Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Owls Sign 13 in Early Signing Period
12/20/2023 12:00:00 PM | Football
Five additions to join the team in January
HOUSTON- Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Mike Bloomgren announced on Wednesday the addition of 13 players to the Owls for the 2024 season, five of whom will enroll in January and participate in Spring Football.
The class of 13 includes four graduate transfers, headlined by quarterback EJ Warner, and one undergraduate transfer(Alex Baccetta) who will begin classes in January, in addition to eight high school seniors who will enroll at Rice in June.
The Owls transfers include one from the Big Ten (Baccetta) one from the American Athletic Conference (Warner), two from the Ivy League (Spencer Cassell and Charlie Looes), and one from the Patriot League (Coleman Bennett).
Looes was a finalist for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year while Cassell and Bennett earned all-conference honors in 2023.
Seven of the eight high school signees products of Texas high schools, six of them from the 6A level.
Alex Bacchetta P 6-2 209 Atlanta, GA (The Westminster School/Penn State)
Transfer from Penn State who saw action in a pair of games for the Nittany Lions as true freshman in 2022… Averaged 40 yards on four punts vs. Maryland and Rutgers and placed three of four inside the 20… Three-time Georgia 3A All-State selection for coach Gerry Romberg at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta…Tied for the Georgia high school state record with five field goals in a single game and was 24-for-24 in high school for field goals inside 45 yards...Averaged 40.3 yards on 24 punts during senior season...Rated the No. 1 punter and the No. 8 kicker nationally by Kohl's Kicking...Rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 2 punter nationally by 247Sports and On3...Also the starting center back on The Westminster Schools' varsity soccer team...Soccer team won a state championship in 2019.
Coleman Bennett RB 5-11 185 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons/Bucknell)
Grad transfer from Bucknell where he compiled 3,170 all-purpose yards in his career… Rushed for 1,056, caught 78 passes for 671 yards, and returned 68 kickoffs for 1,413 yards in four seasons… All-Patriot League as a kick returner as a senior and a second-team, all-conference pick at running back after finishing seventh in the FCS with 137.7 all-purpose yards per game…. Led the Bison in rushing (496 yards) and kick returns (541), and was third in receptions (36) for 340 yards, establishing career-highs in all three categories… Topped 100 yards rushing twice as a senior, including a career-high, 157 yards vs. Cornell… Team captain as a senior… Two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection… Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar… Father (Donnell Bennett Jr.) played running back at Miami where he twice led the team in rushing and was a member of the Hurricane's 1991 National Championship team… He was drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 1994 draft and rushed for 1.941 yards over eight NFL seasons.
Kaleb Blanton LB 6-1 205 Manvel, TX (Manvel)
Co-defensive MVP for District 10-5A as a senior and a two-time, all-district selection for coach Kirk Martin at Manvel… Finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston Defensive Player of the Year after compiling 96 tackles (5 for loss), forcing one fumble, and breaking up two passes… Compiled 227 tackles (2 sacks), forced two fumbles, broke up two passes, and intercepted a third in his career… Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300, the Houston Chronicle's preseason top 50 and Vype Houston's Top 100… A member of FCA.
Owen Carter WR 6-1 185 Cypress, TX (Cy-Fair)
Two-time, All-District 17-6A for coach Jeff Miller at Cy Fair, helping spark the Bobcats to an 11-2 season and an Area Championship with an overtime win over Katy… Caught the tying score with seconds left to force overtime… Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300 and Vype Houston's Top 100… Caught 66 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior and concluded his career with 151 receptions for 2,765 yards and 31 touchdowns… Team captain as a senior… Academic All-State selection… National Honor Society, Youth Men Service League.
Spencer Cassell OL 6-6 282 Hingham, MA (Hingham/Harvard)
Grad transfer who was a second-team, All-Ivy League selection for coach Tim Murphy in his first year as a starter as the Crimson finished with an 8-2 record (5-2 Ivy League) and won a share of its 18th conference championship in the 150th season of football at Harvard… The Crimson led the Ivy League and were 15th in FCS in rushing… Three-year starter on the Hingham football and lacrosse teams…Played as both tight end and defensive end for Hingham… Mass Prep Stars All-State first-team defensive end and a finalist for MIAA Player of the Year… 2016 Lacrosse State Champion… National Honor Society.
Drew Devillier QB 6-5 200 Plano, TX (East)
Two-time, All-District 6-6A selection for coach Tony Benedetto despite playing only eight games as a senior… Threw for 1,811 yards while completing 59.3% of his passes (143-241) with 19 touchdowns… Threw for 5,130 yards and 45 touchdowns in his career… Also a three-year letterman in baseball as a pitcher and outfielder... Three-time academic all-district.
Ephraim Dotson CB 5-11 160 Missouri City, TX (Hightower)
Two-time, All-District 6-6A selection for coach Cornelius Anthony helping spark the Hurricanes to a 12-2 mark and an area championship as a senior… Broke up 19 passes as a senior and picked off two others and had 10 interceptions and 47 breakups in his career… Credited with 102 tackles in his three seasons at Hightower… Vype Houston's Top 100… Three-year letterman in track and a member of Hightower's regional champion 4x100 relay as a sophomore and junior… A member of the Student Council Senior Committee.
Bailey Fletcher CB 6-0 180 San Antonio, TX (Reagan)
Two-time, All-District 28-6A selection for coach Lyndon Hamilton helping spark the Rattlers to an 11-1 record and a win in the bi-district round of the playoffs… Picked off four passes and broke up 16 others while being credited for 63 tackles and forcing four fumbles as a senior… Ended his career with eight interceptions, 45 pass breakups and 150 career tackles… State qualifier in the 110 hurdles… National African American Recognition Scholar… National Hispanic Recognition Scholar… Premio de Bronce—2022 National Spanish Examinations.
Lane Jeffcoat OL 6-9 300 Centerton, AR (Bentonville West)
Two-time,7-A All-state performer for coach Bryan Pratt who has started for the Wolverines since ninth grade… Team finished the season 8-4 and reached the state quarterfinals… Four-year letterman in football and a three-year starter in basketball… Led the Wolverines to the conference title as a junior.
Charlie Looes DL 6-3 275 Hillsdale, NJ (Pascack Valley/Dartmouth)
Grad transfer from Darmouth... Finalist for the Bushnell Cup, which honors the Ivy League's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, capping off a standout season for the Big Green defense… Led the league in sacks with 7.5 and was seventh in tackles for loss with 9.5… Credited with 43 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble helping the Big Green to a share of the Ivy title… Named to the Division I All-New England Team and All-Ivy League… Selected to New Jersey's Super 100 All-State team and was a team captain as a senior in high school … Played four years of lacrosse… National Honor Society and president of Italian National Honor Society.
Luke Miller OL 6-6 275 Round Rock, TX (Round Rock)
Two-time, All-District 25-6A selection for coach Cody Moore at Round Rock… Credited with 143 pancake blocks in his career for the Dragons, who won a district title in his sophomore year… Three-time academic all-district… Competes in the discus and shotput in the spring… Young Men's Service League
Rhys Phillips TE 6-3 225 Katy, TX (Tompkins)
Two-time, All-District 19-6A selection for coach Todd Mcvey at Tompkins… Caught 22 passes for 278 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior and 33 for 487 yards and 10 scores in his career and closed his career as Tompkins' career leader for tight ends… Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300… Three-time academic all-district… Competes in the discus and shotput in the spring… All Academic State.
EJ Warner QB 6-0 190 Phoenix, AZ (Brophy College Prep/Temple)
Transfer from Temple after throwing for 6,104 yards and 41 touchdowns in 21 games in his first two years with the Owls… Set school records with 23 passing touchdowns while eclipsing 3,000 yards passing (3,076) for the second time in his career... His 307.6 passing yards per game and 25.6 completions per game ranked 5th in the FBS… Completed 42 of 65 passes for 472 yards and five touchdowns in the loss to UTSA… The 42 completions and 65 attempts were the most of any NCAA FBS player in 2023, while the completions mark tied for sixth on The American's single-game chart… Named the 2022 AAC Rookie of the Year as well as Pro Football Network's Newcomer of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns and setting a school record with 268 completions… Yardage total was a Temple freshman record… Named to the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm watchlists heading into his sophomore season… Passed for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns, completing 288 of 446 passes as a senior at Brophy Prep for coach Jason Jewell… Son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.
The class of 13 includes four graduate transfers, headlined by quarterback EJ Warner, and one undergraduate transfer(Alex Baccetta) who will begin classes in January, in addition to eight high school seniors who will enroll at Rice in June.
The Owls transfers include one from the Big Ten (Baccetta) one from the American Athletic Conference (Warner), two from the Ivy League (Spencer Cassell and Charlie Looes), and one from the Patriot League (Coleman Bennett).
Looes was a finalist for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year while Cassell and Bennett earned all-conference honors in 2023.
Seven of the eight high school signees products of Texas high schools, six of them from the 6A level.
2023 RICE OWLS FOOTBALL EARLY SIGNEES
| NAME | POS | HT | WT | HOMETOWN (SCHOOL) |
| Alex Bacchetta | P | 6-2 | 200 | Atlanta, GA (The Westminster School/Penn State) |
| Coleman Bennett | RB | 5-11 | 185 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons/Bucknell) |
| Kaleb Blanton | LB | 6-1 | 205 | Manvel, TX (Manvel) |
| Owen Carter | WR | 6-1 | 185 | Cypress, TX (Cy-Fair) |
| Spencer Cassell | OL | 6-6 | 282 | Hingham, MA (Hingham/Harvard) |
| Drew Devillier | QB | 6-5 | 200 | Plano, TX (East) |
| Ephraim Dotson | CB | 5-11 | 160 | Missouri City, TX (Hightower) |
| Bailey Fletcher | CB | 6-0 | 180 | San Antonio, TX (Reagan) |
| Lane Jeffcoat | OL | 6-9 | 300 | Centerton, AR (Bentonville West) |
| Charlie Looes | DL | 6-3 | 275 | Hillsdale, NJ (Pascack Valley/Dartmouth) |
| Luke Miller | OL | 6-6 | 275 | Round Rock, TX (Round Rock) |
| Rhys Phillips | TE | 6-3 | 225 | Katy, TX (Tompkins) |
| EJ Warner | QB | 6-0 | 190 | Phoenix, AZ (Brophy College Prep/Temple) |
Alex Bacchetta P 6-2 209 Atlanta, GA (The Westminster School/Penn State)
Transfer from Penn State who saw action in a pair of games for the Nittany Lions as true freshman in 2022… Averaged 40 yards on four punts vs. Maryland and Rutgers and placed three of four inside the 20… Three-time Georgia 3A All-State selection for coach Gerry Romberg at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta…Tied for the Georgia high school state record with five field goals in a single game and was 24-for-24 in high school for field goals inside 45 yards...Averaged 40.3 yards on 24 punts during senior season...Rated the No. 1 punter and the No. 8 kicker nationally by Kohl's Kicking...Rated as a three-star prospect and the No. 2 punter nationally by 247Sports and On3...Also the starting center back on The Westminster Schools' varsity soccer team...Soccer team won a state championship in 2019.
Coleman Bennett RB 5-11 185 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons/Bucknell)
Grad transfer from Bucknell where he compiled 3,170 all-purpose yards in his career… Rushed for 1,056, caught 78 passes for 671 yards, and returned 68 kickoffs for 1,413 yards in four seasons… All-Patriot League as a kick returner as a senior and a second-team, all-conference pick at running back after finishing seventh in the FCS with 137.7 all-purpose yards per game…. Led the Bison in rushing (496 yards) and kick returns (541), and was third in receptions (36) for 340 yards, establishing career-highs in all three categories… Topped 100 yards rushing twice as a senior, including a career-high, 157 yards vs. Cornell… Team captain as a senior… Two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection… Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar… Father (Donnell Bennett Jr.) played running back at Miami where he twice led the team in rushing and was a member of the Hurricane's 1991 National Championship team… He was drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 1994 draft and rushed for 1.941 yards over eight NFL seasons.
Kaleb Blanton LB 6-1 205 Manvel, TX (Manvel)
Co-defensive MVP for District 10-5A as a senior and a two-time, all-district selection for coach Kirk Martin at Manvel… Finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston Defensive Player of the Year after compiling 96 tackles (5 for loss), forcing one fumble, and breaking up two passes… Compiled 227 tackles (2 sacks), forced two fumbles, broke up two passes, and intercepted a third in his career… Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300, the Houston Chronicle's preseason top 50 and Vype Houston's Top 100… A member of FCA.
Owen Carter WR 6-1 185 Cypress, TX (Cy-Fair)
Two-time, All-District 17-6A for coach Jeff Miller at Cy Fair, helping spark the Bobcats to an 11-2 season and an Area Championship with an overtime win over Katy… Caught the tying score with seconds left to force overtime… Named to Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300 and Vype Houston's Top 100… Caught 66 passes for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior and concluded his career with 151 receptions for 2,765 yards and 31 touchdowns… Team captain as a senior… Academic All-State selection… National Honor Society, Youth Men Service League.
Spencer Cassell OL 6-6 282 Hingham, MA (Hingham/Harvard)
Grad transfer who was a second-team, All-Ivy League selection for coach Tim Murphy in his first year as a starter as the Crimson finished with an 8-2 record (5-2 Ivy League) and won a share of its 18th conference championship in the 150th season of football at Harvard… The Crimson led the Ivy League and were 15th in FCS in rushing… Three-year starter on the Hingham football and lacrosse teams…Played as both tight end and defensive end for Hingham… Mass Prep Stars All-State first-team defensive end and a finalist for MIAA Player of the Year… 2016 Lacrosse State Champion… National Honor Society.
Drew Devillier QB 6-5 200 Plano, TX (East)
Two-time, All-District 6-6A selection for coach Tony Benedetto despite playing only eight games as a senior… Threw for 1,811 yards while completing 59.3% of his passes (143-241) with 19 touchdowns… Threw for 5,130 yards and 45 touchdowns in his career… Also a three-year letterman in baseball as a pitcher and outfielder... Three-time academic all-district.
Ephraim Dotson CB 5-11 160 Missouri City, TX (Hightower)
Two-time, All-District 6-6A selection for coach Cornelius Anthony helping spark the Hurricanes to a 12-2 mark and an area championship as a senior… Broke up 19 passes as a senior and picked off two others and had 10 interceptions and 47 breakups in his career… Credited with 102 tackles in his three seasons at Hightower… Vype Houston's Top 100… Three-year letterman in track and a member of Hightower's regional champion 4x100 relay as a sophomore and junior… A member of the Student Council Senior Committee.
Bailey Fletcher CB 6-0 180 San Antonio, TX (Reagan)
Two-time, All-District 28-6A selection for coach Lyndon Hamilton helping spark the Rattlers to an 11-1 record and a win in the bi-district round of the playoffs… Picked off four passes and broke up 16 others while being credited for 63 tackles and forcing four fumbles as a senior… Ended his career with eight interceptions, 45 pass breakups and 150 career tackles… State qualifier in the 110 hurdles… National African American Recognition Scholar… National Hispanic Recognition Scholar… Premio de Bronce—2022 National Spanish Examinations.
Lane Jeffcoat OL 6-9 300 Centerton, AR (Bentonville West)
Two-time,7-A All-state performer for coach Bryan Pratt who has started for the Wolverines since ninth grade… Team finished the season 8-4 and reached the state quarterfinals… Four-year letterman in football and a three-year starter in basketball… Led the Wolverines to the conference title as a junior.
Charlie Looes DL 6-3 275 Hillsdale, NJ (Pascack Valley/Dartmouth)
Grad transfer from Darmouth... Finalist for the Bushnell Cup, which honors the Ivy League's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, capping off a standout season for the Big Green defense… Led the league in sacks with 7.5 and was seventh in tackles for loss with 9.5… Credited with 43 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble helping the Big Green to a share of the Ivy title… Named to the Division I All-New England Team and All-Ivy League… Selected to New Jersey's Super 100 All-State team and was a team captain as a senior in high school … Played four years of lacrosse… National Honor Society and president of Italian National Honor Society.
Luke Miller OL 6-6 275 Round Rock, TX (Round Rock)
Two-time, All-District 25-6A selection for coach Cody Moore at Round Rock… Credited with 143 pancake blocks in his career for the Dragons, who won a district title in his sophomore year… Three-time academic all-district… Competes in the discus and shotput in the spring… Young Men's Service League
Rhys Phillips TE 6-3 225 Katy, TX (Tompkins)
Two-time, All-District 19-6A selection for coach Todd Mcvey at Tompkins… Caught 22 passes for 278 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior and 33 for 487 yards and 10 scores in his career and closed his career as Tompkins' career leader for tight ends… Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300… Three-time academic all-district… Competes in the discus and shotput in the spring… All Academic State.
EJ Warner QB 6-0 190 Phoenix, AZ (Brophy College Prep/Temple)
Transfer from Temple after throwing for 6,104 yards and 41 touchdowns in 21 games in his first two years with the Owls… Set school records with 23 passing touchdowns while eclipsing 3,000 yards passing (3,076) for the second time in his career... His 307.6 passing yards per game and 25.6 completions per game ranked 5th in the FBS… Completed 42 of 65 passes for 472 yards and five touchdowns in the loss to UTSA… The 42 completions and 65 attempts were the most of any NCAA FBS player in 2023, while the completions mark tied for sixth on The American's single-game chart… Named the 2022 AAC Rookie of the Year as well as Pro Football Network's Newcomer of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for 3,028 yards and 18 touchdowns and setting a school record with 268 completions… Yardage total was a Temple freshman record… Named to the Maxwell Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm watchlists heading into his sophomore season… Passed for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns, completing 288 of 446 passes as a senior at Brophy Prep for coach Jason Jewell… Son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner.
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