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Rice University Athletics
Football: Practice Report #5
8/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 19, 2005
HOUSTON -- - Part of the challenge of preseason drills is to find the playmakers, guys whose athletic abilities cause positive things to happen on the field. Rice may have found one of those guys in Nick Aranda.
Aranda, a senior walk-on wide receiver from North Zulch (Huntsville High), made one of the more spectacular plays of the preseason during Thursday morning's scrimmage, grabbing a tipped pass from Joel Armstrong (Longview/High) just before it hit the ground, then bursting through the Owl defense for a 60-yard play.
"He's made two of three plays every day like he did (Thursday)," said head coach Ken Hatfield. "Everything's new to him, but he makes a little progress every day."
Aranda originally came to Rice to play baseball, transferring from McLennan Community College in Waco in 2003. He never did play for the Owls in that sport, switching to football in '04. In fact, he hasn't played football since his senior season at Huntsville in 2000.
"He's got a great attitude and work ethic," added Hatfield.
Aranda wasn't the only star of Thursday's scrimmage. Hatfield pointed out the play of a pair of redshirt freshmen cornerbacks, Bencil Smith (Houston/Lamar) and Brandon King (Moss Point, Miss./High).
"There were more big licks in the scrimmage today than we had in the spring," he said. "Bencil had a big hit, and BK had a big interception, timed the thing just right."
Rice practiced in shorts, helmets and shoulder pads Friday morning, but the Owls will don full pads again for an extended scrimmage session Saturday morning.
