Reports: Roper interviews, name ‘increasingly involved’ with open job
Things are apparently progressing in South Carolina offensive coordinator Kurt Roper’s pursuit of a spot after Columbia.
USA Today’s Dan Wolken reported Roper’s name was “increasingly involved” with the job opening at Rice football. FootballScoop then added a report he interviewed this week and strongly wants the job.
This is way down the food chain on a day like this, but South Carolina OC Kurt Roper is a name I hear increasingly involved at Rice
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) December 1, 2017
Interviewed a couple of days ago we were told. His ask isn’t high. Wants it. https://t.co/artKrYDXmz
— FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop) December 1, 2017
Roper played quarterback and defensive back for Rice in the early 1990s. He went on to work with David Cutcliffe for the majority of his career.
Rice fired David Bailiff, who went 57-80 with four bowl trips at one of the harder jobs in the country. Bailiff was a cerebral, offensively-focused coach, a mold that could describe Roper.
Roper’s two seasons in Columbia were rocky. The first featured a young and inconsistent roster, with a lot of quarterback instability, while the second included losing a top runner and receiver and offensive line injuries. But USC ranked 108th and 83rd in yards per play, played at a slow pace both seasons and could not be called highly effective either season.
This story was originally published December 2, 2017 at 8:40 AM with the headline "Reports: Roper interviews, name ‘increasingly involved’ with open job."