Photo by: Maria Lysaker | Rice Athletics
Green Wins Brigance Award
7/31/2023 1:52:00 PM | Football
2022 team captain
Wiley Green, who fought back from injury to return to the starting lineup while serving as a team captain, has been named the winner of the O.J. Brigance Award.
Created in 2008, the Brigance Award is given annually to the Rice University football player who best represents and demonstrates the combined qualities of teamwork, good character, work ethic, and courageous leadership, which are the hallmark of the athletic and professional career of former Owl and NFL player O. J. Brigance.
Green made a total of 15 starts for the Owls in his career, throwing for 1,944 yards and 11 touchdowns. He made three starts as a true freshman to close out the 2018 season and threw for 621 yards, including 313 vs. UTEP which was the most by a Rice freshman since 1984. He made seven starts in 2019 as a redshirt freshman and became the first freshman to top 1,000 career passing yards since 1977. He missed the last four games of the 2019 season due to an injury and saw action in only one game as a reserve during the shortened 2020 season.
He returned to the starting lineup for the opener of the 2021 season at Arkansas and went on to earn Conference USA Player of the Week honors while leading the Owls to a 30-24 win at UAB but saw his season end the following week due to an injury. This past season, he was selected by his teammates to serve as a team captain. He battled back once again to earn his third career start in a season-opener (at USC) but was injured in the game. He returned to action with a start against UTSA but suffered another injury that eventually led to his decision to retire from the game.
Green was a four-time recipient of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal and won the James Glanville Award in 2021 as the team's top scholar. He received his degree in Sport Management and Economics and is currently enrolled in the Rice MBA program.
Created in 2008, the Brigance Award is given annually to the Rice University football player who best represents and demonstrates the combined qualities of teamwork, good character, work ethic, and courageous leadership, which are the hallmark of the athletic and professional career of former Owl and NFL player O. J. Brigance.
Green made a total of 15 starts for the Owls in his career, throwing for 1,944 yards and 11 touchdowns. He made three starts as a true freshman to close out the 2018 season and threw for 621 yards, including 313 vs. UTEP which was the most by a Rice freshman since 1984. He made seven starts in 2019 as a redshirt freshman and became the first freshman to top 1,000 career passing yards since 1977. He missed the last four games of the 2019 season due to an injury and saw action in only one game as a reserve during the shortened 2020 season.
He returned to the starting lineup for the opener of the 2021 season at Arkansas and went on to earn Conference USA Player of the Week honors while leading the Owls to a 30-24 win at UAB but saw his season end the following week due to an injury. This past season, he was selected by his teammates to serve as a team captain. He battled back once again to earn his third career start in a season-opener (at USC) but was injured in the game. He returned to action with a start against UTSA but suffered another injury that eventually led to his decision to retire from the game.
Green was a four-time recipient of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal and won the James Glanville Award in 2021 as the team's top scholar. He received his degree in Sport Management and Economics and is currently enrolled in the Rice MBA program.
Players Mentioned
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