Longhorns Week 1 Opponent Preview: Rice Owls
One more year for Texas Longhorns football in the Big 12. Will it be one to remember?
The Longhorns enter a crucial season under third-year head coach Steve Sarkisian, as tensions are high among the fans and boosters. Texas, along with Oklahoma, will depart for the SEC on July 1, 2024, marking one of the multiple drastic changes to college football that could turn the sport topsy-turvy in the not-so-distant future.
Texas won't just be looking to win its first Big 12 title since 2009, but also its last before joining a conference that features five of the previous 12 national championship winners since 2000.
A returning Quinn Ewers seems to have stabilized the offensive gameplan at quarterback, while another year in the system for receivers such as Xavier Worthy and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders should provide upside. Defensively, the Longhorns should be at their best, especially with the return of All-Big 12 linebacker Jaylan Ford and defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.
All eyes turn to Week 2 as the Longhorns make the trip over to Tuscaloosa for a rematch with Alabama as part of their home-and-home series.
But, one still can't overlook Rice in Week 1, which should be a much more dynamic offense under fifth-year coach Mike Bloomgren. The Owls aren't necessarily viewed as a threat, but Bloomgren led the program to its first bowl game since 2014 after posting the highest APR score among 5-7 teams.
Much like Texas, Rice also is making a conference switch, departing Conference USA in favor of the American Athletic Conference, alongside fellow Lonestar State programs UTSA and North Texas.
With the rise in status comes an increase in expectation. Are the Owls ready to meet the challenge? Better yet, is Texas ready to end its tenure in the Big 12 with a title?
Be sure to stick with LonghornsCountry.com as we preview every aspect of the matchup with the Owls throughout the week.
Rice Owls
2022 Record: 5-8 (3-5 in Conference USA)
Head coach: Mike Bloomgren
Offensive Set: Pro Style
Defensive Set: 4-2-5
Offense:
It's hard to pinpoint the starters for a roster that's lost countless names via the transfer portal in graduation, but the Owls will have one of the more seasoned veterans under center. Bloomgren, who inherited a program that finished 1-11 in 2018, likely is willing to have a "QB battle" during the regular season, but former five-star JT Daniels didn't settle down in Houston to ride the pine.
Daniels, who enters his sixth season, now looks to win the starting job on his fourth roster. After transferring from USC to Georgia, Daniels looked to be the answer at quarterback following a win over Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. An oblique injury against Clemson in the season opener forced him to the bench, thus re-opening the door for Stetson Bennett IV to grab back the starting job. And the rest — two national championships and a Heisman finalist later — is history.
Daniels started 10 games last season for West Virginia, throwing for 2,107 yards and 10 TDs. He faced Texas in Week 5, totaling 253 passing yards and a TD while completing 60.4 of his passes. After a lost year, he now looks to call Houston home in his final season of eligibility.
The good news? Rice has several dynamic weapons that should make Daniels' transition easy. Former quarterback and younger brother of All-Pro running Christian McCaffery, Luke, has transformed into a reliable slot target. Last season, Luke McCaffery finished with 723 receiving yards and six TDS while averaging 12.9 yards per catch. Bradley Rozner, Rice's leading receiver last season, provides a vertical element to the passing game after averaging 19.9 yards per catch last fall.
Juma Otoviano, Rice's returning lead rusher, should provide a change of pace on the ground. His best game last season came against North Texas when he averaged 6.7 yards per snap. He averaged 5.7 yards on 47 carries and scored a touchdown in the overtime win against Louisiana Tech.
Defense:
Score early, score often, and score some more should be the Owls' motto in 2023. It's challenging recruiting at a program known for its Ivy-league level of academics. It's even more rigorous working the transfer portal in favor of turning the corner to add in established talent.
Rice added six players via the portal this offseason on offense, but only one of defense in Colgate defensive tackle Coleman Coco. The unit struggled to keep opponents out of the end zone, ranking 121st in scoring (34.2 points allowed per game), and 92nd in third-down conversion rate (41.2 percent). The pass defense was among the few bright spots, ranking inside the top 50 of all FBS programs. That, however, could be accredited to a formidable pass rush up front.
Chris Conti, Myron Morrison and Josh Pearcy all return at linebacker and should provide a much-welcomed spark. Conti led the Owls in tackles (75) last season, while Pearcy finished with a team-high 6.5 sacks. Morrison led the team in interceptions with two and registered 74 stops, 5.5 of which were for losses.
Defensive coordinator Brian Smith has built an aggressive front seven with the ability to disrupt the passer, but coverage must improve if the Owls look to contend in their first season as members of the AAC.
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