Gotta give kudos to the players. Including the kicker. Right down the middle just not enough leg.

This one is all on the coaches. How do you take the qb out of your playcalling when he has 261 yards rushing thru 3 quarters. Give him the ball and let him run.

We should have won this game.

We found ourselves our qb.

(10-24-2026 02:37 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  Stunningly idiotic decision to throw the ball on 3rd and 5 there.

+1

Agree

Said the same thing to the group I was watching with. Coaching malpractice

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)GiveAHoot94 Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:35 PM)OwlWKIF Wrote:  Pretty clearly should’ve just ran a play to go for the conversion.

“Clearly”? We missed that by about a foot…

If he kicked it with the power required it wouldn’t have been on target. That’s why he kicked it without enough power and prayed that it would somehow slip over.

Rather than firing Abell, how about they start with the Special Teams coach? His buyout will be a lot less for the fiscally minded Rice Athletics Admin, whoever that is these days.

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  Stunningly idiotic decision to throw the ball on 3rd and 5 there.

+1

In hindsight yes, but needed that first down to have a manageable kick and run out clock. Even if we made that kick we were going go lose.

The calls when in striking range down 2 several times in the 4th were just not good. Hasn't been a clutch offense all season.

(10-24-2026 02:39 PM)seniorowl Wrote:  Gotta give kudos to the players. Including the kicker. Right down the middle just not enough leg.

This one is all on the coaches. How do you take the qb out of your playcalling when he has 261 yards rushing thru 3 quarters. Give him the ball and let him run.

We should have won this game.

We found ourselves our qb.

Yes we did. I better not show up and see Jacurri Brown start against Tulane, or anyone else.

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  Stunningly idiotic decision to throw the ball on 3rd and 5 there.

+1

Sure glad Abell incorporated the pass to keep everyone happy.

Great post.

(10-24-2026 02:37 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Stats stopped working. What did Ochoa end up with?

12 runs for 259 yards ... 250 on his 4 TDs (55, 52, 74 & 69) ... plus 2-5 passing for 80 yards ... 71 on his TD pass to Walker.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/bo.../401862809

GAEL Ochoa didn’t set the school records (12/259 after going negative from 260 earlier)

49-51 FaU Owls win Owl Bowl VIII

I told yall we needed to be going for two after halftime!!!! If we had, and had converted 3 of 4 it would have made it 51-51.

(10-24-2026 03:07 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  GAEL Ochoa didn’t set the school records (12/259 after going negative from 260 earlier)

49-51 FaU Owls win Owl Bowl VIII

I told yall we needed to be going for two after halftime!!!! If we had, and had converted 3 of 4 it would have made it 51-51.

And the 21.6 final average fell short of Maegle’s 24&change

(10-24-2026 02:45 PM)Buho00 Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 02:36 PM)Rice93 Wrote:  Stunningly idiotic decision to throw the ball on 3rd and 5 there.

+1

In hindsight yes, but needed that first down to have a manageable kick and run out clock. Even if we made that kick we were going go lose.

The calls when in striking range down 2 several times in the 4th were just not good. Hasn't been a clutch offense all season.

With how good our running game had been all day a run would've had a good shot of getting us that first down and if it didnt the kick would've been 2 or 3 yards shorter and we would've gotten it.

Ochoa 259 yards with 4 TD's is great. Good to see the offense. Defense has to step up.

(10-24-2026 03:49 PM)antoniovaldez7777 Wrote:  Ochoa 259 yards with 4 TD's is great. Good to see the offense. Defense has to step up.

Defense and special teams.

Special teams- Had a punt blocked, allowed a punt return touchdown, missed a 55 yard field goal.

Defense- Garbage all across the board. The interception at the end of the first quarter had a missed offsides, and one of the 4th quarter stops had a missed face mask so even 2 of the good things we did were fraudulent.

Offense- Missed what could have been a touchdown pass to Zinter in the first quarter that could have put us up 21-0 then fumbled the ball on a super late pitch right after.

Like always a play or two away from winning or being in the game

(10-24-2026 04:00 PM)TheOwl84 Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 03:49 PM)antoniovaldez7777 Wrote:  Ochoa 259 yards with 4 TD's is great. Good to see the offense. Defense has to step up.

Defense and special teams.

Special teams- Had a punt blocked, allowed a punt return touchdown, missed a 55 yard field goal.

Defense- Garbage all across the board. The interception at the end of the first quarter had a missed offsides, and one of the 4th quarter stops had a missed face mask so even 2 of the good things we did were fraudulent.

Offense- Missed what could have been a touchdown pass to Zinter in the first quarter that could have put us up 21-0 then fumbled the ball on a super late pitch right after.

Like always a play or two away from winning or being in the game

It’s frustrating because there is no doubt this team would have beaten last year’s team by 20+

The offense looked unstoppable today. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

If we want major improvements going into next year, we need to be ready to open our checkbooks. I heard today that we are at the bottom of the AAC in roster spend. We already face a hurdle with academics. Overcoming that in addition to a budget gap is going to be hard for any staff to beat

If we don’t see an increase in NIL budget, I still expect minor improvements given that it’ll be Abell’s third year

It’s been nice not getting our asses kicked when we lose (outside of ND), but I know we’re all ready for some wins

Rice Owls are the best 1-7 team in the country, and, probably the best 1-7 team in the history of The AMERICAN CONFERENCE.

We almost beat fAU today, a team that was in the CFP convo. Same for UTsA, Tulsa, and ECU.

It’s not a moral victory. It’s an immoral victory. And I won’t settle for it.

But we are still coming for that 5-7 APR bowl berth!!!


We’re not dead yet!!!

(10-24-2026 04:13 PM)GiveAHoot94 Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 04:00 PM)TheOwl84 Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 03:49 PM)antoniovaldez7777 Wrote:  Ochoa 259 yards with 4 TD's is great. Good to see the offense. Defense has to step up.

Defense and special teams.

Special teams- Had a punt blocked, per allowed a punt return touchdown, missed a 55 yard field goal.

Defense- Garbage all across the board. The interception at the end of the first quarter had a missed offsides, and one of the 4th quarter stops had a missed face mask so even 2 of the good things we did were fraudulent.

Offense- Missed what could have been a touchdown pass to Zinter in the first quarter that could have put us up 21-0 then fumbled the ball on a super late pitch right after.

Like always a play or two away from winning or being in the game

It’s frustrating because there is no doubt this team would have beaten last year’s team by 20+

The offense looked unstoppable today. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

If we want major improvements going into next year, we need to be ready to open our checkbooks. I heard today that we are at the bottom of the AAC in roster spend. We already face a hurdle with academics. Overcoming that in addition to a budget gap is going to be hard for any staff to beat

If we don’t see an increase in NIL budget, I still expect minor improvements given that it’ll be Abell’s third year

It’s been nice not getting our asses kicked when we lose (outside of ND), but I know we’re all ready for some wins

Might have to use what little NIL we have to retain some the key players we have now.

Special teams more egregious after the Fresno onside kick unpreparedness.
I’ll replay my post from hogan’s hiring.

(12-21-2024 12:20 AM)NYNightOwl Wrote:  A little concerned that special teams aren’t getting the focus many of us on this board think they need. This appears to be the extent of the special teams coach’s resume. “Hogan has assisted on all phases of special teams throughout his career at Texas State, Davidson and Charlotte.”

Maybe he’s amazing. But the resume doesn’t show it.

(10-24-2026 12:45 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  If we lose by 2….ugh

well, you called it. still, it was a far more entertaining game and loss than most others this season.

Abel is out of his league. Go back to Davidson.

(10-24-2026 08:00 PM)Texasowl Wrote:  Abel is out of his league. Go back to Davidson.

Abell is a very nice guy, but he can’t be the coach here past this season.