http://bleacherreport.com/articles/19837...eview-rice

(04-21-2014 02:18 PM)Pan95 Wrote:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/19837...eview-rice

I like the fact that the reporter says we might cause ND some "panic".

I was unaware of DJ's winning "The Ride"

How could such an exhaustive in depth preview neglect to mention the first defensive two-point conversion ever scored in Div I-A history?

That said, I feel the key to winning this game for both teams will be to win the PAT battle, in spite of the play just mentioned, ND still outscored the Owls in PATs that day.

(04-22-2014 07:43 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  How could such an exhaustive in depth preview neglect to mention the first defensive two-point conversion ever scored in Div I-A history?

That said, I feel the key to winning this game for both teams will be to win the PAT battle, in spite of the play just mentioned, ND still outscored the Owls in PATs that day.

We did that last season?

(04-22-2014 08:01 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(04-22-2014 07:43 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  How could such an exhaustive in depth preview neglect to mention the first defensive two-point conversion ever scored in Div I-A history?

That said, I feel the key to winning this game for both teams will be to win the PAT battle, in spite of the play just mentioned, ND still outscored the Owls in PATs that day.

We did that last season?

The year was 1988. Notre Dame was 12-0 that year, we were 0-11. We did just lose by a touchdown on the road at 10-2 Arkansas, and just by 2 points vs Texas Tech. But Notre Dame got the best of us to the tune of 54-11.

Last year... I seem to remember we had a long return of a blocked PAT but did not quite score? The recent memories are the fuzziest

If my memory serves me correctly, we took the opening drive down the length of the field to Notre Dame's 8 or 9 yard line. On third down, either Mark Commalander or Donald Hollis hit one of our receiver's in the end zone, but he dropped the ball. We would have been up 7-0. We converted the 3-point kick, but then Desmond Howard ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown.

As for the 2014 game, I'm worried. I hate having to play Notre Dame and A&M with an unproven quarterback. I really hope that Driphus can take control of the offense by the time we play ODU. His natural athleticism is needed on the field. If he doesn't work out and we have to start platooning quarterbacks in and out, I think we'll have a very average season. If he shows that he's the man, I think we can win 8 games.

It would have been really crappy if Desmond Howard had run the ensuing kickoff back for a TD since he played at Michigan. I'm pretty sure it was Rocket Ismael who did it (and we scored a TD later in the game and he brought that kickoff back for a TD too so we learned our lesson and stopped scoring after that).

(04-23-2014 03:36 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  If my memory serves me correctly, we took the opening drive down the length of the field to Notre Dame's 8 or 9 yard line. On third down, either Mark Commalander or Donald Hollis hit one of our receiver's in the end zone, but he dropped the ball. We would have been up 7-0. We converted the 3-point kick, but then Desmond Howard ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown.

Correct, except it was Rocket Ismail, and I believe he returned 2 for TD's that day. The worst part was, we weren't quick enough to get a pic of the scoreboard with Rice leading (the days before cell-phone cameras).

We did get the 2-pt conversion after blocking ND's last PAT; I believe the Rice player's name was Billy Stone. We had started a "we scored first!" chant, to which the ND fans near us responded "we scored last!" The conversion allowed us to take over the "we scored last!" chant, so they switched to "we scored more!" Killjoys.

(04-23-2014 04:21 PM)MJY Wrote:  

(04-23-2014 03:36 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  If my memory serves me correctly, we took the opening drive down the length of the field to Notre Dame's 8 or 9 yard line. On third down, either Mark Commalander or Donald Hollis hit one of our receiver's in the end zone, but he dropped the ball. We would have been up 7-0. We converted the 3-point kick, but then Desmond Howard ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown.

Correct, except it was Rocket Ismail, and I believe he returned 2 for TD's that day. The worst part was, we weren't quick enough to get a pic of the scoreboard with Rice leading (the days before cell-phone cameras).

We did get the 2-pt conversion after blocking ND's last PAT; I believe the Rice player's name was Billy Stone. We had started a "we scored first!" chant, to which the ND fans near us responded "we scored last!" The conversion allowed us to take over the "we scored last!" chant, so they switched to "we scored more!" Killjoys.

I think MJ's recollection was pretty spot on, although if I recall, Billy Stone ran back the blocked PAT attempt for two early in the game; I think after ND's first touchdown. In any event, it went down in the record books as the first-ever 2-point PAT return, as the rule had only been just initiated in '88. And Billy was the first one to get one.

I was there with RME and his Domer fanatic buddy, Steve O'Connor. We went to mass in the gold-domed church Friday; then went to the (Lou Holtz - led) pep rally. Saturday after the game we had a candle lit dinner in one of the dining halls -- I remember a crusty monsignor bawling me out for sneaking quick photos. "We have rules," he said.

Quentis Roper was the QB
Eric Henley dropped the TD pass
Rocket Ismail returned 2 kickoffs for TDs
Donald Hollis played safety (I believe he had played some QB earlier in the season)

ND won the national championship that year.

Cold, damp day in South Bend

Lou Holtz at his presser earlier in the week, as quoted on the broadcast (Living in Chicago, I went to the game and also taped it)--Rice is the best 0-8 team in the country.

I'm not sure if it was mentioned, but the game against ND was only played by virtue of SMU earning the Death Penalty... originally, SMU had scheduled Notre Dame. I don't know if ND replaced SMU on Rice's schedule as a straight swap or whether there were other changes involved.

It was actually Marc Scott that dropped the td pass.
After Rocket's return we had a second consecutive beautiful drive that we again weren't quite able to take all the way, and kicked a second field goal to make it 6-7. ND quickly scored again and the rout was on. Stone's 2-pointer was later in the game for our 10th and 11th points.

(04-23-2014 04:53 PM)MemOwl Wrote:  Eric Henley dropped the TD pass
...
(Living in Chicago, I went to the game and also taped it)--[i]

I thought it was RB Richard Williams that dropped it. I also was at the game (in the MOB) and taped it. (Still have it.) I thought about trying to tackle the Rocket from the sidelines during one of his TD returns but wisely decided against it.

There must be footage of this game somewhere. Was it on television? I'm thinking Lorenzo Cyphers dropped it, but I could be wrong. I'd like to watch the whole thing.

I was another one at the game and I also am in the camp that it was someone besides Henley who dropped that potential TD pass.

Rice did get revenge on Rocket Ismail later when Notre Dame came to Rice for the Meeting of the Minds track meet. We billed a 200-meter race as a showdown between the Rocket and Rice's Gabriel Luke (the reigning NCAA 400-meter champ). We had a huge story on the race in the Chronicle and a very large crowd (which may have featured Mike Tyson - he was at one of Rice's track meets in that era but I can't recall if it was that meet or not). Anyway, Ismail got off to a decent lead in the first 60 meters or so, but Luke easily beat him in the last 100 meters and won by quite a bit.

It was a pretty fun event - one that track and field needs more of these days.

DFW said he has a copy, and my parents still have it on VHS and owe me a DVD copy.

BTW, it couldn't have been 7-6, as the box score shows it 14-3 after the first quarter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Notre_..._team#Rice

And as noted in that article, Billy Stone had the first Division 1 2-point runback. It had been done at a lower division a week or two earlier.

For those who want the picture, I have shared it here before. I do have the proof of the lead, taken from the field as a member of the MOB.


original posting: http://csnbbs.com/thread-258551-post-331...pid3317797

(04-23-2014 09:43 PM)gsloth Wrote:  DFW said he has a copy, and my parents still have it on VHS and owe me a DVD copy.

BTW, it couldn't have been 7-6, as the box score shows it 14-3 after the first quarter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Notre_..._team#Rice

And as noted in that article, Billy Stone had the first Division 1 2-point runback. It had been done at a lower division a week or two earlier.

For those who want the picture, I have shared it here before. I do have the proof of the lead, taken from the field as a member of the MOB.


original posting: http://csnbbs.com/thread-258551-post-331...pid3317797

I must have a copy of it.

Rice played Norte Dame close in 1974 at Norte Dame. Norte Dame pulled ahead late to win it 10-3. I think we were ahead 3-0 at some point in the game.

(04-23-2014 10:35 PM)75src Wrote:  Rice played Norte Dame close in 1974 at Norte Dame. Norte Dame pulled ahead late to win it 10-3. I think we were ahead 3-0 at some point in the game.

Found this video of some of the defensive plays from the 1974 game.


For those who want to see gray with the white jerseys, there you go. Pretty certain that is Rice.

My dad was at that game (bus charter down from Milwaukee - tailgating both ways) and tells some good stories about that one. Apparently was a very quiet crowd most of the way, as Rice gave them one hell of a battle and had a TD taken away late on questionable grounds.