General
The UAB Blazers sit at a 2-8 record after 10 games but have a chance to end their home slate on a high note with a matchup against another struggling program, the 3-7 Rice Owls.
Both teams are coming off losses to the Memphis Tigers, with UAB getting dominated 53-18 last weekend in the Battle for the Bones rivalry game, and Rice is fresh off their bye week following a 27-20 loss to the Tigers a week prior.
The Blazers hold the edge over Rice all-time between the two programs with a 6-5 record but lost 28-24 the last time the two played in 2022.
Here’s the report on Rice:
The team
Despite their negative record, the Owls’ defense has been a bright spot this season.
They sit at No. 30 nationally in total defense, allowing opposing offenses to gain only 322 yards per contest.
Their secondary ranks fourth in passing yards allowed, with 159.2 yards per game. Only Texas, Notre Dame, and Iowa State have better statistical passing defenses.
It helps distract from their rushing defense, which hasn’t been quite as much of a burden as the Blazers’ but still ranks 92nd in the country.
Strongly contrasting their top 30 defense is their offense ranks as one of the worst in the country.
Their passing attack has been mediocre at best this season, with 221 yards per game, but quarterback EJ Warner’s turnover tendencies have held the offense back. He’s thrown 10 of them this year, contributing over half of their 17 total turnovers which have the Owls tied for ninth-most in the country.
The Coach
After a 24-52 record over his six years, Rice fired coach Mike Bloomgren in late October and named special teams coordinator Pete Alamar their interim head coach.
They’ve seen noticeable improvement since he’s taken the reigns, with an impressive win over Navy in his first game in charge and keeping things close with Memphis in his next.
In his fourth season calling the plays on offense is Marquees Tuiasospopo, who has continued to improve their offense each season up to this point.
Their offense is familiar territory for UAB fans, as it mirrors the style of last year’s Blazers. It’s a quarterback-friendly playbook that gets the ball out of Warner’s hands as fast as possible, utilizing short and high-percentage throws.
Brian Smith has been the Owls’ defensive coordinator since 2018 but is having one of the best seasons of his career coaching their defense this season.
He doubles as the team’s safeties coach, helped by his background as a college safety at UMass, experience coaching with Don Brown at his alma mater and working with secondary coaches with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
Players to watch
Running back Dean Connors leads the team with 678 yards on 126 carries, and is second on the team in receiving, with 351 yards on a team-leading 55 receptions.
He’s a balanced and shifty runner whose speed isn’t game-breaking but makes up for it with an array of one-on-one moves. His six-foot, 210-pound frame often gives him the power to simply lower his shoulder into defenders if they do end up in front of him, too.
Ty Morris, a sophomore linebacker who predominantly plays in the SAM role as a stand-up edge, leads Rice in tackling and interceptions this season in only his sophomore season.
He’s undersized for the edge role at only 6-2, but his wingspan and speed more than make up for it. He’s also shown the ability to line up on-ball and cover the slot, giving the Owls some extra versatility on the line.
The game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. at Protective Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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