The consensus opinion among Arkansas fans this offseason has been to look past Rice and focus on the Week 2 matchup with Texas. Yes, the Longhorns are undoubtedly a better team, but the Owls are no slouch.
“They're a physical team," head coach Sam Pittman said. "They'll run and hit you. A lot of respect there. Some of their games they lost last year were in overtime, very close games. Of course they beat a fine Marshall team — at Marshall — so our kids are well aware of that.”
Rice returned 10 defensive starters from last season, but the team lost star linebacker and leading tackler from last season, Blaze Allredge, to the transfer portal. (Arkansas will see him at the end of the year instead, as he landed at Missouri.)
The offense retained 10 starters from 2020, as well, and mirrored the defense by losing star receiver Austin Trammell, who led the team in receiving each of the past three seasons.
Here is a look into the experience-filled roster that Rice head coach Mike Bloomgren has pieced together in his fourth season...
Defense
The Owls suffered a blow on the defensive front in early August when they found out last year's sack leader, De’Braylon Carroll, would miss the entire year with a leg injury. The void is set to be filled by super senior Elijah Garcia and three-year starter at defensive end, Trey Schuman.
Garcia racked up 50 tackles, including four for a loss, during Rice’s last full season in 2019. Schuman paced the Owls with 4.5 TFLs in five games last year. Redshirt sophomore Ikenna Enechukwu rounds out the projected 3-man front that recorded just seven sacks last year.
“I’m really pleased with how our defensive line is playing in the absence of De’Braylon because I just feel like we have two-deep that can go out there and roll through,” Bloomgren said.
