GAME PREVIEW: RICE
Brian VanGorder has placed a pre-
mium on man-to-man/press cover-
age in his system. This was a prime
year to do it because the two play-
ers on the team with the most career
starts (26 apiece) were junior corner-
back KeiVarae Russell and fifth-year
senior Florida transfer and corner/
nickel Cody Riggs. But with Rus-
sell's playing status uncertain as of
Aug. 20, sophomores Cole Luke and
Devin Butler and freshman Nick Wat-
kins will be in the rotation.
Meanwhile, the top strength of the
Rice team might be at wide receiver
with the return of their top two tar-
gets from 2013. Jordan Taylor is a
rangy 6-5 senior whose 55 receptions
last year in a run-oriented attack av-
eraged 15.4 yards. In addition, 6-2
junior Dennis Parks averaged 17.5
yards on his 29 catches, and the star
of the spring game was 6-2 sopho-
more Temi Alaka, who caught 34- and
57-yard scoring passes in a tight con-
test.
Rice and Louisville are the only two
teams on Notre Dame's 2014 schedule
that don't return a veteran, starting
quarterback, so effectiveness in press
Fifth-year senior wide receiver Jordan Taylor was Rice's leading pass catcher in 2013, compiling 58 recep-
tions for 848 yards and eight touchdowns.
PHOTO COURTESY RICE
