Rice was one of two FBS programs in the state of Texas to make a coaching change ahead of the 2025 season, the other being Sam Houston. The Owls relieved Mike Bloomgren of his duties at the end of October following a loss to Connecticut, the sixth of the season. The defeat guaranteed that the Owls wouldn’t finish the regular season above .500 for the 10th straight season. Bloomgren finished his tenure on South Main with a record of 24-52 in seven seasons.

Pay attention to coaching changes in college football close enough and a trend emerges. The next coach is typically a complete 180 from the previous one. That was especially true for the Rice Owls. Bloomgren ran a pro-style offense after his days in the NFL and at Stanford. Rice wanted to zig while the rest of the state zags. The Owls scoured the country for a coach with a unique offense and experience winning at prestigious academic institutions without any recent success. They found it in Scott Abell, who spent his college coaching career at Washington and Lee, and Davidson.

“I don’t see the high academic standards as challenges, I see them as opportunities,” Abell said. “Using the great reputation of what Rice is to our advantage to attract great scholar athletes here, and that’s been the formula at my previous two stops.” 

The state of Texas has been defined by Air Raid offenses for the past 20 years. We’re a 7-on-7 state that loves to throw the football around the yard. Coaches like Mike Leach and Todd Dodge are revered and copied in the Lone Star State. But not Abell. He’s an outsider, and that’s exactly what the Owls wanted.

Abell runs a unique version of the option. He’s not from the Army or Navy tree. He compares it more to old-school Oregon when Chip Kelly was running the Ducks. Rice will run the option out of the shotgun. In 2024, Abell’s Davidson squad led FCS in rushing for the fifth consecutive year and the sixth time in seven seasons, averaging 315 yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry.

His offense didn’t start that way, however. Abell first fell in love with option football while watching Tom Osborne’s Nebraska squads in the 1990s. After a brief career as a minor league baseball player, Abell returned home to Virginia and began life as a teacher and a high school coach. He ran the option under center until he landed at Washington and Lee as an offensive coordinator. There, he visited FCS program Wofford in 2009 because Wade Lang was dabbling with the option from the shotgun. It was love at first sight.

“That visit was career changing for me. There is no other way to describe it,” Abell said. “In my last 15 years of coaching, we’ve led the country in rushing 10 times. It allowed us to be more creative and to open the passing game up while keeping guys healthy. And the kids we were recruiting were playing in shotgun formations. It all just made too much sense.”

And so did Rice’s interest in Abell. Why be the 10th-best Air Raid program in the state? The Owls want their own identity. They want success. Option football is back in vogue, especially in the American Athletic Conference. Abell knows he wasn’t a household name, especially in Texas. He’s okay with any pessimism or doubt outside the football offices on Rice’s campus. He wasn’t hired to make a splash or to win the press conference. He was hired to get the Owls into conference contention.

“When the announcement happened, I’d imagine two questions were asked: ‘Davidson plays football?’ And ‘who is Scott Abell?’” he joked this spring. “I’m okay with that. But I’m here because I’ve won. I’ve won everywhere, at places where people struggled to find the right answers.”

DCTF Take

Rice wanted a head coach who ran a unique offense and possessed a history of success at institutions with high academic standards after firing Mike Bloomgren in the middle of last season. The Owls found just that in Scott Abell, who makes his FBS debut in 2025. He deploys a run-oriented option attack that will distinguish Rice in a state that is Air Raid heavy. Success might not come easy in Year 1 as Abell changes philosophies with a roster he mostly inherited. High school coaching legend Jon Kay was elevated to defensive coordinator. Rice hasn’t finished above .500 since 2014.

Offensive Breakdown

New head coach Scott Abell said he was able to install roughly 60-70% of his option attack in his first spring with the Owls, a number he was happy with. “It has a great shot of looking like I want it to in Year 1,” he said. “The offense will mirror the strength of the quarterback who wins the job.”

The quarterback battle was a three-man race at the end of spring. The athletic Chase Jenkins, who was moved to wide receiver from quarterback by the previous staff, took the first-team reps in the spring game and his ability to run the football gives him an advantage in the new system. Redshirt freshman Drew Devillier and junior AJ Padgett are also in the running. The Owls added Kennesaw State transfer quarterback Lucas Scheerhorn in the spring portal window.

Running back Quinton Jackson was the first name mentioned when Abell spoke about offensive standouts following spring practice. The 5-foot-7, 160-pound junior plays bigger than his stature and fits what the new staff likes to do on the offensive side of the ball. “He’s lightning quick with a real burst,” Abell said about Jackson. “He’ll be a guy who thrives in this system.” Sophomore Taji Atkins, from nearby Spring Westfield, also impressed the staff this spring. The room in general is young, but Abell and the staff feel good about the talent.

The Rice offensive line might be the biggest benefactor of the schematic change. Abell says the option attack takes some pressure off the offensive linemen because of a heavy use of double teams and angle blocks that create advantages. The commitment to the run also causes opposing defenses to play more base, which makes pass blocking easier because the unit won’t see as many exotic blitzes. Center David Stickle and guard John Long figure to be starters in 2025. Yale transfer Sean Sullivan is a potential starter at left tackle.

“The offensive line had a great spring and bought into the new system right away,” Abell said. “A lot of those position battles will continue into fall camp, but that group learned and improved every day in the spring and we feel like it could be a real strength for us immediately.”

The X receiver in the new Rice offense is left on an island and must win 1-on-1 matchups on the outside. “Our receivers won’t lead the country in receptions, but big plays and yards after the catch are important to us," Abell said. Braylon Walker and Landon Ransom-Goelz are names to watch out wide. True freshman Payton Matthews is a young prospect with a lot of promise, according to Abell.

Abell describes his slot receivers as “do-it-all guys who need to be dynamic because they’re pivotal in our pitch phase. They’ll also be asked to take a fly sweep and make some plays.” Aaron Turner, who transferred to Rice from Cincinnati, and Tyson Thompson were two names mentioned at slot.

“In an ideal world, this offense distributes the ball to a lot of different guys,” Abell said. “We want to take what the defense gives us and be able to best use our personnel. We can lean into our strengths based on who ends up on the field and that’s one of the best parts of this offensive system.”

Breakout Candidates

RB Taji Atkins – The 5-7 sophomore from nearby Spring Westfield received high praise in the spring from the new coaching staff. He scored on two of his five carries as a freshman in 2024, but expect his role to be much larger in the new option attack implemented by head coach Scott Abell.

WR Tyson Thompson – A new offense might unleash Thompson’s potential. He arrived at Rice from Houston Christian back in 2022 and played mostly on special teams during his two healthy seasons. He missed 2023 with an injury. Thompson caught three passes last season. He can be a weapon in the return game, as well.

 

Projected Starters

QB          9               Chase Jenkins                 Soph.   6-0, 190               Alief Taylor

RB           10            Quinton Jackson           Jr.             5-7, 160               North Crowley

WR         81            Braylen Walker               Jr.             5-10, 171            Sulphur, La.

WR         17            Landon Ransom-Goelz             Soph.   6-0, 173               Byron Nelson

WR         2               Aaron Turner   Sr.           5-8, 185               Ellicott, Md.

TE            49            Micah Barnett                  Sr.           6-1, 232               Dickinson

LT            X               Sean Sullivan Sr.           6-5, 306               Westborough, Mass.

LG           76            John Long           Sr.           6-4, 345               Lampasas

C              64            David Stickle   Sr.           6-3, 288               Pace, Fla.

RG          50            Patrick Valent                  Soph.   6-3, 327               Warren, Ohio

RT            58            Peyton Farmer                Soph.   6-6, 292               Ridge Point

K               82            Chase Allen     Sr.           6-2, 195               Colleyville Heritage

Keep an Eye On

The Owls were quieter in the transfer portal than most schools undergoing a transition at head coach. The high academic standards, and the fact that a Rice degree is not something current players usually want to walk away from, means that new head coach Scott Abell is rolling into Year 1 with an inherited roster. He did add a few potential weapons at wide receiver and in the slot during the spring portal period. Max Balthazer (Coastal Carolina), Artis Cole (Louisiana-Monroe), and David Kasemervisz (Stanford) should all compete for snaps immediately in the Rice offense.

By the Numbers

22.2 – Rice struggled to score points as the Owls ranked 112th in scoring offense with just over 22 points per game – a full touchdown less than in 2023.

11 – The Owls fielded one of the best pass protection units in America while allowing fewer than one sack per game.

22 – The 22 turnovers lost by the Rice offense ranked 106th nationally and was fifth-most in the state of Texas. Thirteen were interceptions.

 

Defensive Breakdown

Scott Abell might be an outsider to the state of Texas but he’s no stranger to high school politics. A former high school coach himself, Abell knows the importance of establishing and cultivating positive relationships with the local power brokers, especially in a hotbed of talent like Houston, Texas.

So, when he took the job at Rice and realized one of the best high school coaches in recent Texas history was already on his defensive staff, the next step was obvious: Make him the defensive coordinator. That’s called an easy win. And any head coach at Rice would be foolish to pass those up. After all, the Owls haven’t won more than six games since 2014.

“His passion and energy that he coaches with comes out in the players,” said Abell of Kay, who joined the Rice staff in March of 2023 as the linebacker coach. Kay was 117-18 in nine seasons at Galena Park North Shore, leading the Mustangs to four Class 6A state championships.

Kay’s familiarity with the roster will help ease Abell’s transition. He’s completely overhauling the offense and installing the option. Continuity on the defensive side of the ball was a smart play. Expect the Owls to play a similar style defensively in 2025 as they did under previous defensive coordinator Brian Smith, with a few tweaks and wrinkles as Kay makes it his own, of course.

The linebacker corps should be the strength of the unit. Ty Morris and Andrew Awe, who is now a full-time linebacker, are the top two returning tacklers from a year ago. The duo combined for 108 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. “The linebacker room really jumps off the page,” Abell said after the spring. Young faces like Kaleb Blanton, Cooper King, and Beau Barton provide depth at the second level.

Nose tackle Blake Boenisch returns to anchor the defensive front. The 6-foot-3, 332-pounder from Needville has played in 37 games in his career on South Main. He was the only defensive lineman listed at over 300 pounds on the Rice roster in the spring. Fellow senior Elroyal Morris III is a potential starter at defensive tackle next to Boenisch. He accounted for 12 tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in 11 games in 2024.

BYU transfer Michael Daley earned praise for his ability to rush the passer in the spring. He was a three-star in the 2019 class who played sparingly for the Cougars, missing the 2022 season to injury and appearing five times last season. Sophomore Joseph Mutombo is a name to know at the other defensive end spot. The sophomore from Keller Central recorded three tackles for loss and two sacks in 12 games for the Owls in 2024.

Daveon Hook is a former walk-on that is in line for a starting spot at one of the deep safety positions. Marcus Williams is healthy again and could project as a starter on the back end. He’ll have to battle with the experienced Peyton Stevenson for snaps. Plae Wyatt is a name to know at the nickel position, which was called “Viper” under the previous staff. He missed the spring while rehabbing from an injury but the staff expects him 100% for the season and expects him to be a regular contributor.

Breakout Candidates

DL VJ Bronson – Depth is always a concern in the interior of the defensive line and Bronson was added in the spring portal window to help reinforce the trenches. He’s played at Lamar, Arkansas State, and most recently North Texas as he enters his fifth season of college football.

DB Marcus Williams – Injuries have held the Alabama native back in his career at Rice. He missed the back half of 2023 with an injury and only played in three games last year. Williams returned in the spring and the staff expects him to contribute this fall.

 

Projected Starters

DE           8               Joseph Mutombo          Soph.   6-5, 270               Keller Central

NT           75            Blake Boenisch              Sr.           6-3, 332               Needville

DT           30            Elroyal Morris III             Sr.           6-3, 278               Spring Dekaney

Rush     49            Michael Daley                  Jr.             6-2, 238               Alpine, Utah

MLB       27            Andrew Awe    Sr.           6-2, 238               Mansfield Lake Ridge

WLB      3               Ty Morris             Jr.             6-2, 218               Spring Dekaney

Viper     41            Plae Wyatt        Sr.           5-11, 202            McKinney Boyd

CB          5               Jerrick Harper Jr.             6-0, 185               Silsbee

CB          7               Omari Porter   Sr.           6-2, 200               Auburn, Ala.

SS           29            Daveon Hook Sr.           5-11, 185            Cibolo Steele

FS            9               Peyton Stevenson        Sr.           6-3, 192               Demopolis, Ala.

P               91            Alex Bacchetta               Soph.   6-2, 227               Atlanta, Ga.

 

Keep an Eye On

The Owls ranked seventh in the FBS in passing defense last year after only allowing 173.8 yards per game through the air. To repeat that success, the secondary must replace long-time starters such as safeties Gabe Taylor and Tyson Flowers and cornerback Sean Fresch. Rice left spring ball without concrete answers at the cornerback position. JUCO cornerback Jerrick Harper was the first transfer addition with Scott Abell in charge. He spent the last two seasons at Trinity Valley. Stanford cornerback Omari Porter also transferred to Rice in the winter portal and arrived with 31 games of experience at the Power Four level. 

 

By the Numbers

25.4 – That’s the number of points per game allowed by the Rice defense last year, which was 70th in the FBS. Jon Kay takes over as defensive coordinator.

33 – The Owls did a great job sacking the quarterback last year as the defense ranked 35th nationally with 33 sacks.

66.67 – Opponents scored a touchdown in two of every three possessions against Rice last year, which was 102nd in the country and second worst in Texas.

Ceiling

6-6

Reaching a bowl game and entering the postseason with a chance to post a winning record for the first time in over 10 years would represent a massive success in Year 1 for Scott Abell. Maybe the Owls can shock-and-awe their way to a bowl game with their version of the option.

Floor

1-11

The only sure-fire win on the schedule is at home in Week 3 against Prairie View A&M. Every other game is a coin-flip at best for an Owls team undergoing a massive change in philosophy with mostly the same cast of players. Scott Abell & Co. might need a full offseason to implement the change. 

 

Coach Gossip

“Elevating Jon Kay to defensive coordinator was a wise move. He’s a legend in this state and everybody likes and respects him at the high school level. Rice will always need to recruit from the high school ranks because of what they are as a university and Kay gives the new head coach instant credibility on the road, especially around Houston.”

“No one wants to play against offenses like the one coming to Rice. You don’t see it any other time during the year so practicing for it is tough. I feel bad for the first couple of teams on their schedule. Don’t be surprised if they bite someone early out of shock and awe.”

“Rice probably needed to think outside the box. Most of the new offensive innovation – what Kansas was doing, Liberty, Coastal Carolina, UNLV with Brennan Marion – is run oriented. That’s back in vogue.” 

 

2024 RESULTS

Aug. 31                 Sam Houston                   L, 34-14
Sept. 7                  Texas Southern              W, 69-7
Sept. 14               at Houston       L, 33-7
Sept. 21               at Army                L, 37-14
Sept. 28               Charlotte            L, 21-20
Oct. 12                 UTSA    W, 29-27
Oct. 19                 at Tulane            L, 24-10
Oct. 26                 at UConn            L, 17-10
Nov. 2                    Navy     W, 24-10
Nov. 8                    at Memphis      L, 27-20
Nov. 23                 at UAB                   L, 40-14
Nov. 30                 South Florida  W, 35-28
Record: 4-8 (3-5)

 

2025 PREDICTION

Aug. 30                 at Louisiana     L
Sept. 6                  Houston              L
Sept. 13               Prairie View A&M           W
Sept. 18               at Charlotte     W
Sept. 27               at Navy                 L
Oct. 4                     Florida Atlantic               W
Oct. 11                 at UTSA                L
Oct. 25                 UConn                  L
Oct. 31                 Memphis            L
Nov. 8                    UAB       W
Nov. 22                 North Texas     L
Nov. 29                 at South Florida             L

Record: 4-8 (3-5)

Biggest Game

Sept. 18 at Charlotte

Rice’s first conference game with Scott Abell in charge is a trip to Charlotte to face another first-year head coach in Tim Albin, who was previously at Ohio and was reportedly in the mix to become the head coach on South Main. The winner achieves an early proof of concept.

Trap Game

Oct. 4 vs. Florida Atlantic

There are no trap games for a program that hasn’t posted a winning record since 2014, but we’ll take the home game against FAU and another first-year head coach in Zach Kittley, who was formerly the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech. This game is sandwiched between trips to Navy and UTSA. 

Upset Bid

Aug. 30 at Louisiana

Scott Abell can introduce himself to FBS football with a season opening win at Louisiana, a G5 program that’s posted double-digit wins in four of its last six seasons. Louisiana won’t have any game film on Rice’s new-look option attack and that could be to the Owls’ advantage.