Submitted photo – Jack Rice played one season at Azusa Pacific.

By Ray Hamill — It’s been a long and a winding road for former H-DNL standout quarterback Jack Rice, but it’s all about to pay off this weekend.

The 2017 St. Bernard’s graduate, who led the Crusaders to a state title in football as a junior, was named the starter at College of Idaho earlier this week, winning a tough battle for the position.

It will be his first start since his senior year at St. Bernard’s, after spending time at Sac State and Azusa Pacific since then.

Rice admits he thought his playing career was over after Azusa pulled the plug on football late last year, but that all changed in February when Yotes head coach Mike Moroski and offensive coordinator Brian Taylor came calling.

“I went on a visit and I loved the school and liked what what I saw,” Rice said. “And I still wanted to play football.”

He won the starting job after beating out a pair of returners, Jacob Holcomb and Ryan Hibbs, each of whom started a couple of games for the NAIA program during the spring season.

“I’m excited,” Rice said ahead of Saturday’s season opener at MSU-Northern. “The competition was good. The intensity was high and I think it made us all better in the long run.”

According to Taylor, Rice has settled in quickly and given the Yotes a different element at the position.

“Jack has added another dimension to the competition which has elevated everyone’s game,” the offensive coordinator said in a press release. “(All three) have competed their tails off in camp – making quality throws into tight windows and making big plays. Those three guys are their own biggest advocates, they are the first ones to greet each other off the field – each of them awesome human beings and great football players.”

For Rice, it’s been a challenging road, but one that has helped him to get to where he is today.

Photo courtesy of College of Idaho Athletics/Mike Safford – Rice, right, along with Jacob Holcomb and Ryan Hibbs.

He joined Sac State right out of high school, but saw just limited action at the D-I school before transferring to Division-II Azusa, where once again he saw limited minutes.

“It’s been a long four years but definitely worth it,” he said. “I’ve definitely learned a lot. I’ve learned to have patience and work hard.”

The experience at Idaho has been a very positive one for the St. Bernard’s graduate, who says he has benefitted from his previous transfers.

“It’s been awesome so far,” he said. “I’m getting along with all the coaches, all the players and the faculty are all good people. It’s probably the easiest time I’ve had transferring.”

After red-shirting twice at Sac State, once medically, Rice still has three years of eligibility remaining and intends on playing for as long as he can.

“If my body lets me play, I’m going to play,” he said.

Jack’s younger brother Maximus is also embarking on a new chapter in his collegiate career this fall.

The two brothers played together for one year at St. Bernard’s when Jack was a senior and Maximus a freshman, and they were due to be reunited at Azusa before the team was folded.

Maximus is now at Colorado Mesa, where he could play either offensive line or defensive line, or red-shirt this year.

“I know he’s enjoying it out there,” Jack said.