Servin working to secure a spot on the offensive line
As one of the least experienced players on the Rice offensive line, tackle Clay Servin could be the closest to securing his role as a starter protecting the blindside for whoever starts at quarterback.
Servin has remained the starter at left tackle from the start of fall camp going into the team’s second scrimmage on Saturday, holding off fellow redshirt freshman Derek Ferraro on the depth chart.
“Going from year one to year two, we know what we’re doing,” Servin said of the offensive line. “It’s just, ‘Hit the ground running, go full speed,’ and that’s really just what all the guys try to do.”
Rice’s offensive line hosts most of the team’s graduate transfer players but the others are progressing through battles to start on a unit that could utilize seven or eight linemen to keep rotations fresh and populate heavy formations.
Guard Nick Leverett played multiple roles during his career at North Carolina Central but he could start opposite sophomore Cole Garcia at right guard. Their positions would become more competitive if Stanford graduate transfer Brian Chaffin can take the center job from returning starter Shea Baker — who also has versatility within the interior line.
Junior tackle Uzoma Osuji spent time on the left side last season but he continues to compete with another graduate transfer, Justin Gooseberry, for the right tackle spot. Coaches also like the improvement they’ve seen from redshirt sophomore Brandt Peterson.
“It’s a great feeling,” Servin said of the increased competition amongst the offensive linemen. “We’ve really created a brotherhood and just our chemistry is building every day. (The graduate transfers’) experience has been huge. They can help and they’ve really kind of taken that mentor position. I feel like everyone has benefited from it and learned.”
Servin made his Rice debut against UAB last October then started against Florida International the following week. Despite impressing coaches, they kept him within the four-game limit to be able to extend his eligibility with a redshirt.
“The confidence of playing in four games last year was huge. I’m so grateful for the redshirt rule and being allowed to play without burning my redshirt,” he said. “Just having those games under my belt now instead of coming in being a first-year or having those butterflies (and) just really focusing on the team and on winning is just huge.”
Despite that relative inexperience, Rice coaches aren’t the only ones to have recognized his ability.
On a team that lacks a single Conference USA preseason selection, Servin was named to Phil Steele’s preseason All-C-USA second team.
While many of his teammates are embracing an under dog mentality, offensive line coach Joe Ashfield said Servin is more motivated by personal improvement than recognition.
“It’s very, ‘I don’t care if we’re the best team, theworst team, the underdog or not. This is my job,” Ashfield said. “Some guys, it doesn’t faze them. They’re just going to go to work every day.”