Rice is expected to hire Power 5 veteran wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy, sources told FootballScoop on Sunday.
Kennedy has coached wideouts previously at Wyoming, Wake Forest, Washington, Texas, Colorado, Iowa and Stanford, and produced future pros at nearly every stop.
In five seasons at Stanford, Kennedy helped JJ Arcega-Whiteside join the Cardinal record books and become a second-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Prior to Stanford, Kennedy helped Iowa post an undefeated regular season in 2015 and coached Tevaun Smith to an All-Big Ten season.
Kennedy produced one draft pick as Colorado's wideouts coach from 2011-12, and developed multiple future pros from 2004-10 at Texas. The 2005 national champion Longhorns boasted a future second-round pick in Limas Sweed, a future 5-year NFL vet in Quan Cosby, and a future All-American in Jordan Shipley. Kennedy also helped develop Marquise Goodwin, a track standout who just completed his 11th season in the NFL.
At Washington from 2002-03, Kennedy coached All-American and top-10 pick Reggie Williams, and at Wyoming from 1993-94, Kennedy helped Ryan Yarborough finish second in the NCAA in receptions in '93, while Marcus Harris led the country in receiving yards in '94.
Kennedy joins a Rice staff led by his former Stanford colleague Mike Bloomgren. The Owls have increased their win total each of the past three seasons, and in 2023 Rice reached its first bowl game since 2014.
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