Rice University
1-4
Army
2-3
Clement, Dillard Lead Owls Past Black Knights, 48-14
9/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2006
Final Stats | Photo Gallery | Battle-Tested Rice Ready to Go Wild in C-USA
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Chase Clement tossed a school-record five touchdown passes, including three to Jarett Dillard as the Rice Owls presented head coach Todd Graham with his first victory and honored fallen teammate Dale Lloyd with a resounding 48-14 thrashing of Army.
The Owls have dedicated the season to Lloyd, who passed away on Monday after collapsing at practice one day earlier. After battling through the mixed emotions of returning to field, they blitzed an Army team that was on a two-game winning streak and had won six of its last nine dating back to last season.
"I can't tell you how proud I am of the kids," Graham said. "After the emotions they have gone through this week, to come out here and focus the way they did was very challenging. I feel like we got better at every phase this week. We've got a good football team and I've known that all along," he added.
Clement, who had not seen the field since suffering an injury in the opener against Houston, led the Owl offense to scores in each of their first four possessions of the first half. After Army took the opening drive and reeled off a nine-play, 55-yard scoring drive, Clement and the Owls answered back with a 67-yard march, capped by a 20-yard scoring strike to true freshman Taylor Wardlow (his first career reception). Clement was responsible for all but three yards on the drive, rushing for 20 and completing three of four for 44 yards.
"It was frustrating to not have him," Graham said referring Clement missing the last three games for the Owls. "I told you we've got talent on this team. I was proud of our offensive line and the way they played. I knew how much Clement meant. He manages the game very well."
The Owl defense stiffened after the Black Knights initial drive, forcing consecutive three-and-outs for Army and Clement and the offense quickly turned those possessions into 21-7 advantage early in the second quarter.
After a facemask penalty against Army put the ball at midfield, Clement avoided a rush and hit Dillard down the middle for a 50-yard scoring strike. The touchdown catch extended his streak of consecutive games with a score to seven, matching the longest current streak in the country.
"It seemed liked nothing would fail,' Dillard said. "We went out there and no matter what we had to do it was there. Everything we practiced happened in the game. It gives us so much confidence moving forward."
Dillard set up Rice's third score moments later when he caught a 30-yard pass from Joel Armstrong, who was back at wide receiver for the first time since the start of the UCLA game, took the ball from Clement on a reverse and hit Dillard down to the one-yard line. Clement then found fullback John Wall in the corner for his third TD pass of the first half.
The Owls defense then got into the scoring action. After Army had driven to the Rice 32, senior Andray Downs stepped in front of a David Pevoto pass and returned it 72 yards for a score to extend the lead to 28-7. It was Downs first career interception return for a score and was but one highlight on an emotional day for the senior who had served as Lloyd's mentor this summer when the freshman first enrolled in school. Downs tied for the team lead with six tackles on the day, including one for a two-yard loss and he was also credited with forcing one of five fumbles by Army on the afternoon.
"We had actually called an audible on that play," Downs noted. "We were looking for that route and when he threw the ball I was able to jump it and I timed it perfectly. Once I saw the open field my only thoughts were don't let the quarterback get you. When I crossed the goal line I thought of (Dale Lloyd) and said to myself `this one's for you' it was kind of bittersweet.
"On Monday, the last thing on our minds was playing a football game this weekend," Downs said. "Once we spoke with (Dale Lloyd's) family and saw the faith they had. They told us to go out there and play for Dale. That motivated us and helped us to focus."
Brian Raines set up Rice's final first half points when he sacked Pevoto and forced a fumble that was recovered by Vernon James. Luke Juist hit a 42-yard field goal to cap a 31-point explosion by the Owls.
Army cut into that margin just before halftime, hitting on a 32-yard scoring pass on a fourth and 13, but the Owls, who have established a quick-strike offensive fingerprint so far in 2006, went to the ball control section of the playbook midway through the third quarter to put any fears of a comeback to rest.
They ground out a 17-play, 80 yard march that ate nearly nine minutes off the clock, as Clement hit Dillard with his fourth scoring toss of the day from five-yards out. After Army fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Owls tacked on a second field goal as freshman walkon Clark Fangmeier hit his first career three-pointer from 34 yards to run the count to 41-14.
Clement and Dillard closed out the scoring, hooking up on a nine-yard TD toss midway through the 4th quarter, setting a school mark for Clement (five TD passes) and tying a mark for Dillard (three TD catches). Dillard also established career-best marks for catches (11) and yards (171). His receiving yardage total ranks as the third highest total in school history.
"It's not something you think about when you're out on the field" Clement said. "You have to stay focused on the task. (Jarett Dillard) just kept making plays for me and he's really the one who allowed for it to happen to be the case. My main concerns all game were leading the offense and trying to score points."
On the day, Rice rolled up 457 yards of total offense, while holding Army to just 105 yards in the second half and 301 on the day.
The Owls continue their road habit this Saturday when they head to New Orleans to face Tulane for a 1 p.m. kickoff at the Superdome. This will be the first game this season for the Owls not featured on television, but Owls fans can follow all the action on SuperTalk 97.5 FM
Team Stats
RICE 0, ARMY 7
ARMY - PEVOTO, David 2 yd run (MILLER, Austin kick), 9 plays, 55 yards, TOP 4:30
RICE 7, ARMY 7
RICE - WARDLOW, Taylor 20 yd pass from CLEMENT, Chase (FANGMEIER, C. kick) 8 plays, 67 yards, TOP 3:40
RICE 14, ARMY 7
RICE - DILLARD, Jarett 50 yd pass from CLEMENT, Chase (FANGMEIER, C. kick) 4 plays, 76 yards, TOP 1:46
RICE 21, ARMY 7
RICE - WALL, John 1 yd pass from CLEMENT, Chase (FANGMEIER, C. kick) 12 plays, 93 yards, TOP 5:09
RICE 28, ARMY 7
RICE - DOWNS, Andray 72 yd interception (FANGMEIER, C. kick)
RICE 31, ARMY 7
RICE - JUIST, Luke 42 yd field goal 8 plays, 43 yards, TOP 3:08
RICE 31, ARMY 14
ARMY - TRIMBLE, Jeremy 32 yd pass from PEVOTO, David (MILLER, Austin kick) 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:08
RICE 38, ARMY 14
RICE - DILLARD, Jarett 5 yd pass from CLEMENT, Chase (FANGMEIER, C. kick) 17 plays, 80 yards, TOP 8:49
RICE 41, ARMY 14
RICE - FANGMEIER, C. 34 yd field goal 4 plays, 6 yards, TOP 0:57
RICE 48, ARMY 14
RICE - DILLARD, Jarett 9 yd pass from CLEMENT, Chase (FANGMEIER, C. kick) 8 plays, 60 yards, TOP 3:14
