The Rice Owls have really struggled in the transfer portal era, finally parting ways with head coach Mike Bloomgren after seven years and a 24-52 record.
Now the Owls will turn their attention to finding Bloomgren’s replacement, a tall task for a team that struggles due to high admissions standards and a brutal Group of Five Conference. The Owls named associate head coach Pete Alamar as the interim, and he will certainly get a chance to prove himself worthy of keeping the job.
Replacement Candidates for Mike Bloomgren at Rice
Rice has the typical struggles of a traditionally underachieving Group of Five team plus more difficult admissions standards than the average school. The Owls haven’t had much success historically, and it’s a new age of college football.
That being said, the Owls are near fertile Houston recruiting grounds and will likely look for a coach who can take advantage of it. A unique offensive scheme that can do more with less could be in the works as well, and that’s reflected in a few candidates. Here are a few directions they could go.
Brennan Marion (UNLV Offensive Coordinator)
Brennan Marion should be the first call Rice makes. In fact, the Owls should make him an offer he absolutely cannot refuse. Just 37 years old, Marion checks all the boxes.
He can recruit Texas, as he had tremendous success in the Lone Star State when coaching wide receivers at the University of Texas. He’s also been able to recruit and retain players with a unique skill set to run his offense.
Ah, yes, that offense. The “Go-Go” is the most unique offense in college football today, blending elements of the spread, triple option, and RPO systems while incorporating one-of-a-kind two-back formations that consistently put defenses on their heels.
Marion will get a head coaching job this cycle; Rice needs to strike first and hire the kind of guy who could actually succeed there.
Garrett Riley (Clemson Offensive Coordinator)
Garrett Riley might currently coach in the state of South Carolina, but he’s a Texas guy through and through. He grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and began his college playing career at Stephen F. Austin, only two hours from Rice.
Riley’s acumen as an offensive mind is well-known, and he’s turned a struggling Cade Klubnik into a Heisman contender in 2024. It’s a question of when, not if, Riley will become a head coach.
Riley is a decorated recruiter who has spent most of his coaching career in the Lone Star State. He can also recruit for a unique system and bring in skilled players with game-breaking talent.
Pete Alamar (Interim Head Coach)
Any time struggling Group of Five programs promote their associate following the firing of a head coach, you have to consider the possibility that they could eventually remove the interim tag.
Alamar is a long-time special teams coach, meaning that, while he doesn’t have experience leading his own team, he’s one of the few coaches who works with both sides of the ball. Historically, special teams guys have a great feel for the game and the ability to connect with the entire team, meaning Alamar likely has an opportunity to earn the full-time position.
Jordan Davis (North Texas Offensive Coordinator)
Part of that prolific coaching group that went from Incarnate Word to Washington State in the 2022 season, Jordan Davis has had plenty of success on his own as the offensive coordinator at North Texas. Davis’ Mean Green offense is one of the best in the country, currently second nationally with 513 yards per game.
He’s from Arlington, Texas, and has both played and coached in Texas for several years. If Rice is OK with Davis’ lack of head coaching experience, the 32-year-old is an excellent option to take over for Rice.
Warren Ruggiero (Wake Forest Offensive Coordinator)
Warren Ruggiero has turned down other opportunities before, but with the Wake Forest coaching situation seemingly on the fritz, it may be time for the seasoned offensive coordinator to jump ship.
Ruggiero has been with the Demon Deacons for a decade and knows exactly what it’s like to recruit at a high-academic institution located in a state with a host of other FBS schools. He’d likely bring Wake Forest’s slow mesh system, which would work really well with the type of athlete commonly found in the Texas high school ranks.
It’s a bit of an outside-of-the-box hire but a direction that would make sense for the Owls to at least investigate.
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