Special teams have big role to play
if Owls are to create special season

This walk-on has been working with the special teams scout unit -- he's Mike Graham, said
to be kin to somebody on the coaching staff. We do know this: Mike has his own
locker and gear (Mark Anderson photo) |
By Mark Anderson
HOUSTON (Nov. 17) -- If there is one aspect of any football team that goes
unappreciated, that would have to be its special teams. It's an area that has shown marked
improvement for the Rice Owls, both in comparison to prior years, and during the course of
this 06 season. One could even go so far as to say that a significant reason for the
Owls current four-game winning streak lay in the improved play of Rices
special teams.
"We dont get a lot of publicity, but we like it that way," Brandon
Long, the Owls rookie deep snapper, told us. "The only time were in the
paper is when we do something wrong."
This week, we spent time with seven Owl special teams members: Drew Clardy, Brandon
Long, Chris Douglas, Marcus Knox, Jared Scruggs, Luke Juist, and Clark Fangmeier. Each one
of these special team players has an important jobor in some cases, jobsto do.
As good a place to start as any, would be regarding the kickoff chores. For the
Owls, Luke Juist handles those duties. Luke told us there are two key aspects displayed by
the the successful kickoff man. "From the start, its [the kick] got to have
good hang time," he said. "And probably one of the most important things is
placement. If you put the ball in the spot where the cover team is looking for it to land,
then it makes their job a whole lot easier.
Story....
Jarett Dillard
named Biletnikoff finalist....
After 8 out of 10 on the road, home sweet home
Whether payoff time, or payback time -- the time has come for Owls, their fans

Todd Graham: 'Our kids are extremely confident right now -- and they should
be' |
HOUSTON (Nov. 13) Approach Todd Graham six months ago and
tell him that youd be supremely happy to see a Rice 06 campaign in which the
Owls won five games, four in league play, and he wouldve likely given a response
that would be more than remotely similar to General McAuliffes at Bastogne:
Nuts!
After hearing his entreaties to the effect that he plans on winning more games
than that, you likely wouldve walked away thinking that poor deluded soul; he
has no idea what hes getting into. At the same time, surely youd have
been lifted up, at least just a bit, by the enthusiasm inherent in the new Rice
mentors response.
In other words, you wouldnt have bought in to his gospel but you could not
have helped being at least somewhat impressed by the reading of it.
Funny, thats the same reaction quite a large number of the Boys from the
Institute had when they first beheld their new coach.
Story....
Rice-Tulsa photo gallery....
Monday's press luncheon audios....
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Todd Graham:
'We're playing our best ball right now; they're (ECU) playing their best
ball...' |
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Marcus Rucker:
'I told him, 'I'm not sure if I'll be ready to start for us (at
linebacker), Coach....'' |
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Jarett
Dillard: 'No matter how many streaks you have, that means absolutely
nothing if you lose...' |
Rice 41, Tulsa 38 (2OT)

Cardiac Owls refuse to lose; nip Tulsa in double
overtime

Jubilant Owls hoot it up in locker room after Rice's
stirring double overtime victory over Tulsa
(PTH photo) If your web browser did not auto-play
audio clip, click here to help make sense out of the
following story lead-in...
TULSA (Nov. 12) It almost did take 'til judgment day.
Staring down defeat in double overtime, the Rice Owls pulled a rabbit out
of a hat in the person of none other than Jarett Dillard, the Owls' vaunted receiver and
occasional team magician, who lept and twisted in bringing down
Chase Clement's 25-yard touchdown pass, to rock and sock the Tulsa Golden Hurricane,
41-38, as the sky darkened over the Tall Grass Prairie.
It was a lusciously sweet ending to Rice head coach Todd Graham's homecoming to
face a team he had coached for three years, helping elevate them from bargain-basement
level to Conference USA and Liberty Bowl championships before taking his act to South
Main.
But whichever team wound up on the short end of this one would have been completely
justified in what-iffing the ways this game should have been won, but was lost.
Fortunately for Rice fans, it was the home contingent that would up walking away from
Skelly Stadium muttering to themselves. And mutter they did.
Tulsa roared out of the blocks with a long, initial touchdown drive and appeared
to be well in control of the game, early. But the aggressive Rice defense started playing
takeaway, elevating the Owls to a two-touchdown halftime lead, a mere step or two from
being in a position to put the game in the bag.
Story.... Box score,
statistics.... Links to game coverage....
The TD pass that won the game in overtime --
Chase Clement goes 25 yards to Jaret Dillard (photo sequence)....
Tulsa post-game interviews...
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Todd Graham:
"You don't have to motivate these guys anymore -- they are
motivated...." |
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Marcus Rucker:
"Once we held them to three, the game was over...." |
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Chase Clement:
"I'll go to Jarett whatever the situation, no matter what...9 times out of
10, he's going to catch it...." |
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Jarett
Dillard: "The second half the offense kind of went to sleep, but
the defense was phenomenal...." |
 |
Andrew
Sendejo: "We were just trying to get the ball back to our
offense, so they could score some more points...." |
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Joel Armstrong:
"We're a very confident offense, and we're a very confident team...." |
Rice-UTEP game page....
Rice-UCF game page....
Rice-UAB game page....
Rice-Tulane game page....
Rice-Army game page....
Rice-Florida State game page....
Rice-Texas game page....
Rice-UCLA game page....
Rice-UH game page....
Rice 2006 media guide...
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