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Rice lining up
the QBs
This is the second in a series of 12 articles on Hawaii's opponents for the 2004 football season. Tomorrow, Tulsa.
If there's a team with more guys on its roster that played quarterback in high school than Hawaii, it's Rice. The elite Houston private school is a perfect place for those tough kids who deftly direct wishbone offenses and possess better grades than arms.
This year, Owls coach Ken Hatfield might even let one or two of them throw a pass.
Rice's offense is the antithesis of the run-and-shoot; Rice operates the good old-fashioned wishbone, or as it is known by now, the spread option. The only things the two offenses have in common is the goal is to spread out the defense, and that the quarterback's skill and grit is even more important than it is in more conventional schemes.
In 2003, Rice averaged just 80.3 passing yards per game. But the Owls have one of the best receivers in the Western Athletic Conference in junior Marcus Battle, and they have an experienced quarterback in senior Greg Henderson and a capable backup in second-year freshman Joel Armstrong.
Not that wily coach Ken Hatfield would send out preseason misdirection, but a practice report coming out of Houston on Saturday duly noted that Henderson and Armstrong connected with receivers Ben Wiggins, Ryan Simonak and Andy Hall for nice passing gains in a two-minute drill.
Then the former national coach of the year uncharacteristically talked up some rookies.
"I like our two freshman quarterbacks, Chase Clement and Tommy Henderson (Greg's brother)," Hatfield said. "They are both what we need."
Before you get too excited about the prospect of Rice filling the air with footballs, it's good to remember the real reason Hatfield likes to have lots of QBs: They take a beating while directing the option. The Owls went through three in their win at Hawaii in 2001.
Rice's top ground-gainer last year, junior Thomas Lott, is back to start at left halfback this fall. He rushed for 714 yards and an eye-popping 7.3 per carry in 2003.
Lott has three returning starters on the interior line to run behind, plus Joe Don Wood, who started nine games at tight end.
The Owls could improve on their 316.7 yards rushing per game, which was second in the country in 2003, especially with big left tackle Scott Mayhew (6-6, 305) creating the mayhem.
As it did on offense, Rice improved vastly on defense as last season went along. (Yes, a front-loaded schedule with Southern Methodist, Texas-El Paso and Louisiana Tech at the end might dictate that, but three wins to close the season is three wins to close the season.)
Senior rover Terry Holley -- one of those high school QBs -- emerged as a leader and was tops in tackles with 92 last fall. Sophomore safety Chad Price is also back after making 83 stops in 2003.
Defensive coordinator Roger Hinshaw also has four other cover guys with starting experience -- Andray Downs, Dustin Haynes, Raymorris Barnes and Lance Byrd -- available to take on that crazy Hawaii offense.
Junior end John Syptak is among three returning starters on the front line who will try to lighten the load of those behind them. He had 12 tackles-for-loss among his 81 last year.
Jared Scruggs was fifth in the nation in punting with a 45.9 average as a freshman in 2003, and Hatfield might entrust the place-kicking duties to true freshman Luke Juist, who has been impressive in camp.
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