
Green and Taylor Earn C-USA Honors
10/25/2021 11:27:00 AM | Football
Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week
Quarterback Wiley Green and safety Gabe Taylor's standout efforts in Rice's 30-24 win over defending Conference USA champion UAB have earned them the conference's offensive and defensive player of the week honors. The 2021 C-USA Players of the Week awards are presented by Surf & Turf Golf and are voted on by a panel of the league's media.
Green guided the Owls offense with precision passing, completing 77% of his passes (17-22) for 205 yards and a career-best three touchdown passes. Seven of his 17 completions converted either third or fourth downs for the Owls, three of them on a 13-play, 72 yard drive to a field goal that ate up over half of the fourth quarter and gave the Owls a two-score lead. The last of those completions was a 17-yarder to Cedric Patterson III on third and seven to place the ball at the UAB 12. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Rice vs. UAB overall and a three-game losing streak in Birmingham.
Taylor was credited with a career-best 10 tackles, forced a fumble and knocked down a game-ending Hail Mary pass in the Owls' 30-24 win over defending conference champion UAB. He set up the Owls second touchdown in the opening minutes of the game by forcing a fumble on the Blazers first play from scrimmage after the Owls had taken a 7-0 lead. Two of his ten tackles forced Blazers punts at the end of the second and start of the third quarter with Rice holding a 20-14 lead. After the Owls had re-taken the lead with 3:22 left in half and the Blazers receiving the ball to open the second, Taylor's stop on third and four stop at the UAB 34 forced the first Blazers punt of the day. On the opening series of the second half, Taylor made tackles on two of three plays, including stopping a third and three effort. Rice responded with a 10-play, 65 yard drive to push the lead to 27-14. He ended the game by knocking down Dylan Flower's final pass attempt as the clock ran out.
Saturday's win in Birmingham broke a four-game losing streak for Rice against the Blazers and was also UAB's first home conference loss since the program returned to action in 2017 (15 games).
Green and Taylor are the first Rice teammates to be honored by the conference the same week since Chris Boswell (special teams) and Charles Ross (offense) were recognized in 2013 after the Owls' 52-14 win over LA Tech. They are first to capture the offensive and defensive honors for Rice since Jarett Dillard and Brian Raines were cited for their performance against SMU in 2006 while leading the Owls to a 27-24 win which clinched their first bowl berth since 1961.
Rice will host North Texas this Saturday in its 101st Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. with coverage on ESPN 3.
Green guided the Owls offense with precision passing, completing 77% of his passes (17-22) for 205 yards and a career-best three touchdown passes. Seven of his 17 completions converted either third or fourth downs for the Owls, three of them on a 13-play, 72 yard drive to a field goal that ate up over half of the fourth quarter and gave the Owls a two-score lead. The last of those completions was a 17-yarder to Cedric Patterson III on third and seven to place the ball at the UAB 12. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Rice vs. UAB overall and a three-game losing streak in Birmingham.
Taylor was credited with a career-best 10 tackles, forced a fumble and knocked down a game-ending Hail Mary pass in the Owls' 30-24 win over defending conference champion UAB. He set up the Owls second touchdown in the opening minutes of the game by forcing a fumble on the Blazers first play from scrimmage after the Owls had taken a 7-0 lead. Two of his ten tackles forced Blazers punts at the end of the second and start of the third quarter with Rice holding a 20-14 lead. After the Owls had re-taken the lead with 3:22 left in half and the Blazers receiving the ball to open the second, Taylor's stop on third and four stop at the UAB 34 forced the first Blazers punt of the day. On the opening series of the second half, Taylor made tackles on two of three plays, including stopping a third and three effort. Rice responded with a 10-play, 65 yard drive to push the lead to 27-14. He ended the game by knocking down Dylan Flower's final pass attempt as the clock ran out.
Saturday's win in Birmingham broke a four-game losing streak for Rice against the Blazers and was also UAB's first home conference loss since the program returned to action in 2017 (15 games).
Green and Taylor are the first Rice teammates to be honored by the conference the same week since Chris Boswell (special teams) and Charles Ross (offense) were recognized in 2013 after the Owls' 52-14 win over LA Tech. They are first to capture the offensive and defensive honors for Rice since Jarett Dillard and Brian Raines were cited for their performance against SMU in 2006 while leading the Owls to a 27-24 win which clinched their first bowl berth since 1961.
Rice will host North Texas this Saturday in its 101st Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. with coverage on ESPN 3.
Players Mentioned
WBB: 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