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Rice University Athletics
Football: Practice Report #34
11/8/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON -- Bum Phillips once said, "You can't practice being miserable," but Rice coach Ken Hatfield thinks his Owls might be able to get some benefit from Wednesday's cold weather.
Temperatures during the Owls' afternoon workout in Rice Stadium dipped below 50 degrees, but by the end of practice the 25-30 mile per hour winds had pushed the wind chill to 32 degrees. In fact, the weather conditions may have been quite similar to what the Owls will be facing Saturday night in El Paso for their game with UTEP.
"Anytime you can practice in an environment so you're not shocked by it, that's a plus," Hatfield said. "When I was at Florida, we used to play late-season games at Kentucky, and there was no way we could simulate freezing conditions in Florida. There was no doubt that they had a big advantage in those two games.
"In the WAC, we're going to be playing Boise State and Nevada late in the year, and we'll have a lot of those weather days. We're blessed that this weather came in today, because it can be this way Saturday in El Paso."
On the field, Hatfield thinks the passing game can most be affected by windy, cold conditions. "This is really what our offense is made for," he explained. "If you have to run the ball a lot, especially going into the wind, it can make a big difference.
"We've got to stop their running game, and they have to stop ours. They have a lot of great skill people, so it will be a real challenge."
The Owls (3-6, 2-4) and Miners (7-2, 6-0) meet Saturday night in the Sun Bowl at 8:05 pm (CST).
