Football
- Title:
- Running Backs
- Email:
- fbrecruiting@rice.edu
- Phone:
- 348-6900
Photo Gallery
Robbie Picazo is in his second season guiding the Owls running backs after coaching the quarterbacks his first two seasons.
Picazzo returns his top three rushers from last season, including Juma Otoviano, who topped 100 yards for the second time in his career, Khalan Griffin, who was voted the Owls freshman of the year by his teammates, and former walk-on Ari Broussard, who put his physical style to good effect as the Owls ran out the clock to close out their historic 20-0 win at #15 Marshall.
In his first season guiding the Owls’ quarterbacks, Picazo saw graduate transfer Shawn Stankavage handle the bulk of the action, throwing for 1,328 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 games. True freshman Wiley Green threw for 621 yards and four scores in four games to preserve his redshirt year while former walk-on Evan Marshman saw a memorable first start at FIU cut short with an injury that ended his season. Those two will join graduate transfer Tom Stewart, redshirt freshman Parker Towns and incoming freshman JoVoni Johnson in the mix to lead the Owls in 2019.
He came to Rice after five seasons on the staff at Stanford, first as a student assistant while completing his coterm degree program and the last four as an offensive assistant.
Picazo played quarterback at Stanford from 2009-12, making his collegiate debut in 2010 against Cal. He completed all three pass attempts for 15 yards against San Jose State in 2011.
Hailing from Santa Margarita, California, Picazo was the Orange County Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 2,754 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior. He set a school single-game record by completing 22 passes against Mater Dei in the 2008 CIF playoffs and also set single-season records for completions (192), touchdown passes (33), and passing yards (2,754) as a senior.
Picazo is a former National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.
His bachelor's degree is in management, science, and engineering and he earned his master's degree in psychology.
Picazo is married to his wife Kaitlyn, who was a 3-time national champion water polo player as a Stanford Cardinal.
