Loaded FAU will be aiming for a repeat

[Harry]

HUNTINGTON - On paper, it appears that Florida Atlantic should run through Conference USA in 2018.

It isn't an unfounded thought, considering the Owls' tightest football game the last three months of the season was a 30-25 home win over Marshall in which the Owls used their defense to force turnovers and keep the Thundering Herd at arm's length, leading for two scores for much of the contest with the Herd battling to get back in it.

For all intents, THAT was a young Florida Atlantic team.

Young talent, new coaching staff, new schemes.

Now, head coach Lane Kiffin has expectations in his second year, and many of those are on the national level, not just Conference USA.

There are reasons for that. FAU returns third-team All-American Devin Singletary at running back and 10 defensive starters from a unit that gave up yardage but forced many turnovers to negate the yards allowed.

However, the supposed walk through Conference USA will not be an easy trek for the Owls, given some of the things they will have to endure in the 2018 campaign.

read more:  http://www.williamsondailynews.com/sports/loaded-fau-will-be-aiming-for-a-repeat/article_809cdb96-a9b9-592d-9e9f-4226d923f17b.html

[UNTexas]

FAU just scored on us again.

Edited July 15, 2018 by UNTexas

[meanrob]

I"d love to counter point this article but FAU is going to a tough squad. But a key injury or quarterback struggles could change things. 

[Venson]

They are going to be tough. I just wonder if Kiffin is on the up and up when it comes to recruiting. He sure grabbed a lot of P5 retreads that had problems resulting in them leaving their respective programs.

[largekfcbucket]

My hope is our guys are fired up enough after getting their asses handed to them twice to take them down. 

Hell I'd even take a close loss lol I just don't want some 55-10 nonsense happening in Apogee. 

[El Paso Eagle]

1 hour ago, Venson said:

They are going to be tough. I just wonder if Kiffin is on the up and up when it comes to recruiting. He sure grabbed a lot of P5 retreads that had problems resulting in them leaving their respective programs.

 If you had the opportunity to watch the show Last Chance U and see how many those players end up at FAU there should be no question about his recruiting tactics 

[EagleMBA]

26 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

 If you had the opportunity to watch the show Last Chance U and see how many those players end up at FAU there should be no question about his recruiting tactics 

Edited July 15, 2018 by EagleMBA

[TheColonyEagle]

They’re going to miss Briles 

[greenminer]

TEN returning defensive starters.

[UNTLifer]

Our defense can't get overwhelmed by their offense early.  They have two new coordinators this year, and it appears the new DC runs an attacking style.  Give Fine time and we can score, but our defense has to be much better.

[largekfcbucket]

35 minutes ago, greenminer said:

TEN returning defensive starters.

Yes, but having the game at home might give us an advantage to at least try to set our own tempo and give the offense a little more comfort. Especially considering by this game we'll be a much more figured out team than we were when we played them in 2017. 

[southsideguy]

didnt they hire oppie taylor as the OC?

[MeanGreenTexan]

Most talking heads have them finishing behind Marshall in their own division.  

Losing both Briles & Chris Kiffin will hurt them... to what extent?  I dunno.  Hopefully just enough for the Mean Green to beat them at home this year.

[UNTLifer]

They will rely on Singletary while they get the QB situation figured out.  It will be interesting to see how he does when the defense can really key on him forcing them to throw, not a luxury anyone had last year.

[greenminer]

12 hours ago, largekfcbucket said:

Yes, but having the game at home might give us an advantage to at least try to set our own tempo and give the offense a little more comfort. Especially considering by this game we'll be a much more figured out team than we were when we played them in 2017. 

I remember that weekend feeling like Kiffin was toying with us and could have scored twice as much.  We were overmatched last year, much moreso than any home field advantage could account for.

Personally, I think any giant leap this year is contingent on the DL.  Many don't share that opinion, or they think the offense will be that much improved again, and that's fine.  IMO we're at a point now where the system is in place and the players are bought in.  The next giant leap will come when February rolls around and this incredible 2019 class signs.

Lots will have changed by November 15.  I hope things roll in our favor.

[Salsa_Verde]

Marshall played them really close in the rat’s mouth last season (Boca Raton). Marshall gets FAU at home and honestly I think that Marshall will win that game. Singletary is the key to FAU’s season. 

[FirefightnRick]

Today is big 12minus2 media day and all they can talk about is oklahoma.   It would be so funny if FAU beat them.

 

Rick

[EagleMBA]

16 minutes ago, FirefightnRick said:

Today is big 12minus2 media day and all they can talk about is oklahoma.   It would be so funny if FAU beat them.

 

Rick

I like the way you think! I just checked a random Vegas site that had FAU a 21-point dog to OU (also SMUt a 3.5-point dog to us). IMO, FAU is better than that and definitely has a "puncher's chance" in that game.

[peanuts104]

52 minutes ago, EagleMBA said:

I like the way you think! I just checked a random Vegas site that had FAU a 21-point dog to OU (also SMUt a 3.5-point dog to us). IMO, FAU is better than that and definitely has a "puncher's chance" in that game.

When they played us they won in the trenches.  Both their OL and DL should be capable of at least dealing with OU.  Similarly, those are the two places we must improve at if we wanna beat them this season.  They were able to man handle us at the line of scrimmage and it showed.  Unfortunately the 3-3-5 doesn't seem to stand up well against FAU's power run attack.

[ttunt1970]

I don't know if Kiffin's recruiting is on up & up, but it probably uses the "THE PALM'S" theory of recruiting.

[UNT Mean Green]

On 7/15/2018 at 4:32 PM, TheColonyEagle said:

They’re going to miss Briles 

Not really. Kiffin called the offense for the remainder of the year following the game 4 loss to Buffalo, which is when they started rolling. 

[DeepGreen]

On 7/15/2018 at 1:32 PM, Venson said:

They are going to be tough. I just wonder if Kiffin is on the up and up when it comes to recruiting. He sure grabbed a lot of P5 retreads that had problems resulting in them leaving their respective programs.

That’s what I’m thinking.  In many cases, teams that make huge leaps like FAU has done usually means that something is amiss.  Baylor didn’t all of a sudden get all their star athletics and jump from nothing to winning football and bowl games just because kids wanted to live in Waco.

[Venson]

6 hours ago, DeepGreen said:

That’s what I’m thinking.  In many cases, teams that make huge leaps like FAU has done usually means that something is amiss.  Baylor didn’t all of a sudden get all their star athletics and jump from nothing to winning football and bowl games just because kids wanted to live in Waco.

Exactly. Now Boca Raton should be an easier sell than Waco, but your point is well taken. All those P5 retreads want to go to a school that barely puts 8000 in the seats on game day is questionable. If they are on the up and up, then more power to them.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Venson
Grammar

[FirefightnRick]

I hate to keep ringing the owls bell here but the team we faced at the end of last year would have beaten a lot of P5 programs, maybe even an OU without Mayfield.

What I'm hoping this(scary strong G5's like FAU) is a sign of is a closing of the gap,. and with the latest new transfer rules it just may start to be? 

 

Rick

[Aldo]

3 hours ago, FirefightnRick said:

I hate to keep ringing the owls bell here but the team we faced at the end of last year would have beaten a lot of P5 programs, maybe even an OU without Mayfield.

What I'm hoping this(scary strong G5's like FAU) is a sign of is a closing of the gap,. and with the latest new transfer rules it just may start to be? 

I think the fact that Kiffin was able to come in take an average, underperforming squad, add some talent to it and run the table shows the disparity between the G5 and P5 in terms of coaching talent.

A coach like that wouldn't hang around for too long. That, or it's a redemption story (looking at you, Butch Davis).