Rice spring football:
Bloomgren hopes to change the direction of Owls after 1-11 season
Rice opens its first spring practice under new coach Mike Bloomgren on Monday. The Owls are coming off of a 1-11 season, but Bloomgren is hoping new staff, schemes and a more aggressive approach will help turn around a team that travels to Hawaii, North Texas and LSU this fall.
New QB? 1
Sam Glaesmann emerged as the Owls’ starter over Jackson Tyner after last summer but neither proved to be very effective, ultimately giving way to true freshman Miklo Smalls. Smalls was the most productive with 901 total yards and four touchdowns, but all three threw for more interceptions than touchdowns. Bloomgren has emphasized that the position is up for grabs heading into the Aug. 25 opener against Prairie View A&M, and he sought to increase competition by adding Vanderbilt transfer Shawn Stankavage and a pair of high school QBs during the signing period.
Losing ground 2
Rice expected to lose three starters up front and a few more on defense. The offensive line took another hit when left tackle Calvin Anderson opted to transfer earlier this year, opening the flood gates for a torrent of national interest from schools like Texas, Michigan, Auburn and Oklahoma. The dominoes continued to fall when defensive tackle Preston Gordon, cornerback V.J. Banks and safety J.T. Ibe also chose to take their talents elsewhere. The departures enabled Bloomgren to sell recruits on early playing time, but their losses may be difficult to immediately replace, especially after the untimely death of defensive end Blain Padgett, who was expected to be a major contributor this fall. Staying stout up front
3
Before Padgett’s death Friday, the defensive line looked deep enough to handle losing Gordon and graduating senior Brian Womac, whose 10 sacks were sixth in the nation. New defensive line coach Cedric Calhoun still has promising pieces to work with in tackles Zach Abercrumbia (two sacks in 2017) and Roe Wilkins (6½ sacks). Defensive end Graysen Schantz (1½ sacks) is also back after he was granted another year of eligibility after a season-ending injury.
Secondary struggles 4
The Owls’ secondary was gashed throughout last season, finishing 12th in Conference USA in pass defense, although it made strides under then-defensive coordinator Brian Stewart. Stewart is back in the NFL, coaching defensive backs for the Detroit Lions, and Bloomgren brought Michigan defensive backs coach Brian Smith in to run the unit. Rice had just three interceptions last year (second worst in the country), so cornerbacks Justin Bickham, D’Angelo Ellis, Brandon Douglas-Dotson and Jorian Clark will be expected to be more productive as they become the leaders of the secondary.
Holes at LB 5
Smith will run a multiple defense, so the team will have some versatility working around its inexperience at linebacker, but the position remains a question mark with the losses of Emmanuel Ellerbee and D.J. Green. Martin Nwakamma is the lone returning starter, although Smith’s scheme may force some position changes to accommodate the viper position — a physical safety who plays inside the box — that he plans to incorporate into the defense.