The Rice Owls have lost a staggering eight defensive ends this season, which has led the team to pluck from the offense to fill the position, according to the Houston Chronicle.
During Wednesday's practice, wide receiver Derek Brown and running back Broderick Jackson each worked on the opposite side of the ball at defensive end. Both are expected to see playing time at the position when the Owls meet the Marshall Thundering Herd in this weekend's Conference USA opener.
The two players have prior experience on defense. A freshman, Brown played defensive end in high school, while Jackson played the position at Tyler Junior College.
Rice and Marshall, both 1-2, meet in Houston 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Owls are coming off a 56-37 loss to Louisiana Tech.
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