2019-09-13 Double Coverage by The Daily Texan

T H E D A I LY TEXAN PRESENTS

Double Coverage VOL. 14 ISSUE 3 | SEP. 13, 2019

september 13, 2019

TEXAN

staff picks

MARCUS KRUM

WILLS L AY T O N

DONNAVAN SMOOT

MYAH TAY L O R

STEPHEN WAGNER

ALEX BRISEÑO

CLARK D A LT O N

DANIELA PEREZ

CAMERON PA R K E R

NO. 12 TEXAS AT R I C E

TEXAS

NO. 19 IOWA AT I OWA S TAT E

IOWA STATE

IOWA

IOWA STATE

IOWA

IOWA STATE

NO. 24 USC AT B Y U

USC

BYU

USC

BYU

NO. 20 WASHINGTON S TAT E AT H O U S TO N NO. 21 MARYLAND AT T E M P L E K A N S A S S TAT E AT M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E A R I Z O N A S TAT E AT N O. 1 8 M I C H I G A N S TAT E NO. 9 FLORIDA AT K E N T U C K Y N O RT H C A R O L I N A AT WAKE FOREST

WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON WASHINGTON STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE

MARYLAND

MARYLAND MARYLAND MARYLAND

MARYLAND

MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI MISSISSIPPI STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE

MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE STATE

ARIZONA STATE

MICHIGAN MICHIGAN MICHIGAN MICHIGAN MICHIGAN STATE STATE STATE STATE STATE

MICHIGAN STATE

FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH NORTH CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA CAROLINA

WAKE FOREST

N O. 6 O H I O S TAT E AT I N D I A N A

OHIO STATE

LAST WEEK’S RECORD OVERALL RECORD

7-3 16-4

3-7 11-9

4-6 11-9

3-7 11-9

3-7 12-8

5-5 14-6

6-4 13-7

5-5 14-6

6-4 15-5

DOUBLE COVERAGE Double Coverage Editor Design Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Cover Photo

Marcus Krum Maria Perez Joshua Guenther Megan Shankle Eddie Gaspar

Well, that hurts. LSU marched into town last weekend and escaped with a 45-38 win in one of the best college football games of the young season. But don’t lose hope, Longhorn faithful. If there’s anything to take away from last week’s heartbreaker, it’s that junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger and LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow are both equally talented and equally fun to watch. A true test of a team, however, is in how they respond to adversity. Let’s see how Texas responds in its first

Writers Daniela Perez Donnavan Smoot Myah Taylor Stephen Wagner

EDITOR’S NOTE

Clark Dalton Wills Layton Cameron Parker

away game against Rice.

Marcus Krum, Double Coverage Editor

double coverage

BIG 12 power rankings By Marcus Krum | @marcuskrum

1. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

3. BAYLOR BEARS

2. TEXAS LONGHORNS

So far, the Sooners are doing what great teams do: beating up on weaker opponents. This time, it was South Dakota that was tasked with stopping senior quarterback Jalen Hurts’ outstanding start to the season, and Oklahoma hung 70 points on the Coyotes.

There’s no reason to drop Texas in the rankings after the heartbreaking loss to LSU. The Longhorns showed they can battle back from a deficit when needed, and junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger settled in nicely to throw for a career-high 401 yards. The secondary might want to rethink the DBU shirts, however.

The Bears are one of just two teams this week to make a jump in the rankings. Junior quarterback Charlie Brewer looks like the real deal. Baylor rolled UTSA 63-14, and it looks like this may be the first year since the Art Briles era that the team is truly a contender in this conference.

4. TCU HORNED FROGS

5. IOWA STATE CYCLONES

There’s a chance that the Horned Frogs head into their Week Eight date with Texas with zero losses. Their only big test before the matchup will come in Ames, Iowa, against the Cyclones. Until then, it may be smooth sailing for a reloaded TCU team that is trying to fight its way back to Big 12 relevance.

6. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS

There wasn’t an opportunity last weekend for the Cyclones to prove that their Week One near-debacle was an outlier, but this week brings a true test. No. 19 Iowa comes to Ames, and Iowa State will get a chance to vault themselves back into the conference championship conversation with a win over the Hawkeyes.

It was another solid week for the Cowboys. Freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders led the team in both rushing and passing yards against FCS McNeese State, amassing 301 total yards and three touchdowns in a 56-14 win. But again, Oklahoma State will need to prove its talent once conference play rolls around.

8. TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS Just like many other teams in the conference, the Red Raiders have taken advantage of a light schedule early on. Tech took on UTEP, ranked dead last out of 130 teams in SB Nation’s S&P+ projections, and won handily 38-3 — but there will be more to prove in the coming weeks.

9. WesT VIRGINIA mOUNTAINEERS It’s going to be a long year for the folks from Morgantown, West Virginia, maybe even longer than expected. The Mountaineers went to Columbus, Missouri, and got absolutely walloped by the Tigers, losing 38-7. Junior transfer quarterback Austin Kendall hasn’t quite filled the hole left by Will Grier.

7. KANSAS STATE WILDCATS

The Wildcats pitched a shutout in a 52-0 win over Bowling Green on Saturday. It’s a good step in the right direction for first-year head coach Chris Klieman, but the cakewalk is over. Mississippi State is up next, followed by Oklahoma State and Baylor to start the conference schedule.

10. KANSAS JAYHAWKS It didn’t look like it could get much worse for a Big 12 team after West Virginia’s performance, but Kansas takes the cake. Les Miles’ Jayhawks fell to the Sun Belt’s Coastal Carolina 127, showing that their place as the conference’s bottom dweller may be secure for quite some time.

september 13, 2019

GAMES to watch HEISMAN WATCH By Clark Dalton | @Clarktdalton1T

NO. 20 washington state AT houston Friday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN

Washington State head coach Mike Leach continues to take unproven quarterbacks and transform them into stat-stuffers. In 2019, the air raid was given to quarterback Anthony Gordon, a fifth-year senior who had only appeared in two games before this season. This inexperience has not manifested on the field — Gordon has thrown nine touchdowns accompanied by a QBR of 90.8, the sixth best rating in all of college football. On the flip side, Leach’s old Big 12 foe Dana Holgorsen is still trying to fully implement a similar system at Houston. Senior quarterback D’Eriq King has not quite adjusted to the new offense, and his completion percentage has dropped from 63% to 54%. However, King could catch fire again with a big upset over a Pac-12 team that could be susceptible to King’s dual-threat talent.

stanford at NO. 17 ucf Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPN

The Knights of Central Florida are the classic Cinderella of college football, finding themselves in the AP Top 25 once again. Yet the clock may strike midnight when Stanford arrives at Spectrum Stadium this Saturday. Senior quarterback K.J. Costello returns for the Cardinal, which could jump-start a sluggish offense. Even though Costello returns, the Knights defense has shown the ability to shut down passing attacks so far this season. Given the tendency of both teams to run the ball heavily, expect a classic hard-nosed battle.

arizona state at NO. 18 michigan state Saturday, 3:00 p.m., FOX

The Spartans’ Big Ten hopes came crashing down early last year when they fell in Tempe, Arizona, 16-13. This time, the matchup is in East Lansing, Michigan, where Michigan State looks to serve the Sun Devils a cold plate of revenge. The Spartans boast a defense that has held opponents to just 213 yards per game in 2019. The Sun Devils’ passing offense is beginning to take flight under true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has averaged 294 yards passing per game. Neither team has faced a serious test from a national contender so far, so it’s also a gauge to see if either could be a surprise team within the scope of their conferences.

tcu at purdue Saturday, 6:30 p.m., BTN

Although Purdue has struggled to become a contender in the Big Ten for the past decade, it’s starting to pick up the pieces. Fifth-year senior quarterback Elijah Sindelar has flourished this season, and he currently leads all of college football in total passing yards with 932. His favorite target is sophomore receiver Rondale Moore, who leads all wideouts in the country with 344 receiving yards. TCU is still in the middle of a quarterback carousel with freshman Max Duggan and senior Alex Delton splitting snaps. The Horned Frogs’ defense is on the upswing, which is imperative for a turnaround. Junior linebacker Garret Wallow has been all over the field with 13 tackles so far. With a relatively even matchup, the winner of this game can use it as springboard for a larger resurgence.

iowa at iowa state Saturday, 3:00 p.m., FS1

As evidenced in the movie “Field of Dreams,” in Iowa, if you build it, they will come. Well, Iowa schools have built their program, and ESPN’s College GameDay is coming. The Hawkeyes have an underrated quarterback who has come up big in the national spotlight before. Since his breakout performance in a 55-24 win over Ohio State in 2017, senior Nate Stanley has blossomed into a precise passer. Stanley has started the season with six touchdowns and no interceptions, but will face a tough crowd in Ames, and another budding young passer in sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy and Stanley both drive their offenses, so the outcome will depend on their performances.

By Stephen Wagner

@stephenwag22

With three weeks of college football under our belts, potential is forgotten and performances are embraced. Although a clear breakaway candidate is yet to emerge, new candidates continue to place themselves into the Heisman conversation. Here’s who to watch in Week Three: Tua Tagovailoa — Quarterback, Alabama

This really isn’t a surprise. Tagovailoa had another Heisman-quality game in Alabama’s 62-10 romp of New Mexico State, throwing for 227 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 33 rushing yards and a touchdown before being benched midway through the third quarter. Tagovailoa has been nearly perfect these past two weeks, posting a completion percentage of 76.4% and a passer rating of 204.3. The only possible critique of Tagovailoa would be that he has yet to complete a full game after getting pulled before the fourth quarter in blowout performances against

lower-tier teams. Expect that to change this week as the Tide opens up SEC play against South Carolina. Jalen Hurts — Quarterback, Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s offense is every bit as great as everyone expected it to be. In two games, the Sooners have coasted for 119 combined points against Houston and South Dakota. Hurts has outgained each of our other Heisman Watch candidates in total yardage through two weeks with a whopping 814 total yards. He clearly already has a command of head coach Lincoln Riley’s high-flying offense. This week, the Sooners head west to California for a meeting with the struggling UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl. Expect another monster performance from Hurts and Oklahoma as they face off against a program that has already lost to two non-Power Five teams this season. H E I S M A N PAGE 8

double coverage

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

Sophomore linebacker Joseph Ossai leaps to defend a pass in Texas’ Week One win over Louisiana Tech. Ossai forced a fumble and picked off a pass as the Longhorns rolled, 45-14.

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

A swarm of Texas defenders takes down LSU freshman running back Tyrion Davis-Price in the Longhorns’ loss to the Tigers. Sophomore linebacker Joseph Ossai (46) recorded three tackles.

chips in the middle A

Sophomore linebacker Joseph Ossai tries to

Returning to Houston, Conroe native Ossai has become a playmaker as a first-year starter.

By daniela perez | @danielap3rez

n hour north of Houston, past the skyscrapers i urban sprawl in The Woodlands, lies Conroe. T is an area native, and played for the Conroe Oa sophomore year until he traded in his red, wh in 2018. Oak Ridge’s theme for the 2019 season is “All In.” er, this idea rings true in his second season with Texa “We’re all bought in to what they’ve been preachi the spring,” Ossai said, “We’re all fully invested in it aside when you’ve put in as much time as we have.” Ossai, who arrived to the United States from Nig other young face on the Texas defense. Used spar stepped into the starting role at B linebacker in 2019. produced highlights. Ossai has quickly looked like one of the leaders o

september 13, 2019

T e x as F e at u r e

Joseph Ossai N o . 4 6 , l i n e b ac k e r

joshua guenther

/ the daily texan staff

evade a blocker in Texas’ 45-38 loss to LSU. Ossai has stepped up into his starting role this season, and recorded a sack and interception against the Tigers.

in the city center and the subTexas linebacker Joseph Ossai ak Ridge War Eagles from his hite and blue for burnt orange

For the sophomore linebackas. ing since the offseason, since and it’s not easy to push that

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recorded eight tackles and a forced fumble through two games. Against LSU, Ossai sacked and picked off now-Heisman candidate Joe Burrow, his second interception this year. But as is the case with any young player, these moments come with turbulence. His role is critical, and it’s one that requires constant communication and more focus from the moment he steps onto the field. His growing pains will dissipate with experience in the big moment, which is something defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has been working on giving him. “When you get into that and when you get onto the field and you’ve got 100,000 people and they’re going up-tempo and you’re trying to get calls in there. ... We’ve just got to do a better job, especially with some of our younger guys of just over communicating,” Orlando said. “We really, really went after him on Tuesday… (in an) out of control talk (drill). We do a little bit of a tempo drill every day where we kind of fast pace them and make them talk, I think we got our point across.” This lack of communication is something that is not tolerated by the

Texas coaching staff. According to Ossai, every time they don’t communicate, the defense must complete 30-yard “air raids,” a drill where players start running from the endzone, but drop to their stomachs and keep running every time they hear a whistle. Ossai said the lapses in communication against the Tigers should be fixed soon. “You have to be there to communicate because the (defensive) line is really counting on you to be there to communicate, call stuff out, help them out, make their job easier because they definitely make my job easier, disrupting plays and allowing us to make better plays,” Ossai said. “So, you have to take that leading role and step up and be vocal.” For Ossai, it’s a bit of a homecoming, but a greater chance for redemption. Though the matchup with Rice may seem like it should be a bounce-back road win for the Longhorns, Ossai is not taking the game lightly. And for the moments that he is back in his hometown where he once played with his fellow War Eagles, he is all in.

double coverage

BUY OR SELL: BesT BETs for WEEK 3 By Cameron Parker Were you affected by the “stampede” entering Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium last Saturday? Did you break your hand after LSU converted the two-point conversion? If so, you might be entitled to compensation. Not by me, but maybe by LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow. If not, read this and make some money to pay those hospital bills. And as a reminder, I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just a college student who watches too much college football and places bets he can’t afford — like most of y’all. This weekly column is where I will give you my best bets for the week in college football. I am not responsible for any money lost, so don’t request money from me on Venmo.

No. 12 Texas(-31.5) vs. Rice

Last Week: 2–1 Season Total: 5–1

Lock of the Week No. 6 Ohio State(-16.5) at Indiana

Hopefully everyone has recovered from Burrow ripping the Texas defense and the Longhorn faithful’s hearts to pieces. Texas head coach Tom Herman’s largest margin of victory since taking over as head coach is 56 points, which came against San Jose State in 2017. Texas’ 31-point victory over Louisiana Tech in Week One is Herman’s second-largest margin of victory. After the way LSU’s offense sliced through the Longhorn defense, I expect something similar to Week One’s result, but 31.5 is a lot for a team that’s only reached that number twice. I would wait to see if the line drops under 30 and pounce on it then. But if not, I still like Texas. Pick: Texas(31.5)

@camerondparker

Last time Indiana lost to the Buckeyes by less than 17? 2015. I might have a major crush on sophomore quarterback Justin Fields, but Ohio State is going to hit 40 points in this game. It’s just a fact. Oh, by the way — *cough* I’m 2–0 in my Lock of the Week picks this year *cough.* Pick: Ohio State(-16.5) Degenerate Gambler Pick of the Week No. 2 Alabama(-25.5) at South Carolina

Fun fact incoming: the last time Alabama and South Carolina played each other was in 2010. Yep, you’re reading that right. Both teams are in the same conference, but haven’t played each other in nearly a decade. Will Muschamp was still the defensive coordinator at Texas. Mack Brown was still the head coach. Garrett Gilbert was the — ah, you get the gist. Anyway, nine years doesn’t change

heisman

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Joe Burrow — Quarterback, LSU

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If last Saturday’s showdown in the Lone Star State proved one thing, it’s that neither Texas nor LSU are the true DBU. Joe Burrow shredded a Texas secondary returning its starting safeties from last season and two corners with little experience, throwing for a career-high 471 yards while completing nearly 80% of his passes. In a game that came down to which team was going to come up with the big play, it was Burrow who completed a 61-yard miracle throw to seal the win. Burrow’s performance against Texas answered any questions about his ability to perform on a large scale, something he will be repeatedly tested with throughout the season. If the senior can continue these types of performances against SEC powerhouses like Auburn and Alabama, Burrow could find himself in New York come December.

the fact that: a) it’s Alabama, b) Muschamp is still the head coach and c) it’s Alabama. Pick: Alabama(-25.5) Future Bet Heisman Trophy

Maybe it was because he smoked Texas on Saturday night, but did anyone else think Joe Burrow looked like Aaron Rodgers? I mean, did he make a single bad throw? Maybe it was because he had enough time in the pocket to re-enter the transfer portal, get denied eligibility, come back to LSU and then complete a 60-yard pass to one of his talented receivers. This pick ultimately relies on Burrow and LSU knocking off Alabama in Tuscaloosa so, yeah, never mind. But if LSU can get past the Tide, they have a favorable schedule with both Florida and Auburn at home. Pick: Joe Burrow +750

Sam Ehlinger — Quarterback, Texas

On the flip side of the proverbial coin from last week’s showdown was the great play of the gunslinger from Austin. Ehlinger turned out a gem of a performance against the Tigers, but came up just short against the visitors from Baton Rouge. He threw for his own career-high 401 passing yards and four touchdowns in the tough loss.

Both Burrow and Ehlinger proved their ability to shine in the spotlight this past weekend, and Heisman hopeful Ehlinger turned in one of his best performances yet against one of the Longhorns’ toughest opponents yet. If Ehlinger puts up similar performances against a remaining schedule without a defense that compares to that of LSU, Longhorn fans are in for a treat as Texas continues on the road back to the Big 12 Championship.

rocky higine

/ the daily texan staff

september 13, 2019

TEXAS By Wills Layton

@willsdebeast

This week Texas takes on Rice, a team that has won just six games over the past three seasons. The Owls lost both of their games to start the 2019 season, although they gave Army a good run in the season opener. The Longhorns will have a good opportunity to get back on track this Saturday. Here’s how this week’s matchup could go:

....Wins if … the running game can rebound.

anthony mireles

/ the daily texan staff

While freshman running back Roschon Johnson has been a pleasant surprise since his transition to the position, last week featured a lackluster performance from the unit as a whole. Sophomore running back Keaontay Ingram dropped a sure touchdown catch, and never recovered during the game. This led to more carries for Johnson, who performed well with limited experience. The leading rusher for the team ended up being junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, which goes to show the lack of effectiveness from the running back position. The Longhorns need to use the Rice game as a tuneup before the start of Big 12 play. In order to move forward with

a more balanced attack on offense, the running game will have to recover.

… it shows up motivated.

As heartbreaking as the loss to LSU was, Texas has to stay motivated in games like this. The Big 12 Championship is still a very realistic goal, and the College Football Playoff is still potentially within reach. A loss to Rice would destroy confidence moving forward into Big 12 play, and would effectively eliminate Texas from Playoff contention. If the Longhorns show up to NRG Stadium in Houston ready to play like they did in Week One against Louisiana Tech, they should be able to pull off the victory.

Sophomore running back Keaontay Ingram is taken down by an LSU defender in Texas’ 45-38 loss to the Tigers. Ingram rushed for just 29 yards on 10 carries in the loss.

....loses if ...the Longhorns suffer injuries to more than one starter.

The Longhorns have an abundance of talent on the roster thanks to two consecutive top-five recruiting classes. But a few injuries at important positions could prove to be fatal for the Longhorns against the Owls. Health is incredibly important at this point in the season with conference play on the horizon. The Longhorns could run into a lot of trouble should there be key injuries Saturday.

eddie gaspar

/ the daily texan staff

Senior safety Brandon Jones takes on a blocker as Texas fell to the LSU Tigers last weekend. LSU senior quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 471 yards and four touchdowns in the 45-38 LSU victory.

RECYCLE your copy of

… the team gets behind early.

Allowing teams to get an early lead at home is a dangerous situation. The home fans get invigorated, the team plays harder, and hope fills the air, especially when facing a ranked team. While they technically play at a neutral site, the Longhorns are on the road for the first time this year, and that kind of an environment could be treacherous. If Texas allows the Owls to jump out to a first quarter lead, that could spell trouble for the team, which struggled mightily to come from behind last week against LSU.

double coverage

OPPONENTS

TO WATCH By Myah Taylor | @t_myah

all photos copyright rice athletics, and reproduced with permission

A shootout loss to potential playoff contender LSU last Saturday and a slew of injuries plaguing its roster are setbacks Texas must recover from soon. But before the Longhorns take on the Big 12 starting next Saturday, they will have the opportunity to rebound against a struggling Rice team with individual talent on defense and question marks at quarterback. Here are four Owls players to watch for Saturday:

NO. 33

NO. 10

NO. 4

NO. 14

Redshirt junior Anthony Ekpe breathes some life into the Rice defense. The Pflugerville native led the Owls last season with six sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. Ekpe can also claim credit for two forced fumbles in the 2018 season, one of which set Rice up for a fourth quarter comeback win against Prairie View A&M in Week One. The Texas offensive line has been effective in protecting junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger so far this season, but it should still key on Ekpe this weekend.

When quarterback Stewart drops back this weekend, expect junior Austin Trammell to be his main target. The Spring, Texas, native led the Owls last season in receptions and receiving yards with 62 and 632, respectively. With 383 yards on the 2018 season, Trammell also impressed as a kick returner. The All-Conference USA Honorable Mention receiver, who recorded a touchdown against Wake Forest last week, is regarded as Rice’s best receiver and the heartbeat of the offense. However, at just 5-foot-10, Trammell loses the height battle to several players on the Texas defense whose athleticism gives them an advantage over smaller receivers.

Sophomore safety Prudy Calderon is the star on the Rice defense. In eight starts, Calderon led the 2018 Owls with four interceptions, proving to be rock solid in pass coverage. At Louisiana Tech last season, the San Marcos native picked off two goal line passes, and he recovered a fumble against LSU. Calderon, who was the starting quarterback at San Marcos High School during his senior year, could utilize his knowledge of offensive schemes to his advantage against opposing quarterbacks and receivers. While Calderon has not put up big numbers to start this season with only three recorded tackles, the Texas offense should still prepare for this talented safety in order to win the turnover battle.

Rice will most likely be without its starting quarterback against Texas this weekend. In the Owls’ loss to Wake Forest in Week Two, redshirt freshman Wiley Green was scrambling toward the pylon when a collision left him with serious head and neck injuries. Green’s tests for serious neck injuries have since come back negative, but it is unlikely that he will play Saturday. Enter Tom Stewart, a graduate transfer from Harvard who didn’t get much action under center until last season. Stewart started nine games for the Crimson last year, throwing 14 touchdowns and leading the Ivy League in yards per completion at 15.23. After Green went down last week, Stewart went 19 of 30 for 185 yards and one touchdown in Rice’s loss. The youthful Texas defense should be able to capitalize off a relatively inexperienced quarterback at the helm of a low-ranking Rice offense.

anthony ekPe Defensive End

austin trammell prudy calderon tom stewart Wide Receiver Safety Quarterback

all photos copyright gus wright/lsu athletics, and reproduced with permission

september 13, 2019

Notes from the opponent The Daily Texan spoke to Eric Barber, assistant sports editor at The Rice Thresher. By Marcus Krum

Daily Texan: What’s going on with the injury to (redshirt freshman quarterback) Wiley Green, and what does that mean for Saturday? Eric Barber: So Wiley played in four games last year — that (was the) maximum that you could play and redshirt him. He has a little experience from last year, so he won the battle in camp. He had a really bad injury this past weekend, he was down for 10 minutes or more. They said that in terms of neck or back, it was negative. They haven’t said anything about a concussion, but I think it’s sort of safe to assume. So Tom Stewart will be starting, he’s a graduate transfer from Harvard. He played about two and a half quarters of the last game, and he looked good. He threw for around 150 yards, he rushed for a touchdown, he looked mobile. Obviously it

was his first reps at the FBS level because Harvard is at the FCS level, but right now he’s the starter. He didn’t really get the first team reps in camp, so this week will be his first week with the first team reps in practice. DT: Last week against Wake Forest, junior quarterback Jamie Newman threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns. What did Rice do last week that didn’t work for them on defense, and how can they fix that against this Texas offense? EB: One of the big things is they just don’t get pressure on the quarterback so far this season. Last game especially, but even in the Army game … Rice has zero sacks and only two quarterback hits. That’s just kind of indicative of the pressure that the Owls don’t have on the quarterback in these circumstances. They do a decent job of

@marcuskrum

wrapping people up in the open field, but when you can’t get pressure on the quarterback, that’s detrimental. DT: This game is at NRG Stadium, what do you think the atmosphere is going to be like? Obviously it’s a professional stadium, (so) is the atmosphere going to be different than a general Rice game? EB: It’ll be, if I had to guess, probably more of a Texas crowd, just because UT has so many more students and alumni than Rice. Rice has done a good job promoting it to students, student tickets are cheaper than what the seats would actually retail for. … They’re trying to get a lot of students to come, but at Rice the undergraduate population is only 4,000 students. Houston’s only a two hour-thirty minute, three

hour drive (from Austin), so I assume there’s going to be a lot of students coming down, but also there’s a lot of alumni in Houston. As it relates from a crowd perspective, even though it’s designated as a Rice home game, I could definitely see it turning into a Texas crowd. DT: What does Rice need to do in order to make this a game, especially in the first half — what does Rice need to do to hang with Texas? EB: That’s a tough question obviously, given that Texas is a top-25 team. I’d say the No. 1 thing is just contain on defense. Defense, I’d say, is stronger than offense. If they can keep Texas from building too much of a lead into the half, then they can keep it a game. In the fourth quarter, if the game is close, and Rice as the underdog, you never know what can happen.

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