Owl Vision 2: The Return of Coach PJ Thomas

[Baze]

oh let's go!!

[chosenone58]

Former Owls Head Coach PJ Thomas returns to the Nest
Nina Leslie -- Chron.com Sports Writer

A very familiar face will be on the sidelines at Rice Stadium this season as the new defensive coordinator. It’s been a while since we’ve heard the name PJ Thomas, but the Rice Owls fans that were part of that magical era are excited to have him back again.

Coming to Rice University from UL-Lafayette after four seasons, Thomas led the Rice Owls to seven winning seasons, seven bowl bids, and five bowl wins from 2008-2014. The Owls moved from C-USA to the Big 12 in 2013, finishing with a record of 16-10 in what would be Thomas’ final two seasons.

With great success came great challenges. There were several changes to the administration from the time athletic director Chris Del Conte left for TCU, so Thomas decided it was best for him to move on as well.

“We did the best we could,” said Thomas. “I knew that I would miss the game, but it was time for me to move on. But I’ve always kept an eye on the program and I’ve kept in touch with a lot of the old guys.”

Guys like wide receiver Jarrett Dillard, who was draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Running back Patrick Minocchi who was a Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner in 2014. Tight end Ryan Cox, who won the John Mackey trophy. Randy Moss Return Man winner Jesse Davis.

That was the golden era of Rice Owls football.

After leaving Rice, Thomas left the city of Houston all together, joining his nephew back on the West Coast.

“Retired life just isn’t for me,” said Thomas. “Especially, since I felt like I didn’t go out on my own terms.”

After a few years of “gardening”, Thomas found himself back on the sidelines, coaching at San Diego Mesa College. The Olympians had gone 4-6 the year before Thomas joined the staff in 2019. Every season following, they finished 7-4.

“He is definitely a game changer and we are going to miss him around here,” said Olympians head coach Gary Watkins. Watkins was named head coach of the Olympians in 2018. “It’s like he just fell in our laps.”

Truthfully, Thomas had gotten back into the dating pool and met Simmone Morrow, an athletic trainer at San Diego Mesa. One date night, he decided to meet her at Merrill Douglas Stadium where he got a chance to see the Olympians in action.

“He had so many comments and tweaks after the game, I put him in touch with Coach Watkins and it kind of went from there,” Morrow said. “They developed a bromance and it turned into him being offered a job the following season.”

With Thomas’ ties in California and Louisiana, the Owls expect to strengthen their pipelines in both states.

Mike Bloomgren is currently in his sixth season as the Owls’ head coach and with a record of 22-46. He has led the Owls to two bowl games in the past two seasons, both ending in losses. Since the rumors began circulating of Thomas’ hiring there has been speculation that athletic director Tommy McClelland is looking to place Thomas back in his old position as head coach.

The Owls allowed their opponents to score an average of 28 points per game, while they averaged 29.5 points game in a season that found them with a record 6-7 and sixth place finish in the American Athletic Conference and a bid to the First Responder Bowl, where they loss to Texas State by a score of 21-45.

“I’m good with coming in as a defensive coordinator,” said Thomas. “I’m here to support Coach Bloomgren in every way that I can.”

So much has changed in the college football landscape since Thomas last graced the field in the NCAA: the addition of the College Football Playoffs, NIL deals, and changes to the transfer portal, allowing athletes to start playing right away for their new programs.

“The new landscape may take some getting used to, but I am ready for the challenge,” said Thomas. “I’m just asking for a little bit of patience. All great things are built, they just don't happen.”

Everyone in Houston is ready to see what the Rice legend PJ Thomas has up his sleeves.

The Thomas Files
Rice University Head Coach
2008-2014
Overall Record: 67- 26
Conference Titles: C-USA 2009, 2012
Bowl Appearances: 7 (2008-2014)
Bowl Wins: 2008 – New Orleans Bowl (def. Western Kentucky 21-10); 2011 - GMAC Bowl (def. Central Michigan 28-14); 2012 – Liberty Bowl (def. Auburn 19-28); 2013 – New Mexico Bowl (def. BYU 28-35); 2014 – Humanitarian Bowl (def. Nevada 52-38)

San Diego Mesa College Assistant Coach
2019-2023
Overall Record: 28-16

[chosenone58]

OWL Vision: 2024 Roster Preview

Rice has 13 players named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-AAC Team. Led by Dean Connors, who was named to the first team as an all-purpose back and Gabriel Taylor who was selected as a safety.

Offensive tackle Brant Banks was named to the second team offense while Myron Morrison and Josh Pearcy were named to the defensive team. Wide receiver Landon Ransom-Goelz and tight end Boden Groen were joined on the third team by Sean Fresch, who was selected as both a cornerback and punt returner. Transfer quarterback E.J. Warner is joined on the fourth team by wide receiver Rawson MacNeill, transfer defensive lineman Charlie Looes, safety Plae Wyatt, and kick returner Quinton Jackson.

The 13 players are the most for Rice since the magazine began naming preseason all-conference teams in 2011, surpassing the 12 Owls selected before the 2014 season.

NFL Draft pick Luke McCaffrey, a wide receiver and Christian McCaffrey’s younger brother, is a notable departure for the Owls after he barely missed a 1,000-yard receiving season last season. That being said, running back Dean Connors is a candidate for the 1,000-yard club. Connors was the Owls’ leading rusher last season with 771 yards on 121 carries, and he was the second-leading receiver with 43 catches for 403 yards. Connors also had 10 total touchdowns in the Owls’ 6-7 campaign.

Perhaps the most notable change for Rice this coming season will be at quarterback. The Owls managed to sign former Temple quarterback E.J. Warner, son of NFL legend Kurt, in December. Warner led the AAC in passing at Temple last season with an average of 307.6 yards per game. He should fit well into head coach Mike Bloomgren’s offensive system.

Rice’s other key offensive pickups in the transfer portal came on the offensive line. Chad Lindberg (Georgia) will likely take one of the starting spots, either at tackle or at guard. FCS Harvard transfer Spencer Cassell is also notable given his All-Ivy League pedigree and his versatility.

While SMU had the top passing defense in the American last season, Rice has the top returning pass defense in the league with the Mustangs moving on to the ACC. The Owls allowed 211.6 yards per game and tied SMU by yielding a league-low 17 passing touchdowns.

Rice also had one of the better red-zone defenses in FBS, allowing opponents to score on 76.1 percent of their trips, ranking 19th in the nation.

One particularly intriguing transfer addition for the Owls is 6-foot-3 defensive lineman Charlie Looes from FCS Dartmouth. Looes was a finalist for Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year last season after leading the league in sacks with 7.5.

Kicker Tim Horn was perfect on extra points last season, hitting all 47 of his attempts. He did miss four of his 12 field-goal attempts, including two from beyond 40 yards. Running back Quinton Jackson showed some promise returning kickoffs, averaging 23.4 yards per return.

[chosenone58]

OWL Vision: 2024 Season Preview

2023 overall record
6-7
2023 conference record
4-4

The Owls have taken baby steps forward the past three seasons under head coach Mike Bloomgren. The next step is a winning season — easier said than done, but possible. The roadblocks include another crosstown rivalry game with Houston and a tough three-game stretch to end the season with Memphis, UAB and South Florida. If new playmakers like quarterback E.J. Warner and returners like running back Dean Connors and defensive back Gabriel Taylor can get back into their respective grooves, it could be a banner year for Bloomgren’s tenure.

In a day and age when all the Group of Five programs have to protect themselves from the vultures looking to grab top players, Rice somehow survived and potentially improved.

The experience is there on both sides of the ball to improve after coming up with the best season since 2014. It was easily the strongest campaign in the six year run of Mike Bloomgren, and it should only grow from there.

The American Athletic Conference isn’t so strong that the Owls can’t make a push to be a factor in the chase, but that might be a bit too much of a heavy lift considering the landmines on the slate. The pieces are there to potentially come close, though.

For now, just being at a point where winning expectations are real is good enough. Having a team that should be a whole lot of fun isn’t bad, either.

Keys to the Season

Key Plays: Reduce Turnovers The Owls occasionally survived a slew of mistakes, but few teams in college football turned it ball more than the 26 times they gave it up. The fumbles were bad, the picks worse, and overall they were -14 on the season. They’re not good enough to keep screwing up.

Key Players: Sean Fresch and Lamont Narcisse, Jr. The Owls picked off a total of five passes last season with just two coming from the corners - Sean Fresch and Lamont Narcisse, Jr. didn’t come up with any of them, and new Duke Blue Devil Tre’Shon Devones did. He also came up with 11 broken up passes, but Fresch generated seven. The pass rush has to be better, but overall the corners need to be stars.

Key Game: UTSA (October 12) Rice has lost eight straight to that team from San Antonio - 2014 the last victory - including a 34-14 clunker last season on the road. This year it’s an Owl home date before going on the road for four of the next five games. Lose this and there’s a big, big problem.

It’s a better Rice team, but with a tougher slate. The 2023 version won six games, and none of them were against FBS teams that came up with more than four wins.

The key was beating Houston in Week 2. The 43-41 win gave the team a cushion, and it needed it when it lost at home to a mediocre UConn team. This time around there are several big moments to come up with a key win to push for at least six victories.

Beating Houston again would be nice, but winning at Army, or at home against UTSA, or at UConn will all work. There’s too much experience on both sides of the ball to not win a few close games to get to make it three bowl seasons in a row.

[chosenone58]

oh let's go!!

[Agent]

Rice is an interesting choice. Looking to elevate your coach to a higher program one day or is this just a Rice team chise indefinitely?

[chosenone58]

Rice is an interesting choice. Looking to elevate your coach to a higher program one day or is this just a Rice team chise indefinitely?

Rice chise....taking the Owls (back) to the top. Might switch later

[Captain Canada]

Gabe Taylor All-Conference, lets get it

[James]

We here!

Are there 3 FBS teams that have the Owl nickname now? Wild times!

[chosenone58]

Gabe Taylor All-Conference, lets get it

We here!

Are there 3 FBS teams that have the Owl nickname now? Wild times!

And we're all in the same conference