NCAA Football FanHouse

Rice's James Casey Declares for NFL Draft, But What Position Will He Play?

Michael David Smith — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:19:00 EST

Filed under: Rice, Conference USA, Prospects

The most intriguing pro prospect in college football, Rice's James Casey, has declared for the NFL draft. And if you've never heard of Casey and you're not sure why he's the nation's most intriguing pro prospect, let us count the ways:

1. He's 24 years old.
2. He only played two years of college football.
3. He's a ridiculously good all-around athlete, having spent four years as a minor league baseball player and one season as a javelin thrower on Rice's track team.
4. He was so versatile at Rice that he started his first spring practice at safety, then got moved to defensive end, and also lined up at quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, fullback and running back. Oh, and he also played special teams.

And it's that last one that is the most interesting of all, because we really have no idea what position the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Casey will play in the NFL. After setting a Conference USA single-season record for catches with 111 last year, one would assume he'll play wide receiver or tight end, but that's not necessarily the case.

For his part, Casey told the Houston Chronicle he really doesn't know where he'll be drafted or where he'll play.

"It's really just speculation, but I've heard anywhere from like the second to fourth round," Casey said of his draft stock. "I didn't really put too much weight on that because I am an underclassmen and a lot of stuff goes into the draft as far as the combine. Just being older, I'm excited about it and ready to get started.
"Some teams might see me as a tight end or an H-back, but that's just each individual team. Some of them might have in mind what they might like, but that's out of my control so I'm going to keep working hard."

My best guess is that an NFL team will try to bulk Casey up a bit and have him play tight end, but the most important thing to know about him is simply that he's a football player. Rice coach David Bailiff says of Casey, "He is the greatest player I've ever been around." That's the kind of endorsement NFL coaches will love to hear.

Rice's James Casey Declares for NFL Draft, But What Position Will He Play? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turkey Legs to Go: Texas Bowl Travel Guide, Rice vs. Western Michigan

Will Brinson — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Rice, Western Michigan, Campus, Coaching, Fans, Bowl Games

Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Texas Bowl (Houston, Texas), which pits Rice against Western Michigan.

Overview / Matchup: A 40 point thumping at the hands of Tulsa nearly derailed Rice's season, but a six straight wins over C-USA foes has them headed to a post-Christmas bowl, no small feat for such a small school. Meanwhile, Western Michigan, going to a bowl game for back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history, also looks to make a milestone by winning their first ever bowl game. I wish we were joking about that.

Hotels: The St. Regis is arguably the finest hotel in Houston. The hotel staff is meticulous and the atmosphere manages to be sophisticated and elegant without seeming stuffy. The property is about fifteen minutes from the stadium. It might seem far, but in America's third largest city by area, the distance is actually quite reasonable. Situated within the Astro Village complex, near the Astrodome and Galleria shopping complex, the Houston Grand Plaza Hotel offers the best value for your bowl-game weekend. Although the hotel is on the low end of a four-star rating, the Grand Plaza has hearty buffets and great proximity to the stadium. The Reliant Park Inn & Suites is definitely the bargain of the three. The property has rooms for less than US$100 per night and is located right next to the stadium.

Restaurants: As for dining, Americas features rain-forest-inspired cuisine like spicy ceviche and creamy coconut ice cream. The only downside is it's hard on the wallet. Damian's Cucina Italiana is a local favorite serving top-notch Italian food and wonderful desserts. In Houston, Goode Company is synonymous with barbeque. Make sure to try the jalapeno cheese bread and the pecan pie.

Nightlife: La Carafe is a Houston institution and a friendly hangout for local nine-to-fivers. Last Concert Café is a hip downtown bar and venue dripping with musical history. It's definitely worth a visit, but you'll have to ask a local for directions. The bar is indistinguishable from the buildings around it and there's no sign. Just knock on the plain red door speakeasy-style for admission (if you can't find someone who knows directions, you can usually call the bar itself).

Turkey Legs to Go: Texas Bowl Travel Guide, Rice vs. Western Michigan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rice's Dynamic Duo Continues to Re-Write the Record Books

Steve Franklin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Rice

Rice quarterback Chase Clement and wide receiver Jarrett Dillard were recruited by former coach Ken Hatfield to be pieces of the puzzle in Hatfield's run-first option offense.

So much for that theory.

A month ago, the Clement-to-Dillard connection became the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver combination in NCAA history, when the tandem hooked up three times in a 77-20 pounding of North Texas. The three scores left the duo with 41 touchdown connections in their careers, surpassing the mark of 39 shared by Louisiana Tech's Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards, and Hawaii's Colt Brennan and Devane Bess.

"It's definitely an honor," Clement said. "We were recruited to play in an option offense, so no, I never expected to break an NCAA record for passing. Jarrett is a great receiver and he knows how to get open and we were able to develop a great chemistry a few years ago. We worked hard, and it's great to share an amazing record like this with a great friend like Jarrett."

The Owls' duo got off to a flying start this season and they haven't showed any signs of slowing, as they continue to shatter school, conference, and NCAA records.

In the season opener against Southern Methodist University, Clement tied his own school record - as well as the Conference USA record - with six touchdown passes, and Dillard tied his school record with three touchdown receptions.

One week later, against Memphis, Clement surpassed Tommy Kramer as the Owls' all-time passing leader by throwing for 318 yards in a 42-35 win to give him 6,242 career passing yards. Against North Texas, on the night the duo set the NCAA record for touchdowns by a passing tandem, Dillard set a new school record and tied a Conference USA record by catching four touchdown passes - catching three from Clement and one from Jeramy Goodson.

A week later, Dillard's record-setting run continued, as he became the most dynamic pass-catcher in NCAA history, when he caught his 50th and 51st career touchdown passes to break Edwards' record of 50 which had stood since 1999.

"I really haven't had time to sit down and think about it," said Dillard of his record-setting catch. "I mean, it means a lot to me, but right now, my focus is on helping my team get to a bowl game. I am sure when I sit down at the end of the year, I am going to be like 'Wow, did I really do that,' but for now, it really hasn't hit me how special it is."

On Oct. 18, Clement threw for 444 yards and tied his school and C-USA record with six more touchdown passes in a 45-40 shootout win over Southern Miss. Three of the touchdown tosses went to Dillard, who now has 54 career touchdown receptions.

"Obviously they are the top [duo] in the country over their careers and probably one of the top duos regardless," said North Texas coach Todd Dodge after watching Clement and Dillard set the NCAA record. "They do a tremendous job."

Both are on pace for record-setting years.

Clement ranks fifth in the Bowl Subdivision with 24 touchdown passes (just six interceptions) and is 10th in the nation in passing yards with 2,360. Dillard is tied with Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree for the most touchdown receptions this season with 14 scores. His 856 receiving yards are fourth most in the nation, and his 57 receptions rank 12th.

"It's all about hard work," Dillard said. "If you want to be the best, you've got to practice and work like the best. Chase and I spent a lot of time outside of practice studying film and running routes and getting our timing down. I think that's why we've been so successful."

Clement needs to throw for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns in the Owls' next four ball games to break the school records for passing yards and passing touchdowns he set last season. Dillard is on pace to match his record-setting season in 2006, when he established Rice records of 91 receptions for 1,247 yards and 21 touchdowns, as the Owls (5-3) look to become bowl eligible for only the second time since 1961 (they lost to Troy 41-17 in the 2006 New Orleans Bowl).

"The records are nice, but the ultimate goal is to get to a bowl game," Clement said. "The individual records are nice to have, but in the end, football is a team game, and you want team success. The records don't mean as much if you're not winning, so hopefully we can end our careers with a bowl game. Then, we can sit back and say, "wow, we accomplished something special."

Rice's Dynamic Duo Continues to Re-Write the Record Books originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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