(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 06:44 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 05:39 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  So questions...

Why would the R&S or whatever other 'common' offense that everyone else runs somehow work 'better' at Rice than at other school?
Why would Rice get better players than other schools?

A pure John Jenkins Run & Shoot is being utilized by no FBS school. It would work because you can recruit undersized wide receivers and quarterbacks who are passed over by bigger schools. There are so many high school players who compete in 7-on-7 that the recruiting base would be larger than for an option attack. And, this kind of offense, at its maximum usage, might be too complicated for players at many schools, but not at Rice.

But, let's just stick with an outmoded option attack with the wide pitch almost always useless.

Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 06:44 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 05:39 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  So questions...

Why would the R&S or whatever other 'common' offense that everyone else runs somehow work 'better' at Rice than at other school?
Why would Rice get better players than other schools?

A pure John Jenkins Run & Shoot is being utilized by no FBS school. It would work because you can recruit undersized wide receivers and quarterbacks who are passed over by bigger schools. There are so many high school players who compete in 7-on-7 that the recruiting base would be larger than for an option attack. And, this kind of offense, at its maximum usage, might be too complicated for players at many schools, but not at Rice.

But, let's just stick with an outmoded option attack with the wide pitch almost always useless.

Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

(10-20-2026 07:00 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-19-2026 06:44 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  A pure John Jenkins Run & Shoot is being utilized by no FBS school. It would work because you can recruit undersized wide receivers and quarterbacks who are passed over by bigger schools. There are so many high school players who compete in 7-on-7 that the recruiting base would be larger than for an option attack. And, this kind of offense, at its maximum usage, might be too complicated for players at many schools, but not at Rice.

But, let's just stick with an outmoded option attack with the wide pitch almost always useless.

Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

Bert Emanuel (who also had a long successful NFL career) makes 8

I’m going to put JT Daniels on the list too. 300 yards per game and almost 3 TD per game (2441/21)

Driphus Jackson holds the third most TDs in one season (24) behind Clement’s two best seasons.

So that’s ten. We might be able to call it there but 10 is a whole lot more than 2. Any more we need to shout out?

(10-20-2026 10:59 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 07:00 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

Bert Emanuel (who also had a long successful NFL career) makes 8

I’m going to put JT Daniels on the list too. 300 yards per game and almost 3 TD per game (2441/21)

Driphus Jackson holds the third most TDs in one season (24) behind Clement’s two best seasons.

So that’s ten. We might be able to call it there but 10 is a whole lot more than 2. Any more we need to shout out?

Depends on (a) how far back we go, and (b) the definition of great.

One of the justifications for the option is that it makes best use of good-not-great quarterbacks, the kind who have an athletic mix of abilities but don't excel in standard ways like pocket passing.

Above is abundant proof that Rice has little difficulty recruiting this kind of quarterback. The excuse that Rice can't recruit this kind of talent flies in the face of facts.

The "shotgun option" just doesn't work.

Michael Calhoun had a spectacular year in 1981.
Vernon Glass must have been pretty good as he qb'd the best team Rice ever had in 1949.
Michael Collins was pretty fabulous for the whopping five games we had him.

9. Minute Rice (1-6)

It's homecoming season, so it only feels rice, er, right to see these old friends returning to these rankings. That'll happen when you lose six straight. If they lose three more, we could be setting up a Pillow Fight of the Week of the Year of the Century on Nov. 19 when the Other Other Owls visit the Other Other Other Owls of ...

(10-20-2026 10:59 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 07:00 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

Bert Emanuel (who also had a long successful NFL career) makes 8

I’m going to put JT Daniels on the list too. 300 yards per game and almost 3 TD per game (2441/21)

Driphus Jackson holds the third most TDs in one season (24) behind Clement’s two best seasons.

So that’s ten. We might be able to call it there but 10 is a whole lot more than 2. Any more we need to shout out?

I think it makes sense to classify an elite quarterback at Rice as one that spent time on an NFL roster (not an undrafted pre-season cut).

So where does that leave us over the past 50 years? Tommy Kramer. Is that it?

Donald Hollas with the Bengals although I'm unsure if they picked him up more as a safety rather than a QB? Bert Emanuel was clearly drafted as a WR. Am I missing anybody?

(10-21-2026 10:05 AM)Rice93 Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 10:59 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 07:00 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

Bert Emanuel (who also had a long successful NFL career) makes 8

I’m going to put JT Daniels on the list too. 300 yards per game and almost 3 TD per game (2441/21)

Driphus Jackson holds the third most TDs in one season (24) behind Clement’s two best seasons.

So that’s ten. We might be able to call it there but 10 is a whole lot more than 2. Any more we need to shout out?

I think it makes sense to classify an elite quarterback at Rice as one that spent time on an NFL roster (not an undrafted pre-season cut).

So where does that leave us over the past 50 years? Tommy Kramer. Is that it?

Donald Hollas with the Bengals although I'm unsure if they picked him up more as a safety rather than a QB? Bert Emanuel was clearly drafted as a WR. Am I missing anybody?

Plenty of G4 teams win games without future NFL starters as QB's. Happens every Saturday in the fall.

Not having a Tommy Kramer is part of the reason why Rice isn't vying for a national championship. It is not an excuse for being winless in FBS.

I'm not going to look it up, but I'm pretty certain that Tommy Kramer never had a winning season at Rice. Obviously you can't knock him for that, given his success as a pro... but isn't 'wins' what we're after and not NFL draft picks? (and speaks to OOs comment)

What is Chase without Dillard? And weren't they recruited to an option offense? Don't forget that after being 6-2 in Clement's first starts.... they were 3-9 the year before they went 10-3. What changed? Injuries to key contributors? Linemen? Schedule? A little of all of that?

Bert was great... but he threw about 200 passes/season completing about 55% and had about 12 TD's/season at Rice. We're doing fairly similar now... but my guess is either that the run offense was simply better OR most of the drops/misses weren't on 3rd down.

More though, NIL and the transfer portal has changed the game. Who knows if Bert leaves Rice after his first effective season... who knows if after going 3-9 but setting records that Clement and Dillard don't get 'bought' away?

Great is sometimes defined by statistics, sometimes by impact, and sometimes both. .. but in almost every case it is defined by opportunities that were not in the control of that player... they simply rose to the occasion that many others may not have even been offered.

Interesting how the goalposts have moved on this thread.

It starts with "give Abell time to implement his system with his own recruits" and now we're at "how can you expect his system to work without an NFL quarterback"?

(10-21-2026 10:58 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Interesting how the goalposts have moved on this thread.

It starts with "give Abell time to implement his system with his own recruits" and now we're at "how can you expect his system to work without an NFL quarterback"?

Actually, it is about how to make WRC's run and shoot offense work without an NFL QB. See post 157.

(10-21-2026 10:58 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Interesting how the goalposts have moved on this thread.

It starts with "give Abell time to implement his system with his own recruits" and now we're at "how can you expect his system to work without an NFL quarterback"?

In fairness, I think the NFL QB comments had more to do with 'change the system' comments.... which were in response to 'give Abell time'.

You don't need an NFL QB to be successful (Clement) and sometimes even having one doesn't bring success. (Kramer). Every year, schools are in the top 25 without an NFL QB and NFL QBs come from schools who aren't in the top 25. In TODAYS world though... it is vastly easier to either bring an NFL caliber QB to a great supporting cast OR to bring a great supporting cast to an NFL caliber QB.

But here is the thing a lot of people forget...
There are also a ton of great athletes who would rather ride the bench and play in mop-up time for a top 25 p5 team than start for g5. Some of them get paid more to ride the bench.

(10-21-2026 10:56 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  I'm not going to look it up, but I'm pretty certain that Tommy Kramer never had a winning season at Rice.

I looked it up. His soph thru Senior seasons, Rice was 2-8-1, 2-9, and 3-8, respectively. I didn't include his freshman year since he shared time with another QB,

His college career completion percent was just above 48%, peaking at 53% i 1976.

He was fifth in the Heisman voting that year.

I remember the howling when Dallas drafted a QB off a 3-7 team, Craig Morton, later a Super Bowl starter.,

I will repeat, football is a TEAM game. Abell's team, midway through his second season, partially due to injuries, is not that good. I would certainly like to see what his offense could do with better offensive players. he may never get that chance. But at this point, I cannot tell if it is the scheme or the team.

(10-20-2026 10:59 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 07:00 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:52 PM)Ourland Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 06:33 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-20-2026 01:40 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Please tell me how Rice signs a QB that can throw for 400 yards a game, because that's what it would take, and with such ability, why would he come to Rice?

We have exactly two great QBs in our history, but somehow we're going to find a gunslinger to throw the ball all over the field at the snap of our fingers? You're dreaming. It's the reason we hired Abell...because we can't recruit great athletes. Remember?

We aren't UH. No "Manny Hazards" are coming to Rice to catch football’s. Never will.

Two?

Tobin Rote - #17 pick - Green Bay Packers
King Hill - #1 pick - Chicago Cardinals
Franks Ryan - #55 pick - Los Angeles Rams
Tommy Kramer - #27 pick - Minnesota Vikings

Chase Clement - all time Rice University leader in passing yds (9785) and total yards (11,526) wasn't chopped liver either. He and Jarett Dillard hold the NCAA record for most career passing touchdowns by a single quarterback–receiver combination - 51.

There may be others I've neglected to include. I only had the privilege of watching Kramer and Clement play, but there are certainly more than 2 great QBs in Rice's history.

Oh, excuse me. Four. Not a big number for a school that has been playing football for over 114 years. Doing the math, we land a great QB once every 27 years.

So, where will we find the next Andre Ware, and why would he come to Rice? What about all of the great receivers we'd need? Where will they be found? Why would they choose Rice when they can make money elsewhere?

Hollas. Mchargue, lots of others. problem is, football is a TEAM sport, and we rarely have a top TEAM.

Bert Emanuel (who also had a long successful NFL career) makes 8

I’m going to put JT Daniels on the list too. 300 yards per game and almost 3 TD per game (2441/21)

Driphus Jackson holds the third most TDs in one season (24) behind Clement’s two best seasons.

So that’s ten. We might be able to call it there but 10 is a whole lot more than 2. Any more we need to shout out?

Yes, they were good, but only Kramer and Clement had the acumen to QB the Run & Shoot, which requires a VERY gifted talent. None of the others mentioned here could do it, certainly not McHargue and Jackson. MAYBE Hollis could pull it off. Rote and Hill played before the forward pass was invented, so they really shouldn't even be part of the discussion. That leaves us with three QBs in the history of Rice Football who could QB the Run & Shoot. Just three, in 114 years of football.

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

Agreed on the BTDT premise.
Did the coaches that we ran off go on to better things?

Rice has had four coaches with overall winning records, 15 with losing records, and one tie.
The winners, notable losers, and the tie listed below.

W - Phil Arbuckle: 1912-17, 1919-23 was 52-30-8 overall and 9-8-2 in conference, but his winnings trailed off in his later years.
Coached one year at LaTech after Rice, with a 1-6-1 record.

L - John Anderson took the helm from Arbuckle in 1918 1-5-0 1-1-0; that was a WWI year, and the brief history didn't say whether Arbuckle was drafted
Anderson did not coach again.

T - Jack Meagher: 1929-33 26-26-0 even overall and 9-20-0 in conference
Meagher had a winning record at his next stop - Auburn

W - Jimmy Kitts took us to our first bowl game and win: 1934-39 33-29-4 overall and 16-18-2 in conference
3 winning seasons, 3 not; last season was 1-9-1
Coached the VPI and the Ottumwa Naval Air Station Skyers after Rice.

W - Jess Neely took us to six bowls and had the team in the AP poll for 14 years: 1940-66 144-124-10 86-75-6
Did we run Neely off, or did he go back to his alma mater Vanderbilt as AD after a few losing seasons at Rice?
His last three years saw 4-6, 2-8, and 2-8 records.
Neely didn't coach again

W - Ken Hatfield: 1994-2005 56-89-1 44-57-0
He had an overall losing record, but his 2001 team had the best record since 1953, and his '94 team beat UT.
Yes, Hat was run off.
His teams didn't have a winning season for his last four years, and the last one was 1-10
Hatfield didn't coach again.

W - Todd Graham ran off on his own: 2006 7-6 6-2
We know where Toad went.

L - John W. Heisman, toward the end of his coaching career had a losing record: 1924-27 14-18-3 overall and 4-11-1 in conference
Heisman didn't coach again

(10-21-2026 01:03 PM)Ourland Wrote:  Yes, they were good, but only Kramer and Clement had the acumen to QB the Run & Shoot, which requires a VERY gifted talent. None of the others mentioned here could do it, certainly not McHargue and Jackson. MAYBE Hollis could pull it off. Rote and Hill played before the forward pass was invented, so they really shouldn't even be part of the discussion. That leaves us with three QBs in the history of Rice Football who could QB the Run & Shoot. Just three, in 114 years of football.

Um, no.

The forward pass in American football was officially legalized by the rules committee in 1906 following intervention by President Theodore Roosevelt to make the violent sport safer. Saint Louis University quarterback Bradbury Robinson threw the first legal pass in a game on September 5, 1906

Rote threw two touchdown passes in a game versus UNC in 1950.
King Hill - 1957 - threw 78 passes for 1244 yards, and went on to be #1 in the NFL draft.

Chase Daniels was probably the most talented passer other than Tommy.

Even Tebow wasn't a real NFL QB passer. Neither was Andre Ware. We need money and investments to put together a good team like Bailiff was able to do in 2013 (through recruiting/luck), with a talented cast that included multiple NFL players (Sendejo, McDonald, Luke Wilson, to name some), but consistently.

For something sustainable without a major investment, the Army/Navy system makes sense, which is why I believed in Abell's system but have since come down from that because there is a disadvantage to running the triple option 5 yards deep in the backfield vs under center. The theoretical passing advantage of playing out of the shotgun has not panned out so far. Hatfield had success but by the end he wasn't running the same flexbone of his early years and results became less consistent. There is no easy solution obviously. The money is not going to come in like even the UTSA's.

(10-21-2026 10:58 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Interesting how the goalposts have moved on this thread.

It starts with "give Abell time to implement his system with his own recruits" and now we're at "how can you expect his system to work without an NFL quarterback"?

I'm one who says give Abell time. I posted this awhile back but will post it again:

Jeff Monken of Army. In his first season (2014) Army was 4-8. The next year (2015) they were 2-10. I wonder if “fans” were calling for his firing saying his system didn’t work - like some on here are doing. 2016 they were 8-5. 2017 they were 10-3.

Yes, Army's offense is not Rice's offense. But the point is: give Abell time before firing him.

(10-21-2026 03:27 PM)ArmChairOwl Wrote:  

(10-21-2026 10:58 AM)Frizzy Owl Wrote:  Interesting how the goalposts have moved on this thread.

It starts with "give Abell time to implement his system with his own recruits" and now we're at "how can you expect his system to work without an NFL quarterback"?

I'm one who says give Abell time. I posted this awhile back but will post it again:

Jeff Monken of Army. In his first season (2014) Army was 4-8. The next year (2015) they were 2-10. I wonder if “fans” were calling for his firing saying his system didn’t work - like some on here are doing. 2016 they were 8-5. 2017 they were 10-3.

Yes, Army's offense is not Rice's offense. But the point is: give Abell time before firing him.

Fair. Jose Cruz Jr got what, 2 and a half seasons? Abell deserves one more year or at least more than just 2 seasons. I don't see how he can improve our running backs and QB much more than what we have now, so I'm disappointed in the run game and overall scheme on offense. Granted QJ got hurt and that was huge, but there are still a couple of good backs in my opinion and the best running QB you could have. The defense has improved and recruiting and transfer portal performance has been solid, it's the scheme on offense that ain't working.