Owls show growth in season-ending win
There was a glimpse, showing what Rice was capable of, in its 30-24 victory at UAB in Week 7.
And when the Owls ended their 2021 football season this past Saturday at home, rallying from 10 points down late in the fourth quarter to beat Louisiana Tech 35-31, it validated that perhaps better days are ahead.
For a team that was overmatched in three of its four nonconference games, Rice showed improvement, managing to finish with four wins for the first time since 2015. Coach Mike Bloomgren’s fourth season ended on a high note going into the Owls’ 2022 season opener at Southern Cal on Sept. 3.
Rice faced a difficult three-game stretch to the start of the season in losses at Arkansas (38-17), to Houston (44-7) and at Texas (58-0). Making the task more difficult: Rice couldn’t keep its quarterbacks healthy.
Six times the Owls had a quarterback leave a game with an injury. T.J. McMahon, who came off the bench in the second half to craft the comeback over Louisiana Tech, started the season No. 4 on the depth chart. Because of injuries to opening-game starter Wiley Green and Jake Constantine, McMahon came into Saturday’s game as the No. 2 guy behind Luke McCaffrey.
Rice ended its season 4-8, 3-5 in Conference USA, and failed to earn a bowl berth for the seventh straight season. In his four years as Rice coach, Bloomgren is 11-31 overall. The win over Louisiana Tech marked his first double-digit comeback victory leading the team.
“That’s what I wanted to see,” Bloomgren said. “When we’re able to stay healthy, you saw the impact they had on the game. That’s exactly how we want to play football.”
The year before Bloomgren’s arrival in 2017, the Owls won only one game. In 2018, the Owls won two games, followed by three victories in 2019. In last year’s shortened COVID-19 season, the Owls went 2-3, including a 20-0 victory at nationally ranked Marshall, Bloomgren’s signature win at Rice.
“It’s happening,” Bloomgren said of winning. “It’s not happening at the pace we want it to, but it’s happening. Now we’re building. Not at a pace any of us want, but we’re building.”
Five of the Owls’ final nine games in 2021 came down to the final play. Games against North Texas (30-24) and at Charlotte (3124) were lost in overtime.
“We win those, we’re making a bowl game,” McMahon said. “We’re rising gradually but not at the pace we want. But by next year, we’ll be where we want to be.”
The Owls played their best overall game in their six-point win at UAB, handing the Blazers their first defeat in a conference home game since the program was restarted in 2017, a stretch of 15 wins.
Ball control was a strength for Rice, which led C-USA in time of possession (33:34), ninth-best nationally.
After being shut out 45-0 at UTSA midway through the season, managing only 102 yards of offense, Rice scored at least 20 points in each of its final six games.
Ari Broussard was the team’s leading rusher at 569 yards, including a 186yard outing at Charlotte. Constantine threw for a team-high 1,622 yards. Jake Bailey topped the team with 56 catches. Leading tackler Elijah Garcia had 67, with 4½ sacks. Fouryear starting linebacker Antonio Montero opened the season with back-toback double-digit tackle totals. Naeem Smith started all 12 games at free safety, picking up a team-high four interceptions.
Safety George Nyakwol collected two interceptions before a season-ending injury, missing the final seven games. Linebacker Treshawn Chamberlain missed the final nine games with an injury.
Offensive lineman Shea Baker made his 42nd career start in the finale, most of any active Owl. Baker led the team in snaps. Jordan Myers led the team with eight rushing touchdowns.
There will be major voids to fill in 2022. Among the Owls saluted on Senior Day were Garcia, Smith, Nyakwol, Myers, Broussard, Montero and Myers, as well as Constantine and Green.
McMahon is expected to return for 2022, as are major contributors Bailey, running back/receiver Cameron Montgomery, and strong safety Gabe Taylor.
“I’m really excited about next year,” said Sean Fresch, a rising star at cornerback whose 48-yard punt return to the Louisiana Tech 18-yard line set up the winning score. “This team, we’re in great position, headed in the right route ending the season with a win like that.
“With the returning players, everybody’s going to look back at how this last game went and us coming out on top. I’m just so excited about next year’s team.”
Ending the season strong, Montgomery ran for his first two career touchdowns against Louisiana Tech, including a 70yard score.
The emergence of Taylor bodes well for the Owls. He led the Owls in solo tackles (44) and was C-USA Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against UAB. Against the Blazers, he collected a career-high 10 tackles, forced a fumble, and knocked down a gameending pass.
“Gabe’s so exciting, and his future is so bright,” Bloomgren said. “The way the ball loves him, the way he gets the ball out, creates turnovers, whether it’s punching the ball out or picking off passes.
“I would hate to put a ceiling on him, because he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch and grow.”