Coach Hatfield shows 'em how as Donnie Pinkerton looks on

Owls spirited, if rusty
in first spring workout

HOUSTON (Mar. 13) -- The Rice Owls opened spring drills here Tuesday on the grass practice field with a spirited workout  in which both veterans and redshirt newcomers made their presence felt -- smack up against each other, at times.

Rice head coach Ken Hatfield wasted no time in working up to eleven-on-eleven play reps in which offensive and defensive players both occasionally forgot they were wearing only helmets and shorts, ignoring whistles to stop play only when bodies slammed to the turf.

The Owl coaching staff welcomed 80 players including nine walkons to the first of a series of 15 spring practices to be held between today and mid-April.

Extra time was spent on the passing game, starting off with a seven-on-seven series of repetitions, sans down linemen.  Toward the end of the workout, first team offense went against first team defense, with QBs, wideouts and defensive backs rotating in and out.

New OC a study in preoccupation

New Rice offensive coordinator Scott Wachenheim looked like a man with a lot on his mind as the day unfolded. He moved up and down the scrimmage line from play to play, intently gathering in the action and keeping tightly clutched a clipboard with a thick sheaf of papers clipped to it.  Without divulging specifics, we can speculate that some of those pieces of paper appeared to show a new set of pass plays.  Now, the trick this spring will be to execute  them well enough so they'll stand a good chance to work against, say,  guys like the Nebraskas, come fall.

For once, the tools appear to be in place.  Soph WR Gavin Boothe looked like a man on a mission in these early goings, with his precise pass routes, leaping catches and stinging downfield blocks.  On at least one occasion, Owl defensive backs took issue and returned the enthusiasm, post-whistle, before Coach Henshaw was able to intervene and quiet things down.  It was the kind of tussle that a football coach doesn't really mind at all seeing in spring practice.  Showed these guys mean business.

Boothe, in his brief outing so far, shows vestiges of superstar status.   The remaining receivers are all healthy.  The offensive line is experienced and battle-hardened.

Of course it's premature to predict that the latest combination of coaching and player personnel will yield up a new era of aerial bombastics in the Hatfield camp under new QB coach John Bland.

Linemen jumpy, quarterbacks on the wild side

While linemen on both sides of the ball were displaying an expected bit of rustiness by hopping around on the count like so many Mexican jumping beans, all three Owl quarterback hopefuls were, shall we say, in less than mid-season form in the pin-point precision department Tuesday.  Corey Evans and Jeremy Hurd for the most part were chunking 'em up into the cheap seats.  Kyle Herm missed on his share of downfield flings as well, although he once again showed his nifty touch with that sort of high floater he throws that always seems to come down in the right place.

One thing all three men had in common, however -- and one hopes it remains a byword for this spring's action -- is that they were all fit, healthy and raring to go.   Corey seems to have shed all vestiges of the serious leg injury he suffered year before last.  Jeremy appears quicker than ever -- and he even seems to have put on a pound or two of bulk.  Kyle looks to have shed all of the nagging injuries that kept him from reaching his potential last year, and he simply exudes confidence.

A few other guys looked as if they'd benefited from mama's cooking and a few extra sessions in the weight room over the off-season.  Leroy Bradley, Brandon Green, Billy Harvin, Ryan Smith, Ross Lassley, and Patrick Dendy, among others, looked to have added bulk without sacrificing speed or quickness.

Several redshirts drew attention as well.   Danny Cestero looks to be ready to provide solid backup at the LB spot.  Highly-regarded but injured speedster Donnie Pinkerton finally looks ready to play.   Raymorris Barnes, Gabe Howe, Jason Benjamin, and Clint Hatfield, among others,  all looked ready to make an immediate contributution.

Aaron Sandoval was back in action at center, but did not wear helmet and shoulder pads as it appears he is being worked back gradually toward full playing speed.

Generally speaking, the best news that obviously came out of this first workout is that a lot of Owls who were out with injuries or playing hurt for a large part of last season are all back 100 per cent.  The team appeared to be as healthy as it's been for a least a couple of years, and that includes the off - seasons.

These are only offhand, subjective impressions and  it's likely that numerous outstanding contributors have been overlooked.  We're just trying to give you a flavor of the proceedings.

In a nutshell:  So far, so good.

Rice scrimmages on turf,
gauges mettle of redshirts

HOUSTON (Mar. 23) – The Rice Owls underwent a fast-paced, 90-minute scrimmage on the Rice Stadium turf here Friday afternoon in a workout designed by coaches to test the mettle of redshirts and squadmen contending for positions. About 150 people observed the goings-on, mostly Owl player family members.

Coaches ran first-string versus second-string offenses and defenses, but substituted liberally. The general tenor of the scrimmage was "hurry, hurry, hurry" -- lots of hollering by assistants, to try and create a sense of game-like urgency. Outside officials were used, and the field position gained by the offense was maintained, but the Owl staff occasionally would have the team run the same play over again in order to hone execution skills.

PK Derek Crabtree impressed by hitting three, straight 40-yard field goals after missing the first of four tries, quickly one after another.

Kyle Herm and Jeremy Hurd split playing time at quarterback, Corey Evans continuing to be held out of contact due to a minor but nagging groin pull. In fact, approximately six or seven potential starters were withheld from play, including DL B. J. Forguson and OC Aaron Sandoval.

The general consensus in the stands was that Jeremy was maybe just slightly ahead of Kyle, on the running game; but Kyle was noticeably better, in the passing game. The running game looked solid in the quarterback and fullback positions, while the wide-open running back slots were a little more difficult to gauge. Sean White did have a couple of noticeably sharp, side-line threading runs, however.

Owls knock heads, prep for scrimmage

HOUSTON (Mar. 21) – The Rice Owls continued their spring practice with a two-hour drill held in full pads on the grass practice field here Wednesday afternoon,  in anticipation of their first full-bore scrimmage, slated for Friday. The workout focused on all-out 11-on-11 play reps, and Rice coaches encouraged a good bit of head - knocking, as contention for playing time next season has begun to heat up in earnest.

Who said this spring was going to wind up a mundane series of walk-throughs by an experienced squad with most starting positions well set for the fall? There are some motivated redshirts and squadmen who have in mind upsetting the apple cart – and are getting in some serious licks to demonstrate their interest in earning some big-time minutes, come September.

When the full pads were first pulled on, late last week, the hitting was sufficiently fast and furious, and, in a case or two, late,  that a couple of Owls, one a lineman, one a linebacker, were invited to leave practice early, run a few wind sprints, and take a cool shower to simmer down. Haven’t seen that happen very often on South Main.

(We need to put these guys on the front row at Reckling, the next time that McKeown character umpires one of our baseball games.)

Those same players were back on the field today, a bit more self-contained but no less intense. What it boils down to: the battle is heightening for the backup positions who’ll see a lot of playing time under Coach Hatfield’s system. And we’re not just talking about quarterback.

One guy who’s standing tall in the defensive line, literally, is redshirt Scott Mayhew out of Nederland. He looks to have grown to about 6-7, 275, and he’s batting down passes standing flatfooted. He appears really to have developed physically over the past year, and he’ll be expected to provide some much needed depth at defensive line.

Redshirt Danny Cestero has been tested at both linebacker and defensive end this spring, but bets are he’ll be getting in some serious PT at the DE spot next season. He appears to have upped his bulk to close to 250, and has show good skills this spring at penetrating and sealing the way a good defensive end needs to do.

In the secondary, walkon Roberto Vega  turned heads Wednesday, showing surprising toughness and good hands.

We’ve already mentioned DL Brandon Green a couple of times this spring, but he deserves  more, Wednesday afternoon repeatedly showing his improved ability to stuff the run. If he can pick up a few pass-rushing gimmicks between now and September he has the makings of a real star.  He seems to keep improving with every practice.

On the offensive side, a couple of greenhorns were singled out for approving slaps on the shoulder pads by Coach Wachenheim. Cotey-Joe Cswaykus – who has perhaps the best name in NCAA Division 1 – has worked his way into serious contention for backup to starting center Aaron Sandoval. And Greg Wilson, who played like a house afire Wednesday, looks to be in a position to get a serious look at offensive guard, providing a fourth to go with established starters Heath Fowler and Keith Meyer, plus Ryan Smith.

At the offensive tackle spot, Anthony Mowry was slowed down a bit by what looked to be a shoulder sprain Wednesday, but played well prior to being relegated, at least temporarily, to the red cross team.

Jason Benjamin, who’s been impressive at safety, also was hobbled somewhat by what looked to be a slightly twisted ankle.

FB Jordan Kramer earned plaudits by Rice offensive coaches for his exploits Wednesday, after veterans Jamie Tyler and Robbie Beck have been lighting it up all spring – so it looks like a traffic jam at the fullback spot, which bodes well. All three could wind up seeing playing time, although Robbie and Jamie appear to be a solid one-two punch.

Wish we could give a similar report vis a vis the running back position, but there’s yet to be any clear front runners among the Owl speedster corps campaign – it’s strictly New Hampshire primary time, and we’re still looking for a dark horse who can gallop.

Rice spring practice snapshots...

QBs' throwing consistency shows
improvement amid crosswind

DL Brandon Green uses wide wingspan to wrap up QB Kyle Herm

HOUSTON (Mar. 19) – The Rice Owls went through the fourth of a series of 15 regular spring workouts, once again in full pads on the grass practice field, here Monday.

It was expected that a number of high school coaches would witness the proceedings, but a slated on-campus chapter meeting of the Texas High School Football Coaches Association didn’t come off, being instead postponed until March 26.

Owl quarterback hopeful Corey Evans was held out of practice due to a slightly pulled groin muscle, but that gave Jeremy Hurd and Kyle Herm that many more play reps, and both seemed energized by the additional play time.

On a clear, cool day, the wind kept swirling and shifting, and that made throwing more of a challenge than usual. Kyle Herm’s passing was on target more often than not, however, and he impressed Owl insiders with his consistent ability accurately to deliver a very catchable ball on downfield sideline patterns.

But Jeremy Hurd made some nice throws as well, and continues to show improvement on his broken-field running capabilities.

The offensive line appeared to be slightly ahead of the defensive line Monday as Rice coaches gave a long look to redshirt and squadmen DLs, shuffling a lot of them in and out on the 11-on-11s. A couple of times Kyle Herm helped greenhorn DLs earn chewings-out after they came up empty-handed  when Kyle made some nifty quick cuts. Sure, the linemen were inexperienced, but those were the same kind of cuts he made against UTEP last November.

Brandon Green was not among those faked out, however, as his performance continues to improve and impress.  Scott Mayhew has also been given frequent on-field plaudits by Rice assistants.

B.J. Forguson is being held out of contact drills – not because of any particular problem with his comeback from injury but rather simply to avoid any unnecessary risks with his rehab program. But the Beej was his usual entertaining self in shorts and t-shirt on the sideline Monday, giving his teammates encouragement and a engaging in his trademark hijinks all at the same time.

Brandon and B.J., each in their own way, on the field and off, have made it clear they’ll be ready to play a leading role, come September.

The Owls this week will work toward a (closed) scrimmage to be held Friday.

Owls don full pads in Thursday workout

HOUSTON (Mar. 15) -- The Rice Owls strapped on full pads for an extended workout on the grass practice field here Thursday, as crisp, sunny spring weather finally showed its face and made for ideal conditions for full-speed contact.

Rice head coach Ken Hatfield sent his team through 11-on-11 play reps as both offensive and defensive coaches kept the pressure on during the course of the afternoon.   Substitutions were frequent and redshirt freshmen got a good look from the Owl coaching staff.

The defensive secondary tried to focus on making big plays.  "I want an interception or a forced fumble recovery, every play," Coach Roger Henshaw told his charges. And he got a couple of them, anyway.

The defense appeared to be somewhat ahead of the offense as the day unfolded.   Rice defensive coaches encouraged a lot of whooping and hollering each time the D would make a big stop.

Coach Hatfield did a little whooping and hollering himself as he jumped in repeatedly to step off the play moves of various skill position players on both sides of the ball -- nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.

The squad appeared to be loose and enthusiastic in the warm, crisp weather, and nary an Owl was seen on the first aid wagon, by workout's end.

The team closed out with a punting drill for both the offensive and defensive sides.   Veteran Owl punter Travis Hale had been booming them in the stadium, but was a little off when going with the full 11.

Jason Benjamin was used as the deep punt receiver -- no word whether that comprised an audition for a full time job for him back there.

Redshirt RB/receiver Clint Hatfield continued to receive on-field plaudits for his hustle and tenacity.  Either he's impressing some Owl coaches -- or Coach really must like to hear Clint's name called

Experience in the trenches a plus for Owls in spring work

Rice starts spring drills
long on experience

HOUSTON (Mar. 6) -- The Rice Owls commence 15 days of spring practice next Tuesday (Mar. 13) with a squad that's long on experience, but not without certain questions which need answering and holes that need plugging before opening game against the Houston Cougars Sept. 1.

Twenty-eight seniors will cast a mature tone to the proceedings, and among the returners will include 17 starters, give or take,  from last year.  So the focus on the field will likely turn more toward sharpening of skills and crisp execution, rather than an all-out war for starting spots leading into fall drills.

No word yet on which Owls, if any, will be sidelined for spring contact work because of not-quite-yet-healed injuries, but program insiders will be looking cautiously at the first couple of contact drills to see just who's on the field and who's being held out.

Assuming a full or near-full return of down linemen, both the Owl offensive and defensive sides will feature a lot of time-in-grade in the trenches.  The anticipated return of Aaron Sandoval, at center, plus the return of four starting down linement from last year, bode well for the front end of an option attack that's now under the tutelage of new Rice offensive coordinator Scott Wachenheim.

Coach Wachenheim has been promoted to offensive coordinator and John Bland has joined the football staff as quarterbacks coach, after former Rice OC David Lee took a position at the University of Arkansas.  Coach Bland had been the head coach at Southern Arkansas University.

Scott came to Rice along with Coach Ken Hatfield in 1994 and has been a fixture as offensive line coach, known for the intensity he brings to his charges, both on and off the field.  He expects full attention and a high degree of dedication from his players, and it's expected that he'll provide an added measure of intensity to spring drills, given his newly-elevated stature.

But perhaps Coach Bland has the biggest task ahead of him for spring practice, because there's a whole flock of Owls vying for the starting nod at man-under, come fall.  Returning lettermen who spent noteable time at quarterback last year include Jeremy Hurd and Corey Evans, who split starting assignments, plus Kyle Herm, whose playing time was limited by a nagging shoulder injury.

All three Rice quarterbacks, in fact,  were limited by injuries at some time during last season, a major component of the Owls' Y2K Nightmare on Main Street when it seemed the entire team, at times, was winged and grounded.  But beyond that, while all three men showed flashes of brilliance and gobs of potential at times last fall, none of them appeared consistently to exhibit the Entire Package, including running and passing skills, good decision-making on the option, and take-charge leadership characteristics.

Check that.  One guy did -- if only for a quarter or so.   After Jeremy Hurd went down on the first play from scrimmage in the UTEP game, Kyle Herm came in and took charge, making great decisions on the option, getting downfield in a hurry on the run, and lofting a beautiful TD floater for an early Owl lead.  But, danged if he didn't get the shoulder winged and had to go to the locker room late in the first half, leaving Rice fans with a tantalizing "what-if."

Question is, will John Bland be able to help out Ken Hatfield blow some real oxygen on those embers, come this spring, or will the Owls continue to be faced with a puzzling jumble of talented, but yet just not quite there, quarterback hopefuls come opening kickoff against the Coogs.

Running back, too, is a question, except at the fullback position, where old hand Jamie Tyler and young turk Robbie Beck are expected both to hold down the spot admirably. But the other RB positions are wide open, and it's premature to suggest a list of particularly likely candidates, at this juncture.

On the defensive side, the  X's and O's appear to be much more settled.  All-America candidate (and we do mean TRUE All-America candidate) Dan Dawson leads a defensive crew that features 10 returning starters.  All-conference Jason Hebert will be there to provide leadership for the only spot which which is light on experience, that being the defensive backfield.

Coach Hatfield is known for not particularly wanting to air it all out in spring practice.  He likes to focus more on the fundamentals.  This year, as usual, there'll be no spring game, and only a handful of full-bore scrimmages.

The challenge is there for the Owls  to regain some momentum that was lost during Rice's injury-riddled 3-8 campaign last year.  With 28 seniors, Coach Hatfield is being provided a luxury of experience that he seldom is in a position to enjoy.

So the road to September, ever so long and occasionally dreary, begins next week.

Rice Owls 2001 spring practice roster

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