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As one example: Bailiff regularly shifts practice times to accommodate players’ class schedules or allows guys to arrive late or leave early for lab sessions. “They have to post high GPAs to get into the medical schools they want or the law schools they want,” he says. “And there’s times they’re just gonna have to miss practice. That’s part of it here.” Darik Dillard, a junior running back from San Antonio, says the Owls’ mindset is different than most of their FBS peers. “You don’t see your only purpose of going to Rice as being an athlete,” says Dillard, who followed his older brother Jarett, an All-America receiver who went on to play in the NFL. “You really take the importance of being a student and doing well in your classes. … You understand you’re not gonna be treated like a celebrity here. You’re just like any student.” To find qualified candidates who can also play, the coaching staff annually holds satellite camps across Texas. The typical attendees are kids who believe they’ll qualify for admission; the camps essentially allow Bailiff and company to quickly narrow their focus. They don’t typically cast a wide net — though freshman receiver Lance Wright, who’s from North Pole, Alaska, and has been making waves early during preseason practices, is a notable exception. There are no hard and fast entrance requirements, but instead a “holistic” admission process that examines an applicant’s academic résumé along with an array of extracurricular activities. “If a young man has a 32 on the ACT, we’re probably good there,” Bailiff says. “If he’s got a 26, he probably needs to be an Eagle Scout.” The overriding principle, according to Bailiff, is this: “The worst thing you can do here is bring in a young man you’re not sure can make it academically, because there’s no place to hide academically here.” To qualified prospects, Bailiff and his coaches pitch the value of a degree from Rice, with its reputation as one of the nation’s best universities. Bailiff tells recruits and their parents that five years after graduation, he expects them to be the boss. Ten years out, he expects them to be successful enough pay back their scholarship in donations. read more: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/08/cusa-rice-football-david-bailiff

On the heels of Rice’s first outright conference title in football in 56 years, the Owls have rewarded head coach David Bailiff with a new five-year contract, Rice Director of Athletics Joe Karlgaard announced on Friday. "David Bailiff is exactly the right leader for our football program,” Karlgaard said. “He's a great coach, a genuine mentor to our kids, and a terrific participant in the community. I'm thrilled to work with a man of his caliber, and I look forward to his continued leadership of the Rice Owls." “I appreciate the commitment that Rice has made to our program and to our vision for its continued growth,” Bailiff said. “We are building something special, thanks to the great work of our staff and the dedication and determination of our players to continue the momentum we have generated. As I have said, I coach some of the finest young men in the country and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to add to the legacy of Rice Football.” Bailiff completed his seventh year at the helm of Rice Football by leading the Owls to the Conference USA title by defeating Marshall 41-24 and earning a berth in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Owls finished the year 10-4, the third time Rice has won 10 games in a season and the second time in seven years under Bailiff. Read more: http://www.riceowls.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021414aaa.html

http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/collegefootball/58199107771/0/david-bailiff-talks-rice-football

Banowsky expects to have an "ongoing conversation" with the league's officials this year as they consider expansion. At the start of the 2015 season, C-USA is set to have 14 all-sports members. On Wednesday, Banowsky said he wasn't sure on how that league would be divided geographically. "We haven't gotten into the discussion of divisions," he said. "Some of that will depend on maybe our future expansion strategies." That statement by Banowsky indicates a league that's not close to settling for 14 teams, and the league's coaches said Wednesday they support the commissioner's efforts to strengthen the league. "There's a lot of change, but I really mean this - the commissioner has attacked this with a very strong strategic play," Rice Coach David Bailiff said. "We're losing SMU, but we're gaining North Texas that's a (Dallas/Fort Worth) Metroplex school. We lost UCF, but we're getting FIU. The footprint is where we want it in the conference."