(10-17-2026 06:20 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Regardless of the outcome of this slap fest, those that remain as Abell defendants should be labeled as enemies of the state. Time for a change from our new AD!

Some on this board want a 5 year plan.

This was my 5 year plan:
Year 1: Expect a really bad season
Year 2: At least come close to a bowl
Year 3: Finish above .500
Year 4/5: In conference title race, putting ourselves in good position for next round of realignment and providing a fun product for student life and public engagement

Year 1 was far ahead of schedule. Going 1-11 in year 2 would arguably be a fireable offense. Abell’s offense is far too predictable and he’s not bringing in the same caliber of talent that even Bloomgren got.

At this point, since the AD situation likely locks in Abell’s return, I’m hoping for even just 1-2 FBS wins to ward off a recruiting disaster. The new AD needs to be ready to pull the plug if we’re looking this bad next year.

Rice was dumb hiring Abel in the first place. He has driven the program into the ground.The entire coaching staff must be fired and bring in a new couching staff to teach how to win like Watson Brown did.

How about the future Rice student -- football fan? -- in the middle background of this screenshot from today's game. :-)

(10-16-2026 10:07 AM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  

(10-16-2026 09:23 AM)RiceRICE47 Wrote:  Tulsa has had trouble against the run and is on a 3 game skid (by single digits) . Navy beat them but that gives Tulsa 2 weeks of triple option defense prep.RICE injuries continue to hurt. Should be a tight game.

I don't see why any game against an FBS opponent should be tight if we can't pass *at all*, as with ECU. Until we develop a semblance of a passing game, I'm expecting an easy win for Tulsa (and everyone else)

This aged pretty well

(10-17-2026 06:27 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  The new AD should be given the choice of a football coach. Sometimes, you just have to admit you're wrong and cut your losses. It's likely a 1-11 season, and that's enough for this coach to go back to coaching non-scholarship football.

The entire landscape has changed and college football is now transactional. We spend investment dollars to get results. Abell is not getting the results. This is looking 1-11 or 2-10. That’s not enough to invest in Year 3.

The west stands were mostly empty when the team entered. Then it started to fill. I figured it out - those were the young cheer squad and their families. After the cheer squad finished the halftime show, the west stands emptied again. People wearing Rice gear were also on their way out. We left in the third quarter.

Rice football is going south again and a change is needed.

My wife and I are alums and have been loyal season tickets holders since we moved back to Houston in 2020. We do typically show up every single home game and are true RFND Rice fans. That said, it is getting harder to show up and almost impossible to make it past halftime. I have been supportive of the “creative” approach, but after watching it for a full year now, and seeing it in person at Notre Dame, especially, but also against similar caliber teams at HR Community Stadium, the angles and the scheme just does not work at the D1 level without multiple extraordinary athletes. It is time to go ahead and pull the plug because another season and a half of futility will continue to drive away fans. Whereas action makes it look like we are taking the challenge seriously.

(10-17-2026 07:37 PM)OilOwl02 Wrote:  My wife and I are alums and have been loyal season tickets holders since we moved back to Houston in 2020. We do typically show up every single home game and are true RFND Rice fans. That said, it is getting harder to show up and almost impossible to make it past halftime. I have been supportive of the “creative” approach, but after watching it for a full year now, and seeing it in person at Notre Dame, especially, but also against similar caliber teams at HR Community Stadium, the angles and the scheme just does not work at the D1 level without multiple extraordinary athletes. It is time to go ahead and pull the plug because another season and a half of futility will continue to drive away fans. Whereas action makes it look like we are taking the challenge seriously.

Sounds fair to me. The scheme clearly does not work, even against teams with similar talent levels. Maybe it could with a different caliber of athlete, but Abell hasn't been able to recruit/buy that caliber.

(10-17-2026 08:03 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 07:37 PM)OilOwl02 Wrote:  My wife and I are alums and have been loyal season tickets holders since we moved back to Houston in 2020. We do typically show up every single home game and are true RFND Rice fans. That said, it is getting harder to show up and almost impossible to make it past halftime. I have been supportive of the “creative” approach, but after watching it for a full year now, and seeing it in person at Notre Dame, especially, but also against similar caliber teams at HR Community Stadium, the angles and the scheme just does not work at the D1 level without multiple extraordinary athletes. It is time to go ahead and pull the plug because another season and a half of futility will continue to drive away fans. Whereas action makes it look like we are taking the challenge seriously.

Sounds fair to me. The scheme clearly does not work, even against teams with similar talent levels. Maybe it could with a different caliber of athlete, but Abell hasn't been able to recruit/buy that caliber.

As I documented last year, his Davidson teams performed well in conference against the other non-scholarship teams. But, outside of conference against regular FCS programs, they won only once, and typically got routed by 20+ points.

Agree with all the sentiment here. It’s time for us to be more impatient

(10-17-2026 05:59 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Regardless of the outcome of this slap fest, those that remain as Abell defendants should be labeled as enemies of the state. Time for a change from our new AD!

What an ignorant comment! Either have another cocktail and chill or stop drinking altogether.

Ignorant comment? Did you watch the game today? Why do you think this outcome is acceptable? These are paid professionals

(10-17-2026 06:35 PM)sammyleadstheway Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 06:20 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Regardless of the outcome of this slap fest, those that remain as Abell defendants should be labeled as enemies of the state. Time for a change from our new AD!

Some on this board want a 5 year plan.

This was my 5 year plan:
Year 1: Expect a really bad season
Year 2: At least come close to a bowl
Year 3: Finish above .500
Year 4/5: In conference title race, putting ourselves in good position for next round of realignment and providing a fun product for student life and public engagement

Year 1 was far ahead of schedule. Going 1-11 in year 2 would arguably be a fireable offense. Abell’s offense is far too predictable and he’s not bringing in the same caliber of talent that even Bloomgren got.

At this point, since the AD situation likely locks in Abell’s return, I’m hoping for even just 1-2 FBS wins to ward off a recruiting disaster. The new AD needs to be ready to pull the plug if we’re looking this bad next year.

100% correct. I don’t expect our new AD (even if it is Eric George) to fire Abell at the end of the year. At best, we have a mid season firing in 2027 and Kay takes over as interim.

Through 20 games, we are averaging the same amount of points per game as with Bloom’s offense (18-19 points) and our defense is a smidge better (32 points vs 34 points). We can’t afford to let another Bloomgren-type coach stick around for that length of time (even taking into consideration the fact that Abell is a very pleasant guy).

(10-17-2026 06:47 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Rice was dumb hiring Abel in the first place. He has driven the program into the ground.The entire coaching staff must be fired and bring in a new couching staff to teach how to win like Watson Brown did.

This made me laugh in spite of my disappointment. Did anyone see the Rice commercial on the broadcast? It stated that the world needs more Rice minds. So, if Watson Brown taught how to win in the passing game. Who taught him? By the way, that’s a rhetorical question.

(10-17-2026 06:03 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  The MOB justed blasted "Call Me Al" all over Rice Stadium! Just met Grungy! What a flashback!

Viva Max next?

Sigh...
Viva Max is 1969.
"AL" (we now have to spell this name with two capital letters to avoid having it read "A-I") is 1986.
We had Max in the book when I started in '73.
I can still play most of it from memory.
We got it out a year or two ago because I asked for it.
Much silliness, with the proper horn moves.

Announced attendance: 14,626

Calling what we see here 10,000 less than that is generous.
There were still people in line to get past the bag check at Gate 1.



West stands as all hope was extinguished.

Rice has made so many bad hires of ADs, basketball and football coaches. Maybe someone needs to take a look at the hiring process?

(10-18-2026 07:38 AM)ranfin Wrote:  Rice has made so many bad hires of ADs, basketball and football coaches. Maybe someone needs to take a look at the hiring process?

No. Being super smart means we never need to reconsider our assumptions.

(10-18-2026 12:02 AM)Grungy Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 06:03 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:59 PM)Ourland Wrote:  The MOB justed blasted "Call Me Al" all over Rice Stadium! Just met Grungy! What a flashback!

Viva Max next?

Sigh...
Viva Max is 1969.
"AL" (we now have to spell this name with two capital letters to avoid having it read "A-I") is 1986.
We had Max in the book when I started in '73.
I can still play most of it from memory.
We got it out a year or two ago because I asked for it.
Much silliness, with the proper horn moves.

The movie itself still seems relevant in several ways.

(10-17-2026 10:33 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:59 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Regardless of the outcome of this slap fest, those that remain as Abell defendants should be labeled as enemies of the state. Time for a change from our new AD!

What an ignorant comment! Either have another cocktail and chill or stop drinking altogether.

Ignorant comment? Did you watch the game today? Why do you think this outcome is acceptable? These are paid professionals

I was at the game. Losing is never acceptable. But calling out a segment of the limited Owl fan base as “enemies of the state” is even more unacceptable. You didn’t call out the “paid professionals”, you condemned a portion of the fanbase for wanting to give a coach time to implement his vision. Rice needs all the fans it can get regardless of whether they support the coach not.

(10-17-2026 06:47 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  He has driven the program into the ground.

Compared to ....? Bailiff? Hatfield?

This program has been driven into the ground since 1958. Small ups, big downs, overall trend down.

Rice is a unique institution, with unique problems. Yet the quick reaction is always "Fire this guy" Hire somebody else.

Yet I hear little of who is the program savior we should hire. No names. Just either a "young, hungry assistant" or "an established name". Somebody who can take the three- and two=stars and beat the five stars. Somebody that can take the small NIL and beat the teams with 20X the NIL. Somebody who can do the same ol', same ol' offense, but do it better with less talent than anybody else in the country.

What is the name of this miracle worker? And why is nobody else going after him?

Be constructive, y'all. Don't just say "Fire Abell". Say "Fire Abell and hire XXXXX".

And then stand behind your choice for more than 3 games.

And I must say, a couple of you are enjoying this six game losing streak way too much. (not you, TexasOwl)

So if Abell and his offense are not the answer, who/what is? Be specific. How does Rice climb out of this seven decade funk?

And be realistic.

(10-17-2026 10:33 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:59 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-17-2026 05:52 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Regardless of the outcome of this slap fest, those that remain as Abell defendants should be labeled as enemies of the state. Time for a change from our new AD!

What an ignorant comment! Either have another cocktail and chill or stop drinking altogether.

Ignorant comment? Did you watch the game today? Why do you think this outcome is acceptable? These are paid professionals

Disappointing as it is I have more faith in Abell with two years of FBS experience making adjustments to his offense going into next year than I do bringing in whatever offensive coordinator we pull from some low tier P4 school.

According to the Roost Abell already knew going into this game Ochoa was gonna play for some passing situations. I think its a good sign that Abell is correctly assessing that we need to pass more. Bloomgren didnt figure that out until year 5