#kylen granson

[blackmensuited]

[kenttsterling]

Anthony Richardson & Gardner Minshew split snaps & Alec Pierce bigger are lead OTA takeaways!

[sa7abnews]

Colts star Jonathan Taylor wears Guardian Cap in preseason game vs Broncos

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/12/colts-star-jonathan-taylor-wears-guardian-cap-in-preseason-game-vs-broncos/

Colts star Jonathan Taylor wears Guardian Cap in preseason game vs Broncos

Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor was among the players wearing Guardian Caps during the team’s preseason game against the Denver Broncos.The Guardian Cap is protective headgear that is worn around the helmet to help prevent head injuries. Taylor, Zavier Scott, Kylen Granson, Rodney Thomas II and Grant Stuard decided to wear it for the game on Sunday, months after the NFL approved players to wear it in regular-season games if they choose.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM”We now have two years of data showing significant concussion reductions among players who wear Guardian Caps during practice so players will be permitted to wear the cap during games this upcoming season,” NFL executive Jeff Miller, the EVP overseeing player health and safety, said in a statement in April.”Additionally, there are new helmets this year that provide as much – if not more – protection than a different helmet model paired with a Guardian Cap. These developments represent substantial progress in our efforts to make the game safer for players.”BRONCOS ROOKIE BO NIX OUTPERFORMS VETERAN QBS IN PRESEASON DEBUTThe Guardian Caps were introduced during training camp before the start of the 2022 season. They were made mandatory at preseason practices in 2023 as well as any regular-season or playoff practice that featured contact.Only quarterbacks, wide receivers, defensive backs, kickers and punters are not obliged to wear the piece of protection.Scott told the Indy Star why he decided to wear the cap.”Our [medical and equipment] guys here do a great job of keeping us informed,” Scott said. “They’ve done the testing, and I don’t know the numbers, but they say it [offers] a significant reduction in concussions.”Denver won the game, 34-30.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

[indianapoliscoltscommunication]

National Tight Ends Day

The men on the end of the line of scrimmage need attention too. Last Sunday was National Tight End Day, which meant the Indianapolis Colts were celebrating Kylen Granson, Mo-Allie Cox, and Jack Doyle. These boys block for the offense but also come in clutch with either the small yardage 3rd downs and sometimes the big plays down field. 

The newest of the Colts tight ends is Granson. He was drafted in the 4th round, 127th pick in 2021 according to NFL.com. As of right now, he is a multipurpose player starting on special teams. 

The all-star on offense is Cox. According to the NFL, Cox is having one of his best seasons. He has 4 touchdowns and 177 yards. In the last 3 years besides this season, he’s had 4 touchdowns and 620 yards combined. Cox has been a great target for Wentz because he stands at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. His greatest strength is his speed and toughness after the catch.

Last but not least is the veteran Doyle. Doyle has played 9 seasons with the Colts since being an undrafted free agent in 2013 according to the Colts website. His best season with the Colts was back in 2016 when he scored 5 touchdowns and 584 yards according to the NFL. He hasn’t played much this season missing the last 3 games with back problems according to NBC Sports Edge. 

Every player is valuable on the Colts roster and in the NFL. Players are all equal regardless of skill and talent. They play for the love of the game.

Image By: Sports Illustrated 

[rickyvalero]

2021 Indianapolis Colts Preview

The NFL preview series rolls on as @knighthawk7734 looks at the impact of Carson Wentz on the Colts.

The 2021 NFL Season is upon us and the Music City Drive In has you covered. We’ll be previewing all 32 teams, as well as our picks for award winners and playoff participants each day through Monday, September 6. Check back daily at 4 p.m. EST for each new piece in our preview series. For the third year in a row, the Indianapolis Colts went into 2020 with a new starting quarterback and plenty of…

[insideusnet]

Bills Rally to Beat Colts 27-24 in Matt Ryan's Indy Debut : Inside US

Bills Rally to Beat Colts 27-24 in Matt Ryan’s Indy Debut : Inside US

By JOHN WAWROW, AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Matt Ryan can finally put the Falcons behind him. Whether it was seeing his name on the back of a No. 2 Colts jersey hanging in his locker, or completing his first attempt — a 6-yarder to tight end Kylen Granson — the 37-year-old quarterback feels as if his transition to Indianapolis is complete. “I’m part of this team and there’s 30,…

[anisanews]

Texans draft picks 2021: When does Houston pick? Full list of NFL Draft selections

In case you’re wondering just how disastrous the Bill O’Brien tenure was for the Houston Texans, consider this. They traded three first or second-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for Laremy Tunsil and offloaded DeAndre Hopkins for a 2020 second-round pick and David Johnson. Because of O’Brien’s mismanagement of resources, the Texans no longer hold the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In fact, they don’t pick until Round 3.

That’s bad news for Houston, especially considering quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn’t appear to be happy with the franchise. Now, Watson is dealing with off-the-field concerns of his own that the NFL is reviewing via its personal conduct policy, so that’s yet another problem that the Texans are facing this year.

There is no easy path to fix the Texans right now, especially considering their dearth of overall talent. Nick Caserio and David Culley will have their work cut out for them, and they’re going to have to focus on finding some diamonds in the rough during the 2021 NFL Draft if they want to truly upgrade their team.

Here’s a look at the Texans’ picks in the 2021 NFL Draft:

MORE NFL DRAFT: Complete 7-round mock | Top 100 big board

Texans draft picks 2021: When does Houston pick?

Round 3, Pick No. 67

Round 4, Pick No. 109

Round 5, Pick No. 147

Round 5, Pick No. 158

Round 6, Pick No. 195

Round 6, Pick No. 203

Round 6, Pick No. 212

Round 7, Pick No. 233

Texans 2021 NFL Draft order

Round Pick 3 3 4 4 5 3 5 14 (from Patriots) 6 11 (from Cowboys through Patriots) 6 19 (from Washington through Raiders and Miami) 6 28 (from Saints) 7 5 (from Bengals)

MORE: Read the latest NFL Draft news at SN’s draft HQ

Texans NFL Draft needs

Defensive tackle: The Texans had the NFL’s worst run defense last year and clearly missed D.J. Reader. Now, they’ll be without J.J. Watt, too. They’ll have to find a quality defensive tackle in the middle rounds of the draft, or at least add a strong run-stuffer to the fold.

Wide receiver: Houston had one of the NFL’s best receiver rooms not too long ago. Now, they are down to Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb leading the charge. The Texans have signed five WRs this offseason, but none look like true No. 1 options. They’ll have to try to find one in a loaded receiver class.

Cornerback: Vernon Hargreaves can’t be trusted in a big role on this defense. Adding Terrance Mitchell and Desmond King this offseason is a good start for the Texans, but they need a true No. 2 corner to pair with Bradley Roby long-term. Otherwise, they’ll be wasting Roby’s prime.

Offensive line: Trading for Marcus Cannon and signing Justin Britt are good upside moves, but the Texans still need more depth. Tytus Howard has been lackluster at right tackle and if Britt can’t stay healthy, they’ll need an insurance policy at the center spot.

Quarterback: If Deshaun Watson really doesn’t want to play for the Texans again, they’ll need to find a new young quarterback to develop behind Tyrod Taylor and compete with Ryan Finley. That will be easier said than done in the third round and beyond.

Houston Texans mock draft 2021

Here are the latest 2021 NFL Draft projections for the Texans, according to Vinnie Iyer’s seven-round mock draft:

Round Pick Team Position College 3 3 Hamilcar Rashed Jr. EDGE Oregon State 4 4 Jamar Johnson S Indiana 5 3 Drake Jackson G/C Kentucky 5 14 Chuba Hubbard RB Oklahoma State 6 11 Austin Watkins Jr. WR UAB 6 19 Alaric Jackson OT Iowa 6 28 Kylen Granson TE SMU 7 5 Derrick Barnes LB Purdue

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[diaspora9ja]

Which channel is the Senior Bowl 2021 running on today? Time to prove rosters & NFL draft prospects with most

The 2021 Senior Bowl will differ in a number of methods, most of which had been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

What will not change is the truth that this is likely one of the final methods school seniors – and fourth-year juniors – could make an affect on NFL groups. In actual fact, this a part of the occasion is being elevated this 12 months because of the lack of an NFL mix. However not everybody who takes half within the Senior Bowl is there to play. Some, like Alabama recipient DeVonta Smith, predicted by Sporting Information’ Vinnie Iyer as quantity 2 within the 2021 NFL draft, will solely be there for interviews with groups.

No matter this, this sport – along with particular person professional days – will likely be an necessary think about whether or not and wherein place a workforce drafts a specific participant.

NFL MOCK DRAFT 2021: The newest projections from SN earlier than Senior Bowl

Among the many varied adjustments required by the pandemic, the present safety protocols imply that participation within the sport is severely restricted and followers should not allowed to take part in sport week workouts in any respect.

On Sporting Information, be taught what it’s good to know to observe the 2021 Senior Bowl, together with the time, date, TV channels, rosters and gamers who can benefit from their week in Cell, Ala:

When is the 2020 Senior Bowl?

Date: Saturday January thirtieth

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

This 12 months’s sport kicks off – the 72nd version – is scheduled for two:30 p.m. ET.

Whereas the sport will proceed to happen in Cell, Alabama, there will likely be a brand new venue: Hancock Whitney Stadium, which changed Ladd-Peebles Stadium as the house of the South Alabama Jaguars in 2020. The sport follows three coaching days on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Which channel is the Senior Bowl on?

The Senior Bowl will likely be broadcast on the NFL Community, which may also be broadcast stay on fuboTV (7-day free trial).

Viewers in Canada can register with DAZN to observe the NFL Community.

Senior Bowl coaching plan

The gamers practiced on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday earlier than the sport on Saturday. ESPNU broadcast the drills for each groups on Wednesday and Thursday, whereas the NFL community broadcast a one-hour abstract for every coaching day at 8 p.m. ET. Beneath is the total train broadcast schedule:

All instances east

Tuesday, January twenty sixth

12.30pm-2.30pm: nationwide workforce

3 pm-5pm: American workforce

Wednesday January twenty seventh

Thursday January twenty eighth

Senior Bowl 2020 rosters

The participant lists mirror the official Senior Bowl lists, however don’t comprise the total record of members.

American workforce

place participant College Quarterbacks Ladles moon Texas A & M. Kyle Trask Florida Jamie Newman Wake Forest Operating backs Larry Rountree III Missouri Kylin Hill Michigan State Chris Evans Michigan Elijah Mitchell Louisiana Broad receiver Racey McMath LSU Marquez Stevenson Houston Austin Watkins Jr. UAB Josh Palmer Tennessee Shi Smith South carolina Kadarius Toney Florida Trevon Grimes Florida Amari Rodgers Clemson Cornell Powell Clemson Tight ends Tre McKitty Georgia Noah Grey duke Quintin Morris Bowling inexperienced Kylen Granson SMU Offensive tackles Alaric Jackson Iowa Alex Leatherwood Alabama Dan Moore Jr. Texas A & M. Jaylon Moore Western Michigan Guards / facilities Trey Smith Tennessee David Moore Grambling State Drake Jackson Kentucky Ben Cleveland Georgia Deonte Brown Alabama Jack Anderson Texas A & M. Defensive linemen Marvin Wilson Florida State Wyatt Hubert Kansas State Malik Herring Georgia Payton Turner Houston Marlon Tuipulotu USC Carlos Basham Jr. Wake Forest Cameron rehearsal Tulane Chauncey Golston Iowa Edge breaker Janarius Robinson Florida State Quincy Roche Miami William Bradley-King Baylor Linebacker Paddy Fisher Northwest Charles Snowden Virginia Riley Cole South Alabama Jabril Cox LSU Grant Stuard Houston Monty rice Georgia KJ Britt Auburn Jordan Smith UAB Cornerbacks DJ Daniel Georgia Bryan Mills NC Central Aaron Robinson UCF Robert Rochell Central Arkansas Ifeatu Melifonwu Syracuse Collateral Joshuah Bledsoe Missouri Tyree Gillespie Missouri JaCoby Stevens LSU Hamsah Nasirildeen Florida State Shawn Davis Florida Mark Webb Georgia Richie Grant UCF

Nationwide workforce

place participant College Quarterbacks Sam Ehlinger Texas Ian E book Notre Dame Feleipe Franks Arkansas Operating backs Rhamondre Stevenson Oklahoma Demetric Felton UCLA Michael Carter North Carolina Najee Harris Alabama Khalil Herbert Virginia Tech Fullbacks Ben Mason Michigan Broad receiver Ben Skowronek Notre Dame Desmond Fitzpatrick Louisville D’Wayne Eskridge Western Michigan Cade Johnson State of South Dakota Tylan Wallace Oklahoma State Nico Collins Michigan DeVonta Smith Alabama Frank Darby Arizona State Sage surratt Wake Forest Tight ends Tony Poljan Virginia Kenny Yeboah Ole Miss Hunter Lengthy Boston School Offensive tackles Brenden Jaimes Nebraska Spencer Brown Northern Iowa Dillon Radunz North Dakota State James Hudson III Cincinnati Adrian Ealy Oklahoma Guards / facilities Robert Hainsey Notre Dame Robert Jones Center Tennessee State Creed Humphrey Oklahoma Aaron Banks Notre Dame Jake Curhan Cal Quinn Meinerz Wisconsin Whitewater Defensive linemen Jonathon Cooper Ohio State Levi Onwuzurike Washington Osa Odighizuwa UCLA Rashad Weaver Pitt Patrick Jones II Pitt Adetokunbo Ogundeji Notre Dame Daelin Hayes Notre Dame Tarron Jackson Carolina Coast Elerson Smith Northern Iowa Ta’Quon Graham Texas Edge breaker Shaka Toney Penn State Linebacker Garret Wallow TCU Hamilcar Rashed Jr. Oregon State Justin Hilliard Ohio State Baron Browning Ohio State Tuf Borland Ohio State Chazz Surratt North Carolina Tony Fields II West Virginia Derrick Barnes Purdue Cornerbacks Keith Taylor Washington Thomas Graham Jr. Oregon Tre Brown Oklahoma Ambry Thomas Michigan Camryn Bynum Cal Rodarius Williams Oklahoma State Benjamin St-Juste Minnesota Darren Corridor San Diego State Collateral Divine Deablo Virginia Tech Damar Hamlin Pitt

NFL employees prepare the 2020 Senior Bowl

Brian Flores and the Dolphins employees, who’ve the # 3 and 18 total picks, will coach the nationwide workforce.

Matt Rhule and the Panthers, who maintain quantity 8 total, will prepare the American workforce. This record contains the deliberate picks for the primary spherical, Kadarius Toney and Kyle Trask, receivers and quarterback in Florida.

2020 NFL draft prospects with most to show at Senior Bowl

Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

Jones’ lonely season as a starter in Alabama was productive sufficient to warrant an SN projection as a range for the primary spherical. However many pundits have questioned aloud whether or not his unimaginable season was extra the results of his sideline – which incorporates Smith, Harris, and a Joe Moore Award successful offensive line – and the playful brilliance of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Jones can present as soon as and for all that his non permanent sharpness shouldn’t be completely attributable to exterior elements.

Getty Photos https://pictures.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/83/ed/mac-jones-102520-getty-ftrjpg_1eragyazoe6er188tw24x82daf.jpg?t=1496109446&w=500&high quality=80

Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

Like Jones, Trask had an unimaginable 2020 season. In his final three video games, nonetheless, he threw 5 interceptions, together with a number of turnovers towards LSU and Oklahoma within the Sugar Bowl. The widespread think about these two video games is that he performed with out a few of his offensive playmakers, together with recipient Kadarius Toney and Mackey Award winner Kyle Pitts. A very good week of follow can take away any doubts these sub-par video games might have induced.

Jamie Newman, QB, Wake Forest

Newman made waves when he moved to Georgia with the Demon Deacons after his 2019 season, the place the 6-4, 230-pound double menace threw greater than 2,800 yards and 26 touchdowns whereas working greater than 500 yards and 6 extra factors . Nevertheless, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he pulled out of the season earlier than he may play. No person goes accountable him – and neither ought to they – for taking management of his safety and future, and every week of excellent practices and interviews will make him among the best draft second tier quarterbacks.

Nico Collins, WR, Michigan

Collins is an enormous recipient at £ 6-4,215, however he is one other Michigan passport catcher whose stats do not counsel a productive school profession. Collins, who retired from the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, has profession stats of 78 catches, 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a substitute of 1 ultimate season in 2020, he can take an enormous leap up within the Senior Bowl.

(Getty Photos) https://pictures.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/9d/1d/nico-collins-101418-getty-ftr_iweptv4s6vbi1f39pf1c2w0il.jpg?t=1896044390&w=500&high quality=80

Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee

Smith – all 6-6, 330 kilos of him – has proven NFL traits in his three years in Tennessee. Groups may be cautious about choosing him with a excessive draft choose, nonetheless, as he was recognized with blood clots in 2018. That season, he performed seven video games earlier than being closed to deal with the clot. He performed two full seasons in 2019 and ’20 with no issues. If Smith can dominate in cell, convincing a workforce to take an opportunity on him may be sufficient.

Tarron Jackson, DL, Carolina Coast

Jackson had a powerful profession for the Chanticleers, ending his final two years with double-digit tackles to losses during the last three seasons and 18 sacks mixed. Now the 6-2, 260-pound cross dashing specialist can use the Senior Bowl as a stage to point out that he can compete in among the greatest competitors the faculty sport has to supply.

Kylin Hill, RB, State of Mississippi

Hill, the SEC’s high 2019 returnee, was set to point out his versatility in coach Mike Leach’s first 12 months airstrike assault. As a substitute, the senior defender solely performed three video games earlier than signing out. He rushed 15 instances for 57 yards and caught 23 passes for 237 yards and a rating for the 1-2 Bulldogs. How this affected his inventory draft stays to be seen, however he may have used an all-around season to show his price able that continues to say no within the NFL. He can try this in cell.

(Getty Photos) https://pictures.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/b5/76/kylin-hill-012621-getty-ftr_5twfvxas19ap1mn0js0t5sdd1.jpg?t=1090341375&w=500&high quality=80

Liam Eichenberg, OL, Notre Dame

Eichenberg’s has been a terrific profession for the Preventing Irish who’ve lengthy produced high-profile offensive expertise. Eichenberg – buying and selling at 6-6, 302 kilos – is actually a large contender for protecting this manufacturing unit line going. He’s wholesome from the bottom up and performs towards elite expertise however has been overwhelmed once in a while by proficient gamers like Clemson Defensive Sort out Bryan Bresee and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson. Some draft shops already take into account Eichenberg to be a plug-and-play candidate for the NFL. Nevertheless, if he can get nice outcomes on cross safety in Cell, that may be sufficient to ensure he will get chosen within the first spherical.

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[jcruizphoto]

Kylen Granson flies over a defender at the @bocabowl . . . . . #bocabowl #ponyupdallas #ponyup #beatfau #ponyupboca #jcruizphotography #bowlseason #smu #football #ncaafootball #sportsphotographer #sportsphotography #saturday #picoftheday #photooftheday #collegefootball (at FAU Stadium) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6We_vRFqG3/?igshid=uqcepfp6trhn

[blackmensuited]

[kenttsterling]

Colts TE Kylen Granson says Anthony Richardson has big body, big arm; AND is very wholesome!

[athlonsports]

SMU is coming off the program's first season of double-digit victories since 1984. A high-powered offense directed by quarterback Shane Buechele led the way in 2019 and will headline the Mustangs' hopes of an American Athletic Conference title in 2020. Buechele is one of the top Group of 5 players in college football, and there's plenty of weapons at his disposal, including Reggie Roberson and tight end Kylen Granson. Read the full story on Athlon Sports

[junker-town]

Rice coach David Bailiff has somehow managed to average 5-7 records for a decade

The Owls face an uphill battle in 2017, but what else is new?

This preview originally published February 28 and has since been updated.

David Bailiff has walked through the world a little differently than most coaches, and at this point in his career, the 58-year-old has produced one of the stranger résumés imaginable.

He has mentored two current Big 12 head coaches — Texas' Tom Herman, Kansas' David Beaty (not to mention Colorado defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot and Rutgers offensive coordinator-turned-Herman assistant Drew Mehringer) — without ever coaching in a major conference himself.

And in a decade at Rice, he has managed to both win a Conference USA title (unlikely) and average a 5-7 season without getting fired (perhaps even more unlikely).

A small-school product — he graduated from Texas State back when it had "Southwest" at the start of its name — Bailiff began his coaching career as a high school defensive line coach, then ended it.

Bailiff went into private business but was drawn back as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. He claimed a branch on the Dennis Franchione tree, then followed Franchione to New Mexico.

When his former teammate Bob DeBesse took the job at (SW) TXST, Bailiff signed on as his defensive coordinator. And when Franchione left TCU for the Alabama job and his successor, Gary Patterson, was looking for a line coach, Bailiff got the call.

Bailiff got his first head coaching gig, naturally, back at the alma mater. He won 21 games in three years and took his Bobcats to the 2005 I-AA semifinals, and that was enough to attract a rather desperate Rice. The Owls had gone 45 years between bowls (with only six winning seasons in the process) before first-year head coach Todd Graham brought them to the New Orleans Bowl in 2006 and left for Tulsa. Scorned and scrambling, the program went unorthodox.

The results have been ... unorthodox. Bailiff has been known for innovative offenses despite his history as a defensive coach, and he has produced four bowls, a conference title, two 10-win seasons ... and three three-win (or worse) campaigns. Either things click or they don't.

In the meantime, Rice has upgraded its facilities and shed most of its "You simply can't win here" reputation.

Bailiff's tenure has been a success. But the downfall has been undeniable. Since winning C-USA in 2013, the win total has fallen from 10 to eight to five to three. The Owls' S&P+ ranking has gone from 65th to 78th to 118th to 121st. In theory, when you raise your program's standards and then fail to meet the raised bar, you are cut loose. But here Bailiff is, preparing for his 11th year near downtown H-Town.

Bailiff has already pulled off two turnarounds at Rice. Following a 3-9 debut, he ripped off 10-win season No. 1. And following a stretch of just 10 wins in three years (2009-11), he won 25 over the next three. He has proved that, given time, he can figure things out, and despite the crazy impatience of this profession, he has been given that time.

Does he have another turnaround in him? Based on what we've learned about the talent, it's hard to be too optimistic. An offense that ranked 97th in Off. S&P+ must replace its leading passer, rusher, and receiver. A defense that was true dreck must replace maybe its two best playmakers. The defense does have far more experience than it did, and the offensive line could be one of the conference's best. But is that enough? Injuries and a stomach virus played a role in Rice’s low 2016 ratings, but is there actually upside?

Of course, my 2012 Rice preview wasn't optimistic either, was it?

Rice has long been a lovely underdog tale. And who knows, with sustained success following 2008's run, they may have been able to shove their way into "Smart-kid school of the Big East" status. But as it stands, college football's power structure has left Rice behind, and little about the 2012 roster suggests they will be capable of getting any of that back this fall.

Rice began 2012 by losing six of eight. Then the Owls won 15 of their next 19.

2016 in review

2016 Rice statistical profile.

The less said about Rice's 2016, the better. If you're looking for reasons for optimism, you could point to the fact that the Owls began 0-6 and finished 3-3. There was a bit of an uptick in quality:

First 6 games (0-6) — Avg. percentile performance: 19 percent (~top 105) | Avg. score: Opp 36, Rice 19 (-17) | Yards per play: Opp 7.2, Rice 4.8 (-2.4)

Last 6 games (3-3) — Avg. percentile performance: 36 percent (~top 80) | Avg. score: Opp 39, Rice 32 (-7) | Yards per play: Opp 7.7, Rice 5.5 (-2.2)

Still, the defense regressed down the stretch almost as much as the offense improved, and Rice's three wins came against a below-average FCS team (Prairie View A&M) and teams ranked 122nd (UTEP) and 125th (Charlotte) in S&P+. Within that span, they also lost by 45 to Louisiana Tech and by 17 to a pretty bad FAU.

So let's just move on. Rice was bad. Let's see if the Owls will be better.

(Actually, one more thing, if only because of uniqueness: about one-third of the team was floored by a stomach virus in late-October. That probably explains a little bit of the ghastly margin against La. Tech and the loss to FAU.)

Offense

Full advanced stats glossary.

Bailiff's career has been defined as much as anything by strong hires. Indeed, he gave well-regarded young coaches early-career breaks. And you could say he's staking his latest turnaround on another couple of young guys.

Billy Lynch has been around for a while now. He's entering his seventh season at Rice and his fourth as at least co-coordinator. The Ball State grad was able to figure out a decent path in 2016 -- the Owls' offense only improved from 102nd to 97th in Off. S&P+, but it did improve by quite a bit later in the season.

The Lynch offense was a pretty familiar one for Rice; it had a high tempo and created a decent number of solo tackles (indicating spread-out defenses), though the Owls did run a bit more than they previously have. Quarterback Tyler Stehling had his moments of mobility; not including sacks, he rushed about six to seven times per game at about six yards per carry. QBs rushed more times in 2016 than in 2015, when Driphus Jackson was behind center.

Still, Rice went from rushing 68 percent of the time on standard downs (20th in FBS) to 58 percent (80th); the Owls also ran more on passing downs than they did the year before, a product of some combination of Stehling's scrambling and an attempt at unpredictability.

Last year doesn't really matter, though, because Stehling's gone. In his stead comes a battle royale. Three other QBs (sophomores Jackson Tyner and J.T. Granato and senior Nate German, who is more WR than QB at this point) threw passes last year, and a couple of three-star youngsters (redshirt Sam Glaesmann and incoming signee Miklo Smalls) could enter the mix.

Actually, all five were three-star recruits; Bailiff's reputation has allowed him to ink some intriguing quarterback talent. But someone will need to seize the job, and you never know how that will go.

I guess you could consider Tyner the favorite; when Stehling got hurt against UTEP, Tyner lost an early fumble but then led the Owls to 34 straight points. (He had a miserable outing against Stanford in the season finale, but Stanford's not in Conference USA.)

Another young coach could play an important role. Wesley Beschorner is the new QBs coach, and while I rarely talk about position coaches in these previews, he was a quality control guy for Matt Canada’s awesome 2016 Pitt offense, and he fits the profile of a guy who often thrives under Bailiff.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson Tyner

The quarterback will have at least a couple of exciting weapons. Former star recruit Samuel Stewart had a breakout season in support of since-departed back Darik Dillard. Stewart ended up with 603 combined rushing and receiving yards and six touchdowns; he averaged 6.2 yards per carry (with better efficiency and explosiveness than Dillard), and he did most of his damage in only five games. He'll need to prove he can stay healthy, but if he does, he's a big threat.

Also a threat: senior receiver Temi Alaka [Update: he’s since transferred to USF]. He had only four catches for 26 yards in the first four games of the year, then put up 24 for 432 over the next seven. A lot of that came against PVAMU (six catches, 143 yards), but he made big plays against Southern Miss, FAU, and UTEP, too. He and sophomore possession man Kylen Granson bring some nice size and potential to the table, as do similarly-sized juniors Lance Wright and Parker Smith.

The biggest assets, though, might be up front. As with a lot of units last year, injury forced some shuffling on Rice's offensive line, but the Owls bring back seven hosses with starting experience, including honorable-mention all-conference performers Calvin Anderson (left tackle) and Trey Martin (center) and two-year starting guard Peter Godber. There is meat here, too: the 12 linemen I list on Rice's preview data page have an average size of 6'4, 306.

With a stable starting five, this could be an excellent line, and when you think about Stewart behind this line, you start to see big improvement in Rice's future.

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Samuel Stewart

Defense

With each preview, I share an offensive and defensive radar for each team. They are designed to communicate pockets of strength or weakness. And if the radar is pretty much deflated, well, that says something, too.

So:

Yeah. Rice wanted to be aggressive and produced a decent pass rush and success rate. But if opponents got a pass off, it was finding its target, and the recipient was running a long way. And efficiency wasn’t nearly enough of a strength to account for the big plays.

Let’s put this another way:

Bad.

The good news, as it were, is that injuries (and illness!) really did make things worse. Rice ended up with 11 linemen making between eight and 32 tackles; five missed at least one game, and three missed at least four. Meanwhile, of the 11 primary defensive backs, five missed time, and a 12th missed all season.

The only thing worse than having a shaky lineup is having a shaky lineup that changes every week.

Now, for all we know, the injury bug will bite again this fall. But if that regresses toward a more acceptable mean, Rice's 2017 lineup might’ve benefited from 2016. Ten of those 11 linemen return, as do nine of those 12 defensive backs. And senior Emmanuel Ellerbee is back to anchor the linebacking corps.

Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images

Emmanuel Ellerbee

Stats show continuity is most important at the back of the defense, and Rice has it. The main problem, though, is that maybe the two best play-makers (safety Tabari McGaskey and middle linebacker Alex Lyons) are among the small handful of departed defenders.

There appears to be potential up front. The top three returning ends (Blain Padgett, Graysen Schantz, Brian Womac) combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and six sacks last year, and the top four returning tackles (Preston Gordon, Roe Wilkins, Carl Thompson, Zach Abercrumbia) combined for 12.5 and six, respectively. There isn't enough size here -- none of those ends are over 250 pounds, and only two of those tackles are over 280 -- but the activity level could compensate.

The biggest loss is probably McGaskey. He combined 11 tackles for loss with six passes defensed (a rare combination), and he was the only real play-maker in the back. Nickel back Destri White did have four tackles for loss, and three returnees had at least four passes defensed (four if you include sophomore Justin Bickham, who missed 2016), but there will need to be improvement there.

Well, there will need to be improvement everywhere. Rice had the worst passing downs defense in the country even with a decent pass rush, and the Owls' "strongest" primary rating was a No. 92 spot in Standard Downs S&P+. Even if the offense comes together, you don't have a high ceiling with such a woeful defense. But we'll see what better injuries luck can do.

Special Teams

Special teams made things neither better nor worse for Rice. The Owls were 87th in Special Teams S&P+ ranking between 54th and 96th in all five individual categories. The entire unit returns, so the extent that experience matters, it could boost the lineup a hair. But there probably won't be significant shifts up or down here.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 26-Aug vs. Stanford 12 -32.8 3% 9-Sep at UTEP 126 -0.9 48% 16-Sep at Houston 49 -22.1 10% 23-Sep Florida International 104 -1.3 47% 30-Sep at Pittsburgh 33 -25.6 7% 7-Oct Army 102 -1.8 46% 21-Oct at UTSA 91 -10.6 27% 28-Oct Louisiana Tech 82 -6.4 36% 4-Nov at UAB 130 10.4 73% 11-Nov Southern Miss 84 -6.1 36% 18-Nov at Old Dominion 93 -10.1 28% 25-Nov North Texas 106 -0.7 48%

Projected S&P+ Rk 120 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 106 / 112 Projected wins 4.1 Five-Year S&P+ Rk -15.1 (121) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 124 / 111 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* -7 / -8.3 2016 TO Luck/Game +0.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 66% (53%, 78%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 3.9 (-0.9)

When you've slid for three straight years and don't have impressive recruiting rankings, you are, of course, going to project pretty poorly. That S&P+ says Rice will rank around 120th this year isn't a surprise. And at that level, the Owls are given a better than 50 percent chance of winning in just one game this fall.

But if you're hoping Bailiff has another turnaround in him, you don't have to spin too much. For one thing, Rice really was beset by an abnormal number of knocks last year. And for another, the schedule isn't that far from flipping in the Owls' favor.

Rice faces four games with a win probability between 46 and 48 percent and two more with 36 percent. Granted, a bowl bid would require the Owls to win all but one of them, but you can at least see how a healthier, far more experienced team finds a quarterback, plays well in the trenches, and stops its recent slide.

You can also see how the Bailiff era limps to a quiet end, of course. You can see that more clearly, in fact. But Bailiff has stared down the odds before.

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[junker-town]

Rice coach David Bailiff has somehow managed to average 5-7 records for a decade

The Owls face an uphill battle in 2017, but what else is new?

David Bailiff has walked through the world a little differently than most coaches, and at this point in his career, the 58-year-old has produced one of the stranger résumés imaginable.

He has mentored two current Big 12 head coaches — Texas' Tom Herman, Kansas' David Beaty (not to mention Colorado defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot and Rutgers offensive coordinator-turned-Herman assistant Drew Mehringer) — without ever coaching in a major conference himself.

And in a decade at Rice, he has managed to both win a Conference USA title (unlikely) and average a 5-7 season without getting fired (perhaps even more unlikely).

A small-school product — he graduated from Texas State back when it had "Southwest" at the start of its name — Bailiff began his coaching career as a high school defensive line coach, then ended it.

Bailiff went into private business but was drawn back as a graduate assistant at his alma mater. He claimed a branch on the Dennis Franchione tree, then followed Franchione to New Mexico.

When his former teammate Bob DeBesse took the job at (SW) TXST, Bailiff signed on as his defensive coordinator. And when Franchione left TCU for the Alabama job and his successor, Gary Patterson, was looking for a line coach, Bailiff got the call.

Bailiff got his first head coaching gig, naturally, back at the alma mater. He won 21 games in three years and took his Bobcats to the 2005 I-AA semifinals, and that was enough to attract a rather desperate Rice. The Owls had gone 45 years between bowls (with only six winning seasons in the process) before first-year head coach Todd Graham brought them to the New Orleans Bowl in 2006 and left for Tulsa. Scorned and scrambling, the program went unorthodox.

The results have been ... unorthodox. Bailiff has been known for innovative offenses despite his history as a defensive coach, and he has produced four bowls, a conference title, two 10-win seasons ... and three three-win (or worse) campaigns. Either things click or they don't.

In the meantime, Rice has upgraded its facilities and shed most of its "You simply can't win here" reputation.

Bailiff's tenure has been a success. But the downfall has been undeniable. Since winning C-USA in 2013, the win total has fallen from 10 to eight to five to three. The Owls' S&P+ ranking has gone from 65th to 78th to 118th to 121st. In theory, when you raise your program's standards and then fail to meet the raised bar, you are cut loose. But here Bailiff is, preparing for his 11th year near downtown H-Town.

Bailiff has already pulled off two turnarounds at Rice. Following a 3-9 debut, he ripped off 10-win season No. 1. And following a stretch of just 10 wins in three years (2009-11), he won 25 over the next three. He has proved that, given time, he can figure things out, and despite the crazy impatience of this profession, he has been given that time.

Does he have another turnaround in him? Based on what we've learned about the talent, it's hard to be too optimistic. An offense that ranked 97th in Off. S&P+ must replace its leading passer, rusher, and receiver. A defense that was true dreck must replace maybe its two best playmakers. The defense does have far more experience than it did, and the offensive line could be one of the conference's best. But is that enough? Injuries and a stomach virus played a role in Rice’s low 2016 ratings, but is there actually upside?

Of course, my 2012 Rice preview wasn't optimistic either, was it?

Rice has long been a lovely underdog tale. And who knows, with sustained success following 2008's run, they may have been able to shove their way into "Smart-kid school of the Big East" status. But as it stands, college football's power structure has left Rice behind, and little about the 2012 roster suggests they will be capable of getting any of that back this fall.

Rice began 2012 by losing six of eight. Then the Owls won 15 of their next 19.

2016 in review

2016 Rice statistical profile.

The less said about Rice's 2016, the better. If you're looking for reasons for optimism, you could point to the fact that the Owls began 0-6 and finished 3-3. There was a bit of an uptick in quality:

First 6 games (0-6) — Avg. percentile performance: 19 percent (~top 105) | Avg. score: Opp 36, Rice 19 (-17) | Yards per play: Opp 7.2, Rice 4.8 (-2.4)

Last 6 games (3-3) — Avg. percentile performance: 36 percent (~top 80) | Avg. score: Opp 39, Rice 32 (-7) | Yards per play: Opp 7.7, Rice 5.5 (-2.2)

Still, the defense regressed down the stretch almost as much as the offense improved, and Rice's three wins came against a below-average FCS team (Prairie View A&M) and teams ranked 122nd (UTEP) and 125th (Charlotte) in S&P+. Within that span, they also lost by 45 to Louisiana Tech and by 17 to a pretty bad FAU.

So let's just move on. Rice was bad. Let's see if the Owls will be better.

(Actually, one more thing, if only because of uniqueness: about one-third of the team was floored by a stomach virus in late-October. That probably explains a little bit of the ghastly margin against La. Tech and the loss to FAU.)

Offense

Full advanced stats glossary.

Bailiff's career has been defined as much as anything by strong hires. Indeed, he gave well-regarded young coaches early-career breaks. And you could say he's staking his latest turnaround on another couple of young guys.

Billy Lynch has been around for a while now. He's entering his seventh season at Rice and his fourth as at least co-coordinator. The Ball State grad was able to figure out a decent path in 2016 -- the Owls' offense only improved from 102nd to 97th in Off. S&P+, but it did improve by quite a bit later in the season.

The Lynch offense was a pretty familiar one for Rice; it had a high tempo and created a decent number of solo tackles (indicating spread-out defenses), though the Owls did run a bit more than they previously have. Quarterback Tyler Stehling had his moments of mobility; not including sacks, he rushed about six to seven times per game at about six yards per carry. QBs rushed more times in 2016 than in 2015, when Driphus Jackson was behind center.

Still, Rice went from rushing 68 percent of the time on standard downs (20th in FBS) to 58 percent (80th); the Owls also ran more on passing downs than they did the year before, a product of some combination of Stehling's scrambling and an attempt at unpredictability.

Last year doesn't really matter, though, because Stehling's gone. In his stead comes a battle royale. Three other QBs (sophomores Jackson Tyner and J.T. Granato and senior Nate German, who is more WR than QB at this point) threw passes last year, and a couple of three-star youngsters (redshirt Sam Glaesmann and incoming signee Miklo Smalls) could enter the mix.

Actually, all five were three-star recruits; Bailiff's reputation has allowed him to ink some intriguing quarterback talent. But someone will need to seize the job, and you never know how that will go.

I guess you could consider Tyner the favorite; when Stehling got hurt against UTEP, Tyner lost an early fumble but then led the Owls to 34 straight points. (He had a miserable outing against Stanford in the season finale, but Stanford's not in Conference USA.)

Another young coach could play an important role. Wesley Beschorner is the new QBs coach, and while I rarely talk about position coaches in these previews, he was a quality control guy for Matt Canada’s awesome 2016 Pitt offense, and he fits the profile of a guy who often thrives under Bailiff.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson Tyner

The quarterback will have at least a couple of exciting weapons. Former star recruit Samuel Stewart had a breakout season in support of since-departed back Darik Dillard. Stewart ended up with 603 combined rushing and receiving yards and six touchdowns; he averaged 6.2 yards per carry (with better efficiency and explosiveness than Dillard), and he did most of his damage in only five games. He'll need to prove he can stay healthy, but if he does, he's a big threat.

Also a threat: senior receiver Temi Alaka. He had only four catches for 26 yards in the first four games of the year, then put up 24 for 432 over the next seven. A lot of that came against PVAMU (six catches, 143 yards), but he made big plays against Southern Miss, FAU, and UTEP, too. He and sophomore possession man Kylen Granson bring some nice size and potential to the table, as do similarly-sized juniors Lance Wright and Parker Smith.

The biggest assets, though, might be up front. As with a lot of units last year, injury forced some shuffling on Rice's offensive line, but the Owls bring back seven hosses with starting experience, including honorable-mention all-conference performers Calvin Anderson (left tackle) and Trey Martin (center) and two-year starting guard Peter Godber. There is meat here, too: the 12 linemen I list on Rice's preview data page have an average size of 6'4, 306.

With a stable starting five, this could be an excellent line, and when you think about Stewart behind this line, you start to see big improvement in Rice's future.

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Samuel Stewart

Defense

With each preview, I share an offensive and defensive radar for each team. They are designed to communicate pockets of strength or weakness. And if the radar is pretty much deflated, well, that says something, too.

So:

Yeah. Rice wanted to be aggressive and produced a decent pass rush and success rate. But if opponents got a pass off, it was finding its target, and the recipient was running a long way. And efficiency wasn’t nearly enough of a strength to account for the big plays.

Let’s put this another way:

Bad.

The good news, as it were, is that injuries (and illness!) really did make things worse. Rice ended up with 11 linemen making between eight and 32 tackles; five missed at least one game, and three missed at least four. Meanwhile, of the 11 primary defensive backs, five missed time, and a 12th missed all season.

The only thing worse than having a shaky lineup is having a shaky lineup that changes every week.

Now, for all we know, the injury bug will bite again this fall. But if that regresses toward a more acceptable mean, Rice's 2017 lineup might’ve benefited from 2016. Ten of those 11 linemen return, as do nine of those 12 defensive backs. And senior Emmanuel Ellerbee is back to anchor the linebacking corps.

Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images

Emmanuel Ellerbee

Stats show continuity is most important at the back of the defense, and Rice has it. The main problem, though, is that maybe the two best play-makers (safety Tabari McGaskey and middle linebacker Alex Lyons) are among the small handful of departed defenders.

There appears to be potential up front. The top three returning ends (Blain Padgett, Graysen Schantz, Brian Womac) combined for 19.5 tackles for loss and six sacks last year, and the top four returning tackles (Preston Gordon, Roe Wilkins, Carl Thompson, Zach Abercrumbia) combined for 12.5 and six, respectively. There isn't enough size here -- none of those ends are over 250 pounds, and only two of those tackles are over 280 -- but the activity level could compensate.

The biggest loss is probably McGaskey. He combined 11 tackles for loss with six passes defensed (a rare combination), and he was the only real play-maker in the back. Nickel back Destri White did have four tackles for loss, and three returnees had at least four passes defensed (four if you include sophomore Justin Bickham, who missed 2016), but there will need to be improvement there.

Well, there will need to be improvement everywhere. Rice had the worst passing downs defense in the country even with a decent pass rush, and the Owls' "strongest" primary rating was a No. 92 spot in Standard Downs S&P+. Even if the offense comes together, you don't have a high ceiling with such a woeful defense. But we'll see what better injuries luck can do.

Special Teams

Special teams made things neither better nor worse for Rice. The Owls were 87th in Special Teams S&P+ ranking between 54th and 96th in all five individual categories. The entire unit returns, so the extent that experience matters, it could boost the lineup a hair. But there probably won't be significant shifts up or down here.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 26-Aug vs. Stanford 12 -32.8 3% 9-Sep at UTEP 126 -0.9 48% 16-Sep at Houston 49 -22.1 10% 23-Sep Florida International 104 -1.3 47% 30-Sep at Pittsburgh 33 -25.6 7% 7-Oct Army 102 -1.8 46% 21-Oct at UTSA 91 -10.6 27% 28-Oct Louisiana Tech 82 -6.4 36% 4-Nov at UAB 130 10.4 73% 11-Nov Southern Miss 84 -6.1 36% 18-Nov at Old Dominion 93 -10.1 28% 25-Nov North Texas 106 -0.7 48%

Projected S&P+ Rk 120 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 106 / 112 Projected wins 4.1 Five-Year S&P+ Rk -15.1 (121) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 124 / 111 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* -7 / -8.3 2016 TO Luck/Game +0.5 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 66% (53%, 78%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 3.9 (-0.9)

When you've slid for three straight years and don't have impressive recruiting rankings, you are, of course, going to project pretty poorly. That S&P+ says Rice will rank around 120th this year isn't a surprise. And at that level, the Owls are given a better than 50 percent chance of winning in just one game this fall.

But if you're hoping Bailiff has another turnaround in him, you don't have to spin too much. For one thing, Rice really was beset by an abnormal number of knocks last year. And for another, the schedule isn't that far from flipping in the Owls' favor.

Rice faces four games with a win probability between 46 and 48 percent and two more with 36 percent. Granted, a bowl bid would require the Owls to win all but one of them, but you can at least see how a healthier, far more experienced team finds a quarterback, plays well in the trenches, and stops its recent slide.

You can also see how the Bailiff era limps to a quiet end, of course. You can see that more clearly, in fact. But Bailiff has stared down the odds before.

Team preview stats

All preview data to date.