Commentary: Mustaches the difference for '08 Owls
Hoping to overcome a disappointing 3-9 season, the football team is committed to victory and unity in the 2008 campaign. This year marks the final campaign for a group of some of the most decorated Owl players in history and has potential to be a memorable one for numerous reasons.Some would argue that the most memorable part of the year has already begun. 2008 is the year of Mustache Madness. Per the request of senior quarterback Chase Clement, many of the Owls have grown mustaches with varying thicknesses and styles as a sign of team unity and to keep things light and humorous.
The world, or at least everyone watching ESPN, will see the results of the competition in the nationally televised season opener against Southern Methodist University on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
If the past two years are any indication, the season opener truly should set the tone for the rest of the Owls' 2008 season. The Owls were rewarded with their first bowl bid in 45 years after nearly beating the University of Houston in the season opener in 2006. Owl fans spent the year watching a different brand of football than they had seen before, finishing with a 7-5 record.
The following year, expectations were high for a quality season, but a disappointing loss to Nicholls State in the opening game set the tone for a season that fell far short of the previous year. Injuries and inconsistent play produced only three wins for the Owls.
The SMU game, as a conference game, a rivalry game, a nation-ally televised game and the season opening game, truly sets the tone for all of 2008, allowing me to do what Einstein could not - predict the future.
If Rice wins the match-up with SMU, the team will finish 8-4 (6-2 C-USA) or better and compete for the conference championship. The schedule has less-talented out-of-conference opponents than in recent years, and conference powers University of Houston and Southern Mississippi University both play the Owls at Rice Stadium.
The senior campaigns of record-shattering quarterback and wide receiver duo Chase Clement and Jarett Dillard will be filled with accolades and awards, and the defense will show the most improvement in Division I behind the outstanding play of senior linebacker Brian Raines, senior safety Bencil Smith, junior safety Andrew Sendejo and freshmen Jarrett Ben and Chris Jammer. Junior tight-end-turned-defensive-tackle Chance Talbert will unexpectedly lead C-USA in sacks, and the entire defensive line, led by sophomore Scott Solomon, will pressure opposing quarterbacks all season long.
Key points in the season will be tight victories over the University of Tulsa and the University of Texas-El Paso on the road, as well as a resounding victory over Houston in the season ending game at Rice Stadium. Attendance figures will be the highest since the Southwest Conference era, and coach David Bailiff will be rewarded with a large contract extension.
Alternatively, following a defeat at the hands of SMU and their new coach June Jones, Rice will fight hard to a 5-7 (4-4 C-USA) finish in a season in which the ball just never seems to bounce the right direction. While the offensive stars will continue to shine, few newcomers will play a particularly significant role on either side of the ball, and the seniors will be remembered for individual accolades and upstand-ing character instead of victories and bowl trips.
The moral is this: C-USA's best and worst point is that, in terms of football, the parity of talent is unmatched by any other conference in the nation. In a conference with such a balance of athleticism, the smallest things that affect morale or spirit, not to mention a single win or loss, can determine the difference between a championship-caliber team and a team that finishes in the bottom half of the pack.
When it comes to the SMU game, the Owls' continuity and offensive experience should help them prevail over the Mustangs. SMU will play one of two new freshmen quarterbacks, and as a first-year coach, Jones brings his potentially high-powered offensive attack from Hawaii. Junior quarterback Justin Willis has been SMU's starter for the last two seasons, but repeated disciplinary infractions and a style not compatible with Jones' run-and-shoot offense have landed him in a backup role to the two fresh-men players.
SMU's defense, like most in C-USA, was extremely porous last season, and Jones is not known for producing quality defenses either. At the very least, look for some fireworks in Rice Stadium, as points
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