Owls are counting on new coach to win
Rice coach David Bailiff won a Conference USA title during his tenure leading the Owls, but three consecutive losing seasons prompted the school to fire him.
While a new jolt of energy that comes with a coaching change will could help, Rice unquestionably is one of the toughest jobs in college football.
Rice is a private school with tough academic standards and one of the smallest student populations in the country. It takes a special coach to identify talent that can succeed in the classroom and on the field. At times during Bailiff ’s tenure, it seemed as if he found a way to balance the tough task.
Ultimately, administrators determined the success was far too limited compared to the pile of losses.
Rice turned to Stanford offensive coordinator Mike Bloomgren to take over the program. Rice Mike Bloomgren (0-0, entering first season; 0-0 overall)
1-11 overall, 1-7 in Conference USA; sixth place in West Division
Rice earned a 31-14 win at UTEP during the second game of the season, but the Miners were in a tailspin and it was not a sign of good things to come the Owls’ way.
The Owls were rarely competitive all season, with a mix of injuries and lack of talent at key positions hindering the team's progress. The team lost 13-7 to FIU on Sept. 23, then lost all but one of its remaining games on the schedule by double-digit margins.
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LB Emmanuel Ellerbee and DE Brian Womac
QB Miklo Smalls, RB Nahshon Ellerbe, RB Austin Walter, RB Samuel Stewart, RB Emmanuel Esukpa
QB Miklo Smalls took over the offense late in the 2017 season and the Owls showed some progress under his direction. If he can earns the starting job, he would bring some experience to the field.
Tailbacks Nahshon Ellerbe, Austin Walter, Samuel Stewart and Emmanuel Esukpa combined for 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season. They’re arguably the strength of the Rice team.
Bloomgren previously was offensive coordinator at Stanford, giving him understanding of what it takes to succeed at a private school with high academic standards. He’ll likely rely heavily on the tailbacks until he can balance out the Rice roster.
“Mike Bloomgren is a bright, driven, and relentless coach who fits perfectly with our vision for championships on the field, scholarship in the classroom, and service to others,” Rice athletics director Joe Karlgaard said after hiring Bloomgren.
The Owls lack size, strength, depth and athleticism needed to compete with the rest of Conference USA. Rice may be able to move the ball thanks to some talented rushers, but the defense took a big hit with the departure of LB Emmanuel Ellerbee and DE Brian Womac.
It’s hard to see a way Rice will avoid a fourth consecutive losing season. Rice was patient with Bailiff, giving him 11 seasons to run the program. Bloomgren will likely need at least a few seasons to implement his changes and show what he can do leading the Owls.