Chase Jenkins feels a sense of freedom as Riceโs quarterback, which he thought he would never feel.
The redshirt sophomore has been given the latitude by first-year Owlsโ coach Scott Abell to be the quarterback he was always meant to be, and thatโs having the range to take advantage of his arm talent, athletic ability and instinctive decision-making.
Ironically, Jenkins never thought he would play quarterback again for Rice after being shifted to wide receiver last season by the previous coaching staff.
But Jenkins, a product of Alief Taylor, is glad to be back at quarterback and in a system that fully utilizes his athletic talents.
โHaving the range and freedom to playโฆ like be me on the field,โ Jenkins said as he paused to reflect. โWhen Coach Abell came in and the system that he has allowed me to work towards my best attributes. It allows me to play in space, it gives me the range and freedom and thatโs how I like playing. Some people call it backyard football sometimes, but itโs not. Itโs a lot of calculations that go into it.
โBut being able to be creative and also just being able to see the field. At one point last year, I wasnโt even on the travel squad. I know the type of talent that Iโm blessed with, so it was a humbling experience.โ
โEverything canโt go exactly how you want it and thatโs what makes the story even greater. Sometimes you have to go through some obstacles and pitfalls but you just trust God and just keep walking the course and donโt fall off.โ
Chase Jenkins
It has been quite the three-year journey for Jenkins, who came to Rice as a quarterback and actually got in some backup snaps as a true freshman. Jenkins was shifted to wide receiver by Mike Bloomgren and his staff last season to get his athleticism on the field consistently, rather than wasting his talent holding a clipboard the majority of games.
Jenkins saw and embraced the vision, but a shoulder injury in camp derailed what would have been his sophomore season, allowing Jenkins to take a redshirt year.
โI had no problem. I grew up โฆ I didnโt start playing quarterback until my sophomore year in high school,โ Jenkins said during a recent interview with the Defender. โI grew up playing athlete or ATH. I went and played quarterback my sophomore year because the quarterback left and I was an athlete, so I was just trying to do what I could to help the team win.
โI started getting recruited at quarterback once I started playing. I first got a chance to play quarterback at Episcopal and then I transferred back to Alief Taylor.โ
As it turned out, Rice’s passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, Porter Abell, had briefly recruited Jenkins when he was an assistant for his father at Davidson and Jenkins was in high school. There was some familiarity when the new staff began reviewing the roster and evaluating the film of the players they had inherited.
โI recruited him for maybe a day. He obviously blew up and got some bigger offers,โ Porter said. โI remembered him, I remembered his name and when we got this job, we kind of knew about him and when the head ball coach ended up getting the job, Chase was the first name I brought up because as a potential guy who could help us in that room, I knew he was already on the roster. โ
Jenkins was surprised by the decision but was willing to do it if it meant helping his team.
โI didnโt throw the ball for like five months,โ he said. โThen Coach Abell got here and he asked me to come play quarterback and asked me to throw. I hadnโt touched or thrown a ball at all, just because of the type of injury I had on my shoulder. Thatโs why I say it was just God because I came out there and threw with no pain.
โSo, that was not the plan. There was a lot of uncertainty at that time. They laid out the foundation and the plan and they asked me to come back and play quarterback. I feel like it was a blessing.โ
While Jenkins played quarterback in situations as a true freshman for the Owls, he hadnโt started at the position since high school, and at times his inexperience has shown this season. But Jenkinsโ speed, athleticism and ability to make the right reads have made it clear why the coaching staff went with him to the Gun-Choice Offense.
The Owls run their option attack out of the shotgun, which also opens up the passing game. He was at his best this season when he completed 10 of 16 passes for 87 yards and one touchdown and then ran for 124 yards and a score during the 38-17 win over Prairie View.
โWe need a guy who is decisive, as any offense does. But in our offense, the quarterback is making a decision on 75% to 90% of the plays. Not just passing, but run game, as well,โ Porter said. โSo they have to be decisive, they have to understand different fronts, definitely smart and they have to be tough. Thatโs something Iโve been incredibly pleased with him about.โ
Although he wasnโt necessarily campaigning for it, Jenkins considers the shift back to quarterback a calling from above.
โAt that point and time, I thought I was going to play receiver still, especially with what happened with me and my shoulder,โ he said. โI thought I would be playing receiver from now on. But I couldnโt refuse. This was something that just came up. This is definitely Godโs calling; Him telling me to come back and giving me another chance to come back and play quarterback.โ
He has picked up where he left off as a true freshman, delivering exciting moments for his teammates and the Owls fans. The difference is that these are now sustained moments.
Jenkins and the Owls got off to their best start since 2001 with a 3-1 beginning before the loss at Navy. Jenkins had some spectacular moments during those first four games, becoming the first Rice quarterback to rush for more than 100 yards since 2012 when he gained 124 yards on the ground in the 38-17 win over Prairie View last month.
Jenkins is fully embracing the position and all that comes with it.
โItโs been fast-paced, kind of like a whirlwind,โ he said of how the season is going so far. โEverything changes so fast for me. Itโs something that I thought of, but now itโs a reality. A lot of things have changed. Iโm doing a lot of stuff, like interviews. So itโs a lot of interviews I have to do, a lot of responsibility. But I signed up for this position.
โItโs like a whirlwind. Itโs a lot of outside factors going around, but at the center of it, Iโm still playing football and thatโs what keeps me grounded. Iโm staying centered on the Xโs and Oโs and basic 101s to help continue what weโve accomplished so far.โ
