https://www.sbnation.com/college-footbal...ule-roster

Each of the offense and defense 'constellations' made me cringe.

Ouch.

Quote:Rice has a chance to improve a bit, but you won’t know it from the Owls’ record, as the schedule is unforgiving. They are, per S&P+, at least a three-touchdown underdog in every non-conference game, and not only do they play only four teams with a projected ranking in the 100s, but they play all four on the road. Their average projected win total is 2.6, and if they exceed S&P+ expectations by a touchdown per game, it rises to only 4.0.

. . .

S&P+ projects Rice as a favorite in just one game (home against UTEP) and as a single-digit underdog in just one more (at UTSA). The non-conference slate is unforgiving, and the home-road splits in conference are downright cruel, with most of the more beatable opponents playing host to the Owls.

Still, I’d be surprised if Rice isn’t more competitive, and I’m not just saying that because of the near-total lack of 2018 competitiveness.

Not encouraging

Unconventional Wisdom

Good write up and probably pretty fair evaluation. And it's not a surprise at all.
Last year a survival year. This season a significant re-build and a brutal schedule.
2020 a chance to climb out of the cellar.

(02-21-2019 06:51 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Good write up and probably pretty fair evaluation. And it's not a surprise at all.
Last year a survival year. This season a significant re-build and a brutal schedule.
2020 a chance to climb out of the cellar.

Non-conference, this is the kind of schedule I prefer for Rice. But it seems that when we have a better schedule, we often have a worse team, and when we have a better team, our schedule is not so snazzy.

(02-22-2019 12:25 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(02-21-2019 06:51 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Good write up and probably pretty fair evaluation. And it's not a surprise at all.
Last year a survival year. This season a significant re-build and a brutal schedule.
2020 a chance to climb out of the cellar.

Non-conference, this is the kind of schedule I prefer for Rice. But it seems that when we have a better schedule, we often have a worse team, and when we have a better team, our schedule is not so snazzy.

Eh, I'm not so sure. We haven't been able to beat anyone of note even when our schedule wasn't snazzy, so even if the stars lined up where we played the 2019 OOC schedule with our best team of the last 15 years, we're probably looking at 1-3 at best and likely 0-4.

But yes, this is a good OOC schedule. You don't get learn or get better by beating up on little leaguers.

nm

It's a good and fair review.

My disappointment is that I thought a coaching upgrade would lead to a immediate performance upgrade, and now that has turned into "give it three years or so".

(02-22-2019 05:55 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  It's a good and fair review.

My disappointment is that I thought a coaching upgrade would lead to a immediate performance upgrade, and now that has turned into "give it three years or so".

Game/practice/player development coaching was only part of the issue. Sadly, IMHO, the cupboard was pretty bare going into last season.

I think 69/70 noted that we have recruited to the middle/lower end of the pack, but as our conferences have slidden ever-downhill, the cupboard was superior to the lesser competition, but recruiting didn't stay at the previous levels (AND I THINK WE DIDN'T REALLY COMMIT, but that's another thread), so we slipped even more.

(02-22-2019 06:45 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(02-22-2019 05:55 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  It's a good and fair review.

My disappointment is that I thought a coaching upgrade would lead to a immediate performance upgrade, and now that has turned into "give it three years or so".

Game/practice/player development coaching was only part of the issue. Sadly, IMHO, the cupboard was pretty bare going into last season.

I think 69/70 noted that we have recruited to the middle/lower end of the pack, but as our conferences have slidden ever-downhill, the cupboard was superior to the lesser competition, but recruiting didn't stay at the previous levels (AND I THINK WE DIDN'T REALLY COMMIT, but that's another thread), so we slipped even more.

I guess I halfway believed a new coach would bring better play calling, better execution, better discipline, better usage of personnel, better time management, etc., using the same players.

Instead I hear excuses and promises, and the promises aren’t even Wait til next year, they are wait til year after next.

I guess I should have been more skeptical.

It’s not that I don’t think Bloomgren can do it, I just expected more, quicker. I wasn’t the only one, judging from the preseason predictions from last year.

We play 4 teams ranked in the 100's and we're expected to win fewer than 3 games?

sigh

(02-22-2019 09:48 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We play 4 teams ranked in the 100's and we're expected to win fewer than 3 games?

sigh

Ditto on the sigh.

That's an amazingly detailed review, and seems like a very accurate assessment as well.
I just hope the players will keep believing their improvements will eventually pay off in wins.........in 2020.

(02-22-2019 09:53 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-22-2019 09:48 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We play 4 teams ranked in the 100's and we're expected to win fewer than 3 games?

sigh

Ditto on the sigh.

Triple it.

I'm with OO (rare occasion) in that I expected more. Lack of talent isnt an excuse for stupid mistakes like offsides, false starts and an unending desire to run the same non-working play over and over again.

Is there any news what are the next improvements scheduled for the football stadium and the timeline for the improvements?[/align]