podcast. There will also be Team Superlatives released throughout the next few weeks featuring more traditional awards like Team MVP, Offense and Defensive Player of the Year and more.

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Here are a few final thoughts on the 2023 Rice football season, ordered with five initial positives from the year that was and five pressing questions for the future based on what we saw on the field this year.

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