Owls seek to keep streak for ’20 momentum
Rice is hoping to cap what had been a winless season with three straight victories when it ends the year on the road against UTEP on Saturday.
“These last two games have been great to see the fruits of our labor,” Owls defensive lineman Myles Adams said. “When we can put all of our forces together and we can get the ball rolling and we come out victorious, it’s great to see. … I feel like we needed to put a stamp towards the end of the season.”
For Rice (2-9, 2-5 in Conference USA), the locker room was jubilant following its recent wins over Middle Tennessee then North Texas last week. But Owls coach Mike Bloomgren is urging fuller perspective heading into the season finale.
“We ain’t that good, OK,” Bloomgren said of his message to the team. “We ain’t gonna have no margin of error where we can just … win the football game.”
After throwing for more than 400 yards in Rice’s last two games combined, quarterback Tom Stewart will start against UTEP (1-10, 0-7).
With justthe one game left, the coaching staff has room to employ several younger players who have yet to exceed the four-game redshirt limit.
True freshman quarterback JoVoni Johnson could be an option, having just three games under his belt. Another freshman, center Isaac Klarkowski, made his first start and appearance against North Texas and is expected to redshirt as well.
Bloomgren has benefitted from the 2018 redshirt rule and intends to use it to preserve the eligibility of older contributors who haven’t seen the field as much in 2019.
Running back Juma Otoviano missed most of the year with a leg injury and could play against the Miners and still maintain the possibility of preserving his eligibility. Guard Cole Garcia played in nine games last year and started two this year. Already at the four-game limit, he’ll redshirt, opening the door for Klarkowski to earn another start if center Brian Chaffin (elbow injury) is unable to play Saturday.
Linebacker Kebreyun Page, cornerback Joshua Landrum and former junior college cornerback Miles McCord are at the four-game limit heading into the finale. Standout freshman receiver Zane Knipe and defensive tackle Izeya Floyd are each below it.
The eligibility equation is just one piece to the 2020 puzzle for Rice. Coaches and players have stressed that they aren’t looking ahead, but rcreating momentum for next year is just as important as gaining experience this year.
“Why not go into (the offseason) with a three-game winning streak and all the optimism in the world
for the 2020 season,” Bloomgren said. “Not to look ahead at all, (but) the reality is that any time you win your last game, everything feels better. You have momentum in recruiting, and there’s some great grad-transfer targets we’re after right now. Every little bit helps, and so that’s what we can control.”
In trying to win its final three games, the Owls passed two tougher tests against Middle Tennessee and North Texas. But having lost to UTEP last year, the three-win milestone is no guarantee.
“This will be a big opportunity for us this Saturday,” Bloomgren said. “Everybody knows how big of a deal this game is to the future of our program.”