Rice Game Notes
9/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 5, 2009
- Rice captains for the season opener - DB Andrew Sendejo, LB Terrance Garmon, OL Travis Mason and TE Taylor Wardlow. Rice won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. UAB received the opening kickoff.
For Starters ...
- After starting 12 games last season at defensive end, junior Scott Solomon slid down and started as an interior defensive lineman in the season opener against UAB. Solomon finished the game with four total tackles.
- In his first career start, Tyler Smith rushed for 37 yards on 11 carries, including a career-high 12-yard run.
- Smith was one of five, first-time starters to play against UAB. Also debuting were offensive center Keshawn Carrington, left guard Devon Allen, wide receiver Taylor Dupree and cornerback Jarrett Ben.
- A total of 11 players saw their first career action including six true freshmen - running back Charles Ross, defensive linemen Cody Bauer and Alex Lowry, as well as defensive backs Kevin Gaddis, Philip Gaines and Andre Brackens. Also seeing first-time action in the game were quarterback Nick Fanuzzi, tight end Luke Willson and defensive lineman Jared Williams as well as wide receivers Derek Clark and Michael Patterson.
- Rice quarterback John Thomas Shepherd went 36 games between starts. The senior from El Dorado, Ark., made his first start since starting the UCLA game Sept. 9, 2006. He completed 10-of-22 passes for 81 yards and had one interception.
- Junior offensive tackle Scott Mitchell made his 19th starter as a teenager for the Owls. Mitchell turns 20 on Sept. 10th.
Offensive Notes ...
- Toren Dixon began the season in a tie for sixth for the longest active streak of players with at least one reception in consecutive games. The senior from Baton Rouge had nine receptions for 65 yards against UAB, running his active streak to 27 straight games with a catch. With his nine catches, Dixon moved to seventh on the Rice career reception chart. He now needs three receptions to move past Ed Lofton (1973-75) for sixth.
- Taylor Dupree caught a 22-yard pass during the Owls' first drive of the third quarter. It was the junior's first career reception.
- Rice extended a streak of games with a touchdown pass to 22 consecutive contests. With 6:24 to play in the fourth quarter, quarterback Nick Fanuzzi hooked up with Luke Willson for a 52-yard TD completion. The catch was Willson's first career reception as well as Fanuzzi's first touchdown toss. In his first action as an Owl, Fanuzzi completed 12-of-19 passes for 154 yards.
Defensive Notes ...
- Senior safety Andrew Sendejo recorded 15 tackles including nine solo stops. The game marked Sendejo's 10th career double-digit tackle performance. He now has 180 career unassisted tackles and 269 total stops.
- Junior defensive end Kramer Lucio recorded his first career quarterback sack in the third quarter.
Miscellaneous Notes ...
- Shane Turner's 49-yard kickoff return in the first quarter was the longest return of a kickoff since Andre Downs 53-yard jaunt on Oct. 2, 2004 at San Jose State. Turner also had a 36-yard kickoff return and tallied 200 return yards on SIX kickoff returns, setting a Rice game record. The previous record was 189 yards set by Downs against San Jose State on Oct. 2, 2004.
- UAB quarterback Joe Webb had a 45-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. It was the longest run by an opposing player to a 74-yard run by Tyson Thompson also in that 2004 meeting against San Jose State. By the way, San Jose State won that contest played in San Jose, Calif., 70-63.
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
SAF
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
QB
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DE
/ Football
OL
/ Football
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ FootballWBB: Rice vs. Marshall Postgame Presser
Wednesday, March 09
VB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
Saturday, December 04
VB: Rice-San Diego Postgame Presser
Thursday, December 02