Bloomgren in ‘ultimate juggling act’
Mixing Wednesday’s first day of the early signing period with bowl preparation might make things hectic for the Rice football program, but coach Mike
Bloomgren is not complaining.
By virtue of a 6-6 record in its first season playing in the American Athletic Conference, Rice earned its way to the First Responder Bowl in Dallas, where it will play Texas State next Tuesday. It’s the Owls’ second bowl invitation in as many years.
“We understand it’s a business trip,” Bloomgren said. “We also understand it’s a reward for our players that they have earned.”
In the meantime, the Rice coaching staff has been busy with portal recruiting, official visits from high school players, and taking care of their team.
“It’s the ultimate juggle act,” Bloomgren said.
Bloomgren noted that not one Owl who played this season has entered the transfer portal to this point.
“Our team is choosing to stay together and continuing to fight this fight to make this an elite program,” Bloomgren said.
This is only the third time Rice has earned a bowl berth in consecutive seasons.
“Being back in the fold for the second year in a row is a big deal for the continued growth of our program,” Bloomgren said. “We’re a consistent group that is enjoying every practice we get. We’re getting our work in.”
Bloomgren is expecting every player who played against Florida Atlantic in the regular-season finale to be available against Texas State except tight end Jack
Bradley, whom Bloomgren is nonetheless hopeful of getting back for the game at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Last year, Rice’s bowl in Mobile, Ala., was played Dec. 17. In preparation for Texas State, the Owls completed seven practices by
the time finals were concluded. The Owls went through three practices before a bowl opponent was announced.
QB Padgett draws another bowl start
At the beginning of the 2022 football season, A.J. Padgett was fourth-string quarterback at Rice. Because of injuries at the position, as well as his progression, the true freshman was the team’s top signal caller by the time the Owls played Southern Miss in the LendingTree Bowl.
With J.T. Daniels medically retired after missing the final three regularseason games of 2023, Padgett steps in as starter against Texas State in the First Responder Bowl.
“I want him to continue to earn his confidence as we play this game on the 26th the way we know he is capable of playing,” Bloomgren said. “We’ve seen stuff from A.J. that is high-level quarterback play.”
Padgett will be making his sixth career start in two years at Rice. In the LendingTree Bowl, the Frisco Reedy product threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
“To come in with that experience is going to help me a lot,” Padgett said. “Since I’ve been around the
bowl atmosphere, I know what it takes and will be able to correct myself on some of the things I did last season.
“From an experience level, there’s certainly more density of content just to learn in general. To work out things (in games and practices) is big in my development.”
Bowl loss last year offers motivation
Participating in the LendingTree Bowl a year ago was significant for the Owls, who ended an eightyear postseason drought. But a 38-24 loss to Southern Miss, in which Frank
Gore Jr. ran for a whopping 329 yards, did not sit well with Rice edge rusher
Josh Pearcy, who wants to make amends next week in the First Responder Bowl.
“This time around, we’re more prepared and understanding what expectations are with a game like this,” Pearcy said.
Last year’s bowl loss motivates Pearcy to help his team come out on top against Texas State.
“To see (Southern Miss) hoist that trophy at the end of the game gave me a bad feeling all season,” Pearcy said. “You don’t get that many opportunities. It’s not about earning (bowl invitations). It’s about going there and winning it.”
Old friend Bailiff on the other side
Former Rice and Texas State football coach David
Bailiff is now a special assistant to first-year Bobcats coach G.J. Kinne.
Bailiff won two conference championships as a Bobcat — one as a player in 1980 and another as head coach in 2005. At Rice from 2007-17, he was twice named conference coach of the year (in 2008 and 2013).
“Coach Bailiff is awesome,” Kinne said. “Strategically, I put his office next to mine. It’s little things he will share with me, certain things he has a lot of experience with that maybe I don’t. This is my first bowl game as a head coach.
“Somebody that is inhouse that has done it at a high level and won a bunch of games and done it the right way, it’s always good to have someone in your corner like that.”
Mahdi in spotlight after superb year
Ismail Mahdi picked up first-team All-America honors from CBS Sports/247 Sports after leading the nation and setting Texas State’s FBS program record with 2,014 all-purpose yards this season. Last year as a true freshman at FCS-level Houston Christian, the 5-9, 180-pounder from Plano East accumulated 901 allpurpose yards and five scores over eight games.
Mahdi has 1,209 rushing yards, 276 receiving yards, and 529 kick return yards in 12 games this season. He has totaled 12 touchdowns.
Moving closer to home while and wanting to be part of Texas State’s explosive offense were reasons Mahdi left HCU, which had a coaching change following the 2022 season.
“There is talent everywhere, not just FBS” Mahdi said. “Kids from junior college, FCS like me. It’s about getting the right guys and putting them in the right system and have them buy in.”