(10-18-2026 10:17 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(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.

I plan to start paying attention to options, and started with looking up Tulsa coach Tre Lamb. Tre Lamb was named Tulsa head coach a month after we hired Scott Abell. Lamb has Tulsa playing at a much higher level than Abell. Is it the amount of NIL available at Tulsa? Staff salaries? What is it?

Rice football 2026 has reached a whole new level of painful and I am ready to sit 2027 out.

The apathy from the fans are evident when you keep losing. It's a double edge sword joining a bigger conference and facing tougher opponents when you have a newer team under a new coach.

When it comes down to it, Abell runs a one dimensional system. 62 yards passing? That's just terrible.

Abell/Munch are proven winners but they need to make more adjustments to their option gun system and incorporate more passing plays. Kay's defense is also experiencing growth. It's really newer system that is still trying to adapt. I don't think firing is the solution. Maybe a change in coordinators.

Looking at other programs, it took Willie Fritz 3 years at Tulane to start having a winning season. He built Tulane and now Houston into top 25 programs. The culture of those football programs were built and that's what Rice is experiencing with its growing pains. Next year will be a crucial year for Abell and his staff.

When it comes down to it, Rice has to spend lots of money to keep up with the other programs. The Million Gateway Project & Facility project and upgrades are in the right direction. But right now, we're seeing a major low. Tickets were selling at $5 on seat geek and still not selling.

(10-18-2026 11:36 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 10:17 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(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.

I plan to start paying attention to options, and started with looking up Tulsa coach Tre Lamb. Tre Lamb was named Tulsa head coach a month after we hired Scott Abell. Lamb has Tulsa playing at a much higher level than Abell. Is it the amount of NIL available at Tulsa? Staff salaries? What is it?

Rice football 2026 has reached a whole new level of painful and I am ready to sit 2027 out.

Is it the coaching? Is it the offensive scheme? Or is it the QB? And the WR? I bet the Tulsa QB would have completed that pass to the TE in the EZ. Was the talent even? Seemed to me we were out personneled. Is that due to NIL? No idea. How much are those guys paid?

I would be very surprised if Lamb would leave Tulsa for Rice, even if we doubled his pay. Most coaches would not consider the Rice job as a stepping stone.

There is no cheap way out of this. And Rice is cheap.

(10-18-2026 01:18 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 11:36 AM)ESE84 Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 10:17 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(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.

I plan to start paying attention to options, and started with looking up Tulsa coach Tre Lamb. Tre Lamb was named Tulsa head coach a month after we hired Scott Abell. Lamb has Tulsa playing at a much higher level than Abell. Is it the amount of NIL available at Tulsa? Staff salaries? What is it?

Rice football 2026 has reached a whole new level of painful and I am ready to sit 2027 out.

Is it the coaching? Is it the offensive scheme? Or is it the QB? And the WR? I bet the Tulsa QB would have completed that pass to the TE in the EZ. Was the talent even? Seemed to me we were out personneled. Is that due to NIL? No idea. How much are those guys paid?

I would be very surprised if Lamb would leave Tulsa for Rice, even if we doubled his pay. Most coaches would not consider the Rice job as a stepping stone.

There is no cheap way out of this. And Rice is cheap.

Abell isn't going anywhere. They wish.

Temple is also struggling in year 2 of their coach.

I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

(10-18-2026 03:55 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

He played the last couple of offensive possessions.

(10-18-2026 12:33 PM)antoniovaldez7777 Wrote:  The apathy from the fans are evident when you keep losing. It's a double edge sword joining a bigger conference and facing tougher opponents when you have a newer team under a new coach.

When it comes down to it, Abell runs a one dimensional system. 62 yards passing? That's just terrible.

Abell/Munch are proven winners but they need to make more adjustments to their option gun system and incorporate more passing plays. Kay's defense is also experiencing growth. It's really newer system that is still trying to adapt. I don't think firing is the solution. Maybe a change in coordinators.

Looking at other programs, it took Willie Fritz 3 years at Tulane to start having a winning season. He built Tulane and now Houston into top 25 programs. The culture of those football programs were built and that's what Rice is experiencing with its growing pains. Next year will be a crucial year for Abell and his staff.

When it comes down to it, Rice has to spend lots of money to keep up with the other programs. The Million Gateway Project & Facility project and upgrades are in the right direction. But right now, we're seeing a major low. Tickets were selling at $5 on seat geek and still not selling.

Fritz went 4-8 and 5-7 in his first two years at Tulane.

I was hoping Abell could win at least 4 games this season to continue the building narrative.
Going 3-9 would be worrisome, but would not merit an immediate firing.
Going 1-11, which we currently seem to be on track for, is unacceptable. A 1-11 record implies that the experiment of hiring a non scholarship FCS coach has failed.

Let's see how the rest of the season goes. Per ESPN's FPI, we have two remaining games against genuinely bad teams: @ Florida Atlantic and @ Temple. If we could win both, or win one and steal another game somewhere, I'd feel much better going into year 3.

(10-18-2026 03:55 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

Ochoa was 2 for 2 passing for 15 yards.

Brown was 2 for 6 passing for 47 yards

Brown has 11 carries for 154 tards and 2 TDs with his longest run of 78 yards

Ochoa had 7 carries for -7 yards with his longest run of 4 yards

I don't believe Ochoa entered the game until the 2H. And I think there was at least one play where both he and Brown were on the field at the same time with Brown in a receiver position. (?)

(10-17-2026 05:37 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Looks like a 20+ point defeat coming.

Nailed it.

(10-18-2026 03:33 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Abell isn't going anywhere. They wish.

There is a sizable continent of people here who scream "Fire Abell NOW!" But that's as far as they go. Lotsa complaints, no solutions. No plans. I would like to hear who they think should be hired, why, and how we will pay for it.

I am cynical about the whole cycle of Fire A, Hire B, fire B, hire C, fire C, and so on, forever. Been there, done that. The most successful coaches we have had since Heisman, we have run off. its as if we just keep hammering after we have hit our thumb umpteen times. The next time, we expect to hit the nail on the head. Why?

We are at a disadvantage with EVERY other D-1 school in at least one important category - fan base, alumni base, academic requirements, NIL, geographic location, public image, legislative pull, whatever you can think of. The idea behind Abell was to do something few others do, and do it so well we become a destination school for those athletes. If we abandon that to try to do what all the others do with more disadvantages, I hold little hope of success in that approach. The nay-sayers were saying nay before the first practice. What the hell do they want? Let's hear it. If it makes sense, I will be on board. But so far, all the plans have no step two after step one: fire Abell.

He is paid over $1 million dollars to institute his unworkable offensive scheme. He will NEVER change it because he "invented" it. To expect a different result going forward is insanity.

(10-18-2026 06:41 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  He is paid over $1 million dollars to institute his unworkable offensive scheme. He will NEVER change it because he "invented" it. To expect a different result going forward is insanity.

He's also never had to change it because it always worked as much as he needed it to work. Davidson would have let him coach there for life if he kept winning 6+ games with the occasional playoff game.

Not the case here with what he's shown so far. Another season like this and he likely gets fired and never gets another opportunity to coach at the FBS level. I'd expect someone to make some meaningful tweaks with those stakes.

(10-18-2026 06:04 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 03:55 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

Ochoa was 2 for 2 passing for 15 yards.

Brown was 2 for 6 passing for 47 yards

Brown has 11 carries for 154 tards and 2 TDs with his longest run of 78 yards

Ochoa had 7 carries for -7 yards with his longest run of 4 yards

I don't believe Ochoa entered the game until the 2H. And I think there was at least one play where both he and Brown were on the field at the same time with Brown in a receiver position. (?)

Thanks for the stats.
So what's Abell's decision-making here? Go with the guy that can run but can't pass over the guy that can pass but can't run?
And how did Ochoa look on those runs / passes? Obviously -7 yards ain't great, but perhaps it was an O-line snafu

(10-18-2026 06:41 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  He is paid over $1 million dollars to institute his unworkable offensive scheme. He will NEVER change it because he "invented" it. To expect a different result going forward is insanity.

OK. Say we fire him. Then what? What is YOUR preferred plan of action?

(10-18-2026 09:22 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 06:04 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 03:55 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

Ochoa was 2 for 2 passing for 15 yards.

Brown was 2 for 6 passing for 47 yards

Brown has 11 carries for 154 tards and 2 TDs with his longest run of 78 yards

Ochoa had 7 carries for -7 yards with his longest run of 4 yards

I don't believe Ochoa entered the game until the 2H. And I think there was at least one play where both he and Brown were on the field at the same time with Brown in a receiver position. (?)

Thanks for the stats.
So what's Abell's decision-making here? Go with the guy that can run but can't pass over the guy that can pass but can't run?
And how did Ochoa look on those runs / passes? Obviously -7 yards ain't great, but perhaps it was an O-line snafu

I think the plan was to use Brown's broken field running ability and speed to break a big one, either on a pass or an end around.

(10-18-2026 03:55 PM)Intellectual_Brutality Wrote:  I only caught the first few minutes of the game. To those who watched, did Ochoa play? How much and how well?
And if not much, what do you think is the rational, most generous explanation of Abells decisionmaking on this?

Ochoa also played briefly in the first half. Maybe for a few plays the first time Brown was hurt (he went out several times in the second half,with the ankle injury and then once after he got hit really hard on poor OL protection (which was pretty much the whole game).

Ochoa and Brown played together for several plays in the second half Brown would line up in the slot but he never ran the ball on those occasions). Unfortunately if the line plays the way it has all year, it really doesn’t matter who the quarterback is.

(10-18-2026 06:23 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-18-2026 03:33 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Abell isn't going anywhere. They wish.

There is a sizable continent of people here who scream "Fire Abell NOW!" But that's as far as they go. Lotsa complaints, no solutions. No plans. I would like to hear who they think should be hired, why, and how we will pay for it.

I am cynical about the whole cycle of Fire A, Hire B, fire B, hire C, fire C, and so on, forever. Been there, done that. The most successful coaches we have had since Heisman, we have run off. its as if we just keep hammering after we have hit our thumb umpteen times. The next time, we expect to hit the nail on the head. Why?

We are at a disadvantage with EVERY other D-1 school in at least one important category - fan base, alumni base, academic requirements, NIL, geographic location, public image, legislative pull, whatever you can think of. The idea behind Abell was to do something few others do, and do it so well we become a destination school for those athletes. If we abandon that to try to do what all the others do with more disadvantages, I hold little hope of success in that approach. The nay-sayers were saying nay before the first practice. What the hell do they want? Let's hear it. If it makes sense, I will be on board. But so far, all the plans have no step two after step one: fire Abell.

These guys are so ridiculous. They must not hear how stupid they sound. What kind of fans call for their coach's head halfway through his second season, and when his second team is better than his first?

Abell's offense is intricate. Everything has to mesh. When there's no OL, only one good receiver, and a QB that can't throw the ball, then it's not going to work. It takes time. If all of the peices were in place, our QB would be attempting 25 passes a game, not 11. The last thing that will come together is the offense.

I actually applaud Abell for the job that he has done with very little talent, no depth, and without Rice's only star player sitting on the sideline. Don't worry. Abell will be at Rice for a long time.

(10-19-2026 07:38 AM)Ourland Wrote:  These guys are so ridiculous. They must not hear how stupid they sound. What kind of fans call for their coach's head halfway through his second season, and when his second team is better than his first?

Abell's offense is intricate. Everything has to mesh. When there's no OL, only one good receiver, and a QB that can't throw the ball, then it's not going to work. It takes time. If all of the prices were in place, our QB would be attempting 25 passes a game, not 11. The last thing that will come together is the offense.

I actually applaud Abell for the job that he has done with very little talent, no depth, and without Rice's only star player sitting on the sideline. Don't worry. Abell will be at Rice for a long time.

The posts by this individual are so ludicrous that I finally realize that they must be satire.

(10-19-2026 08:37 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 07:38 AM)Ourland Wrote:  These guys are so ridiculous. They must not hear how stupid they sound. What kind of fans call for their coach's head halfway through his second season, and when his second team is better than his first?

Abell's offense is intricate. Everything has to mesh. When there's no OL, only one good receiver, and a QB that can't throw the ball, then it's not going to work. It takes time. If all of the prices were in place, our QB would be attempting 25 passes a game, not 11. The last thing that will come together is the offense.

I actually applaud Abell for the job that he has done with very little talent, no depth, and without Rice's only star player sitting on the sideline. Don't worry. Abell will be at Rice for a long time.

The posts by this individual are so ludicrous that I finally realize that they must be satire.

No matter. This would be a good time to hear your plan.

(10-19-2026 09:45 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 08:37 AM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 07:38 AM)Ourland Wrote:  These guys are so ridiculous. They must not hear how stupid they sound. What kind of fans call for their coach's head halfway through his second season, and when his second team is better than his first?

Abell's offense is intricate. Everything has to mesh. When there's no OL, only one good receiver, and a QB that can't throw the ball, then it's not going to work. It takes time. If all of the prices were in place, our QB would be attempting 25 passes a game, not 11. The last thing that will come together is the offense.

I actually applaud Abell for the job that he has done with very little talent, no depth, and without Rice's only star player sitting on the sideline. Don't worry. Abell will be at Rice for a long time.

The posts by this individual are so ludicrous that I finally realize that they must be satire.

No matter. This would be a good time to hear your plan.

This would never happen because we ran him off midseason and the NFL lifestyle is much better, but I would rather bring Bloomgren back than continue with Abell.

At this point, I would be fine with Rice hiring almost any D1 offensive coordinator or current head coach over Abell.