Rice University
0-5 , 0-2
Tulsa
4-1 , 2-0
Rice Falls To Tulsa 27-10
10/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 3, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes / Photo Gallery
By MOISEKAPENDA BOWER
Rice coach David Bailiff made personnel moves in practice designed to avoid the offensive implosion the Owls endured last weekend against Vanderbilt, and at first blush those adjustments appeared promising.
Bailiff surely could not have imagined the Owls regressing offensively, but in a virtual replay of their performance against the Commodores, the Owls stalled in the third quarter on Saturday night and watched as Tulsa eased to a 27-10 Conference USA victory at Historic Rice Stadium.
Locked in a first-half defensive struggle for a second consecutive weekend, the Owls (0-5, 0-2) managed only nine yards on nine plays in the third quarter. Tulsa (4-1, 2-0), meanwhile, more than doubled its first-half production while turning a 10-all tie into a 20-10 advantage.
Forced to revamp their offensive line due to injuries to right guard Jake Hicks (foot) and his backup, Eric Ball (ankle), the Owls could muster only so much pluck. Rice totaled 191 yards on 73 plays from scrimmage.
"It's tough, especially in the offensive line, when you start moving people around," Bailiff said. "Your tackle (Tyler Parish) goes to (right) guard and a new guy (Kody Emmert) comes in (to play left tackle) and they just don't protect or block as well. It takes those guys some games to get seasoned. I thought those guys really competed hard up there, but they've got to have game reps."
The Owls were missing starting quarterback Nick Fanuzzi for a second weekend, and while redshirt freshman Ryan Lewis held his own in his first career start behind center, the Owls were left lamenting blown opportunities when they actually cobbled together a productive drive.
With the score knotted at 7, the Owls produced a 17-play march, moving from their 29-yard line to the Tulsa 12. Three plays before Rice penetrated the red zone, freshman tailback Charles Ross dropped a surefire touchdown pass on a perfectly executed wheel route. Then, on second down from the Tulsa 12, Lewis misfired on a pass to tight end Luke Willson, who was alone in the end zone. Forced to settle for a 29-yard Clark Fangmeier field goal attempt, the snap slipped through the hands of holder John Thomas Shepherd and Rice came away empty.
"You just can't get those back. I know that," said Lewis, whose 29-yard scoring strike to Taylor Wardlow pulled the Owls even with 14:27 left in the first half. "I understand I'm going to make mistakes out there, but honestly all I'm trying to do is make a play the next time. I tried not to look at it, I tried not to remember it, I tried to forget it and move on."
The Owls did secure their first lead on the season when Fangmeier converted a 42-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining before the intermission, but Tulsa receiver Damaris Johnson, the C-USA Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year, returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to the Rice 21. The Golden Hurricane squared the contest on a Kevin Fitzpatrick 29-yard field goal, and the momentum never returned.
Tulsa followed a 112-yard first half with a 169-yard outburst in the third quarter. As the Owls sputtered, Tulsa produced scoring drives of 76 and 40 yards and punched in its final touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter, capping a nine-play, 91-yard march that erased the remnants of the Owls' exceptional defensive effort. Rice sacked Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne five times in the first half, but the Golden Hurricane adjusted following the break and gradually sealed the win.
"Coach D (Owls co-defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach) will be the first one to say our defense is the best it's been since he's been here," said Owls end Scott Solomon, who posted career-highs in tackles (11) and sacks (three). "I definitely see that. But there are still things like in the third quarter where we need to make plays (and) we need to make those tackles. But that's definitely something that we can build on."
Team Stats
TLS 7, RICE 0
TLS - WILLIAMS, J. 6 yd run (FITZPATRICK, K. kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:52
TLS 7, RICE 7
RICE - WARDLOW, Taylor 29 yd pass from LEWIS, Ryan (FANGMEIER, Clar kick) 2 plays, 48 yards, TOP 0:25
TLS 7, RICE 10
RICE - FANGMEIER, Clar 42 yd field goal 6 plays, 8 yards, TOP 2:08
TLS 10, RICE 10
TLS - FITZPATRICK, K. 29 yd field goal 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 0:46
TLS 17, RICE 10
TLS - KINNE, G.J. 6 yd run (FITZPATRICK, K. kick), 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:14
TLS 20, RICE 10
TLS - FITZPATRICK, K. 28 yd field goal 5 plays, 40 yards, TOP 1:48
TLS 27, RICE 10
TLS - WHITMORE, A.J. 39 yd pass from KINNE, G.J. (FITZPATRICK, K. kick) 9 plays, 91 yards, TOP 3:49
