While the assembled O Week Coordinators serenaded their respective freshmen members of the Rice Owls with statements of support, David Bailiff brought the Owls together at the end of their seventh day of training camp with a simple message:  Tomorrow is the time to create some separation.

Eight practices into their 2010 training camp, Bailiff told his team to be ready to hit the field ready to play football on Saturday morning.  The time was at hand to put preparation into practice, to stake a claim for playing time, to make your move.

"It's time to create some separation and define some roles," Bailiff said after practice. "We're going to get people as many reps as we can in game situations.   It's important to get out there and play some football."

Bailiff said the Owls will hit the field at 9m a.m. on Saturday and open with some live work on special teams, something that was not always a given in previous years due to concerns over lack of depth.  "After that, we're going to put the ball on the 35 and get after it. It's important for us to play football.  We'll try to get 30 or so plays, then move into the Red Zone to work on field goals and PATs," he added.

 One hang-up to the plans for Saturday's scrimmage is the lingering impact of a virus that has made its way through the team and could hold as many as six Owls out of action tomorrow.  A final evaluation will be made in the morning, but Bailiff felt certain that senior Scott Mitchell and junior Jake Hicks will not participate, leaving the offensive line in a state of temporary flux.

Friday's practice saw the annual visit by the various O-Week coordinators for each of Rice's residential colleges, who come out to cheer on the freshmen who have been assigned to each living unit on campus, complete with signs, body paint and vuvuzelas. 

The football team's O-Week participation starts in earnest on Sunday morning when the team members will assist the incoming freshman student body move in, prior to the start of the full schedule of activities later on Sunday.