Fresno State Athletics
2016 Football Roster
Roster
Justin Rice
- Position:
- RB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 205
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Modesto, Calif.
- High School:
- Central Catholic HS
Last updated on March 9, 2020
2019 (R-Junior): First team All-Mountain West linebacker … started all 12 games in his first full year on the defensive side of the ball … was tied for fourth in the NCAA with four forced fumbles … No. 5 in the NCAA in forced fumbles per game … led the team with 112 tackles, 65 solo stops … had 65 solo tackles and was No. 18 in solo tackles per game in the NCAA … was No. 21 in the NCAA in total tackles per game … had double digit tackles in eight games, with a four game streak from Sept. 28 to Oct. 26 … became the first player at Fresno State to return a fumble recovery for a touchdown since 2013 when he scooped up a fumble versus UNLV on Oct. 18 and returned it 18 yards for the score … was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 21 following his 10 tackle performance, and fumble recovery returned for a touchdown against UNLV … registered a safety at San Jose State (Nov. 30) … had two interceptions on the year - his first in the season-opener at USC (Aug. 31) and the next at New Mexico State (Sept. 28) … had 8.0 TFL for 38 yards and 3.0 sacks in 2019 … had eight broken up passes.
2018 (Junior): Competed in four games, allowing a redshirt season under newly instituted NCAA redshirt rule … participated in the season’s first four games (vs. Idaho, at Minnesota, at UCLA and vs. Toledo) … logged four tackles on the season with three coming on Sept. 29 against Toledo.
2017 (Sophomore): Played in 10 games after making the move to the defensive side of the ball during the offseason … recorded nine tackles with 2.0 tackles for loss … made his first career TFL in the season opener vs. Incarnate Word on Sept. 2 … saw his best game of the season come at No. 6 Washington on Sept. 16, making five stops and one tackle for loss.
2016 (Freshman): Thought to miss the season due to a foot injury in fall camp, saw action after missing first five games of the season … played in six games and earned one start at running back as a true freshman … totaled nine carries for 11 yards and two receptions for 15 yards on the year … single-game season-high for carries was three, twice … longest run was five yards in collegiate debut at Nevada on Oct. 8.
High School: Two-time Offensive MVP of the Valley Oak League ... Division III Player of the Year after leading the Raiders to a 16-0 record, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoff Division III section title and the small school open state championship -- one of three consecutive state championships he helped lead Central Catholic High School to ... 2014 and 2015 Modesto Bee Stanislaus District Player of the Year ... rushed for a school record 2,698 yards with 32 touchdowns as a senior ... had 1,331 yards and 18 touchdowns in six postseason games in 2015 ... had 2,146 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns as a junior to go with 35 receptions for 600 yards and three more TDs ... is the only running back in Stanislaus District history with multiple 2,000-yard rushing seasons ... ran for a then-school record 307 yards in the Nor Cal final against Capital Christian as a junior ... as a senior, he rushed for 200 or more yards in five of the final nine games during the regular season, including breaking his own school record with a 325-yard performance in the Nor Cal final against Marin Catholic ... in 11 career postseason games he tallied 2,305 rushing yards and 26 TDs, averaging 10.5 yards per carry ... posted a total of 4,845 yards and 62 touchdowns on 444 carries, good for 10.9 yards per attempt, in his prep career ... also caught 51 passes for 819 yards and three TDs in high school.
Personal: Born in Modesto, Calif. … son of Jeff and Juleana Rice … his older brother Jared is a third-year sophomore tight end on the Fresno State football team, also has a younger brother, Jack … his father Jeff played football at Cal (1984) and UC Davis (1985-88) … majoring in anthropology at Fresno State.
