(Photo Credit: Lexi Browning)
Key Players Returning:
RB Khalan Griffin, WR/KR Jake Bailey, TE Jordan Myers, OC Isaac Klarkowski, OG Shea Baker, OG Izeya Floyd, OT Clay Servin, OT Jovuan Woolford, DE Kenneth Orji, DE Josh Pearcy, DE Trey Shuman, DT Elijah Garcia, NT De’Braylon Carroll, LB Antonio Montero, CB Andrew Bird, CB Miles McCord, NB Treshawn Chamberlain, SS Kirk Lockhart, and PK Collin Riccitelli.
Key Players Departing:
QB Michael Collins, WR/PR Austin Trammell, LB Blaze Alldredge, KR/PR Austin Trammell, and PT Jake Bailey.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: D.J. Arkansas (Denton, Texas), OG Ethan Onianwa (Katy, Texas), LB Kenny Seymour (Missouri City, Texas), ATH Peyton Stevenson (Demopolis, Alabama), TE Jaggar Hebeisen (Colleyville, Texas), LB Aidan Siano (Prosper, Texas), QB Shawqi Itraish (Bradenton, Florida), S Marcus Williams (Hoover, Alabama), DT Elroyal Morris (Houston, Texas), and OG John Long (Lampasas, Texas).
2020 Results:
G01 MIDDLE TENNESSEE L | 2OT 34-30
G02 at Southern Miss W 30-6
G03 at North Texas L 17-27
G04 at #21 Marshall W 20-0
G05 UAB L 16-21
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 2-3 (5th in CUSA West)
Home: 0-2
Away: 2-1
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-3
Non-CUSA: 0-0
Head Coach: Mike Bloomgren
Rice: 7-23
Career: 7-23
Bowls: 0-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: JoVani Johnson (27-37, 225 yards, 73.0%, 6.1 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Khalan Griffin (72 car., 249 yards, 3.5 avg., 0 TD)
Receiving: Jordan Myers (24 rec., 209 yards, 8.7 avg., 1 TD)
TD’s Scoring: Jake Bailey/Jordan Myers (2)
Sacks: De’Braylon Carroll (1.5)
Tackles: Elijah Garcia/Kirk Lockhart (28)
Interceptions: 5 Tied (1)
Pass Deflections: Andrew Bird (3)
Tackles For Loss: Trey Schuman (4.5)
Forced Fumbles: Chike Anigbogu (1)
Kick Returns: Jake Bailey (7 ret., 145 yards, 20.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jake Bailey (2 ret., 40 yards, 20.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Collin Riccitelli (9-12 fg/fga., 75%, 10-11 xp/xpa., 37 pts.)
Punting: Charlie Mendes (21 ret., 898 yards, 42.8 avg., 9 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 12 Luke McCaffrey (RS FR/TR)
RB: 6 Khalan Griffin (FR)
FB: 32 Jerry Johnson (RS FR)
WR: 11 Jake Bailey (SO)
WR: 2 Bradley Rozner (RS JR/TR)
TE: 87 Jack Bradley (SO)
LT: 71 Clay Servin (RS SO)
LG: 50 Izeya Floyd (RS FR)
OC: 54 Isaac Klarkowski (RS FR)
RG: 58 Shea Baker (RS JR)
RT: 70 Jovaun Woolford (GR/TR)
KR: 11 Jake Bailey (SO)
PK: 00 Collin Riccitelli (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 7 Trey Schuman (RS JR)
DT: 92 Elijah Garcia (RS SR)
NT: 55 De’Braylon Carroll (SO)
DE: 10 Kenneth Orji (RS JR)
LB: 33 Myron Morrison (RS FR)
LB: 1 Antonio Montero (JR)
NB: 17 Treshawn Chamberlain (JR)
CB: 24 Miles McCord (JR/TR)
CB: 2 Tre’Shon Devones (SO)
FS: 20 George Nyakwol (SR)
SS: 9 Kirk Lockhart (SO)
PR: 11 Jake Bailey (SO)
PT: 99 Charlie Mendes (RS FR)
Team Grades
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kicking: B
Punting: B
Schedule:
09/04 at Arkansas Razorbacks | Rice trails the series 29-35-3. The Owls lost (0-20) the last meeting between schools in 1991.
09/11 HOUSTON COUGARS | Rice trails the series 11-31. The Owls are 0-5 since 2011, and they lost (27-45) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/18 at Texas Longhorns | Rice trails the series 21-73-1. The Owls are 0-3 since 2011, and they lost (13-48) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/25 TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS | First meeting between schools.
10/02 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | Rice trails the series 5-6. The Owls are 3-6 since 2011, and their last series loss (6-20) was in 2019.
10/16 at UTSA Roadrunners | Rice trails the series 3-5. The Owls lost (27-31) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/23 at UAB Blazers | Rice trails the series 3-6. The Owls are 1-4 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (37-34 OT) was in 2013.
10/30 NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN | Rice trails the series 5-6. The Owls are 3-5 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (20-14) was in 2019.
11/06 at Charlotte 49ers | Rice leads the series 2-0. The Owls won (22-21) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
11/13 WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS | Rice trails the series 0-2. The Owls lost (14-46) the last meeting between schools in 2016.
11/20 at UTEP Miners | Rice leads the series 15-8. The Owls are 7-2 since 2011, and they won (30-16) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
11/27 LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS | Rice trails the series 4-9. The Owls are 1-7 since renewing the series in 2012, and they lost (20-23 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 2-4
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 2-6
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Overall: 3-9 (5th in CUSA West)
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