Owls focus on positive steps heading to Bayou Bucket
Rice and Houston no longer play in the same conference. The football teams do not meet annually, but when they do play, there is renewed interest from both programs and its respective fanbases.
Saturday night’s game at Rice is interesting in that each school has moved into a new conference: Rice said goodbye to Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference. Houston left the AAC for the Big 12.
Regardless of conference affiliations, Rice against Houston is a big deal. The campuses are located less than five miles apart.
“Growing up in Houston, the UH brand always wanted to claim the city of Houston,” said Rice linebacker Myron Morrison, a junior from Atascocita. “It’s our job, and our turn, to show that there’s a team down the street that wants to claim that title.
“Our goal going into Saturday is to bring home that Bayou Bucket. Especially being a Houston kid. To claim that would be everything.”
Saturday is the 45th football meeting between the two schools, the 42nd to decide possession of the Bayou Bucket. Houston leads the series 33-11 and Rice has lost the past seven matchups.
“Anytime you play a team in Texas, that’s cool,” sixth-year Rice coach Mike Bloomgren said. “But in your own city, that’s fun. The rivalry is real.”
A year ago, at UH, Rice lost to the Cougars 34-27, a game the Owls led in the fourth quarter before letting it slip away.
“Last year was a game we went into it feeling like we definitely could have taken it,” Morrison said. “And it came down to the last play.”
Daniels aims for better numbers
Numbers wise, J.T. Daniels did not dazzle in his Rice debut. In the Owl’s 37-10 loss at Texas, the fivestar recruit, who has played quarterback at Southern Cal, Georgia and West Virginia, passed for 149 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-26 passing with two interceptions.
Texas’ defensive pressure had a lot to do with Daniels’ pedestrian numbers in the Owls’ season opener in Austin. The Owls managed only eight first downs — five by passing. Rice’s onegame average of 176 yards is ranked 128th of 130 FBS teams.
“I thought with the pressure that was on him, the things that he has to clean up in his game, are not turning the ball over in those instances,” Bloomgren said. “He’s been very clear on how he will not do that going forward to his teammates.”
A late-game drive shows promise. The Owls converted a fourth down and ultimately ended the drive on a difficult 15-yard scoring pass from Daniels to Luke McCaffrey.
“That was a big-time throw,” Bloomgren said. “But that’s what he does, he makes big-time throws. That’s why he’s here and that’s why he was a five-star (recruit) coming out.
“That’s the growth we need from him, and we also need him to hit the throws that he’s capable of making. We do hold him to a very high standard. And when we see him attain that, we’re all going to enjoy it.”
Defensive front stands out at UT
One aspect against Texas that Rice left its mark was three sacks against a Longhorns offensive line that allowed only eight sacks a year ago and returns all five starters.
De’Braylon Carroll was credited with 1½ sacks, sharing a sack with Coleman Coco, who added a hit in his FBS debut. Josh Pearcy was credited with a solo sack in addition to a hit and one hurry. Chike Anigbogu was credited with a hit and linebacker Chris Conti was credited with a hurry.
“That tells you our guys are getting after the passer,” Bloomgren said. “I feel great who our defense is, and playing our kind of ball. And to see those guys hitting the quarterback and making (Texas quarterback) Quinn Ewers’ life uncomfortable back there was awesome to see.”
Texas passed for an even 300 yards and rushed for 158 on 39 carries. Last year, the Owls allowed averages of 5.4 yards per rush. Morrison feels this year’s defense is better than in 2022 and more adept at making simple adjustments throughout the game.
“We’ve grown more by how seasoned we are and how much team speed we have,” Morrison said. “Guys like Josh Pearcy, De’ Braylon and myself, (cornerback), Sean Fresch. We have played together for a while.”
The Longhorns’ 458 yards came on 75 plays. Rice also held Texas to 1-of-3 on fourth-down conversions. The Owls played well in the red zone, putting Texas in position to settle for three field goals.
“We handled the run well, which is a huge point of emphases, especially the way we ended last season,” Anigbogu said.
Carroll being healthy is crucial
A healthier Carroll is a contributing factor for Rice’s sack total against Texas. Carroll’s solo sack on Saturday is only the second allowed in the career of left tackle Kelvin Banks , an Outland and Lombardi Award watch list member.
After missing the 2021 season with injury, Carroll played in 2022, but the 6-0, 290-pound junior tackle is rounding into form.
“De’Braylon is not only back to pre-injury De’Braylon, which we all wanted to see, he’s a much better version than that,” Bloomgren said. “He’s the best he’s ever played. Josh Pearcy is playing at a level that’s the best he’s ever played. Coco was a great add, he plays with a great motor.”
With Carroll, nose tackle Izeya Floyd (6-2, 315) and backup nose tackle Blake Boenisch (6-3, 330) packing the middle, it allow the edge rushers to clean up.