2018 Rice Offense Preview

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If Mike Bloomgren were to draw the perfect blueprint for his Rice offense, it would have a lot in common with the Stanford offense that crushed the Owls in last year’s season opener.

Bloomgren was the Cardinal’s offensive line coach in that game, and Stanford ran for 287 yards while controlling the clock for 33:38. It was a textbook example of the physical mindset he helped foster at the Farm and hopes to implement on South Main.

“There is no greater feeling than to move a man from Point A to Point B against his will,” he said. “That is something we have to instill.”

With the graduated transfer of two-time all-conference pick Calvin Anderson, tackle Sam Pierce is the only returning upperclassman among a group that likely will start off with redshirt freshman Shea Baker, sophomore Uzoma Osuji and junior Joe Dill.

Also, much like Tom Herman at Houston in 2015, Bloomgren inherited a bare cupboard at tight end.

Redshirt freshman Jaeger Bull was the last man standing this spring as Jonathan Sanchez and Trevor Long had health issues. Incoming freshman Robert French could get a look, and Matt Terrill, at 275 pounds, should fill the jumbo tight end role.

“We will run a tight end on 90 percent of our plays,” he said. “But you can look for us to use two backs and two tight ends or two backs and three tight ends, and not just on the goal line.”

Austin Trammell had five catches in the spring game and shows good football smarts, Bloomgren said, and 2017 top receiver Aaron Cephus will be a matchup issue at 6-4 in the slot position.

All of last year’s quarterbacks return, although Miklo Smalls missed spring ball with personal issues and may not return. Graduate transfer Shawn Stankavage may upend last year’s starter Jackson Tyner, walk-on Evan Marshman, and Sam Glaesmann, who is recovering from surgery, but the depth chart is fluid.

“This offense allows us to be athletes and make big plays,” said Tyner, who threw for 243 yards in the spring game. “There was a lot of excitement out there.”

Bloomgren perks up when the subject turns to running backs. Emmanuel Esupka, who had 165 yards in the spring game, will be the workhorse supplemented by twins Aston and Austin Walter, who will frequently split out of the backfield as receivers, and Nahshon Ellerbe, last year’s rushing leader.

Will Phillips took most of the spring snaps at fullback but converted linebacker Randall Royal and incoming freshman Jacob Doddridge will be in the mix.

 

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