BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University football team worked under a heavy cloud cover Friday morning, as the team continued to move through its paces, the final ones prior to the first scrimmage of 2022.
FAU will gather on Saturday for that scrimmage, which is closed to the general public.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Coach Willie Taggart:
On looking forward to the team scrimmage:
“The scrimmage we’re going to do tomorrow will be a situational scrimmage, so we’ll go out there, and our coaches have done a good job throughout spring ball as we led up to the scrimmage working through the plays with the players on understanding situations. We’re trying to get our guys to where we’re not just going out and just running the plays that we call but understanding why we call those plays within those situations so that we can execute at a high level. What we’re trying to do is see which one of the guys can actually do that, who can go in those situations, execute at a high level consistently enough so we can be successful whether it’s on offense or defense.”
On consistency:
“When you use that word around here, that word is used with all of us. We all want to be consistent in what we’re doing. If we all do that, we’ll see better results in what we’re trying to get accomplished. That goes individually and as a football team, just being consistent in the things that we say we want to do and what we want to be and how we want to do those things.”
On thew new coordinators:
“Each and every day is important that we learn and keep getting better and have a better understanding of each other. Our coordinators have done a great job of taking ownership on their side of the ball and you’re seeing other assistants following and helping, and then when that happens you see the players start to do the same thing, so that’s been good for us. It’s just another step of the process going to the scrimmage and seeing how we go out and perform and then come back, grade the film and move on to the next practice, but it’s just another step in the process.
On Inside Linebacker Eddie Williams potentially getting more playing time:
“He has that opportunity. We’re giving all of these guys an opportunity to come out and compete and try to win themselves a job. Eddie’s been phenomenal this entire offseason. I’ve been really impressed with his growth, his development and the way he’s performing on the football field, the way he’s doing things off the field. He’s like a lot of them, they’re growing up.”
On which wide receivers have been impressing:
“[Jequan] Burton’s showing what he can do, Lajohntay [Wester]. A guy that’s really showing up and that I’ve been so happy with is [Javion] Posey. He’s doing a really good job, he’s really developing to what we need at that receiver position, and it’s great because he’s putting in some work. It’s something he’s committed to and we’re starting to see what he’s capable of doing for us out there. Kobe Stewart hadn’t practiced much this spring, but these last couple of practices that he’s been out he’s been making some big-time plays. We moved Will Ford over there and that’s made a difference for us on the offensive side of the ball too. I’m excited, probably more excited because all of the guys I just talked about are young guys. They’re doing some good things for us and we’re really excited where we’re at.”
On the collective mindset he wants for the team:
“Compete, compete, compete, and be consistent in what we’re doing. That’s every single day. When we watch the film, I want our guys to be brutally honest with themselves. I tell those guys to grade themselves every single day. Not just with us, but themselves, and be real with themselves, and if they’re not where they need to be, then that next day they need to improve. No one stays the same and we’re trying to get better every single day and that’s a process. We’re not going to get to where we want to be today, but we’re going to keep stacking bricks day-by-day and trust the process and get to where we want to be.”
Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando:
On players adjusting to the new defense:
“Fundamentals, technique, playing really hard and playing physical. As long as we progress that way, we can teach them about the scheme. That’s all we’re looking for is to develop that culture and that identity that never fails you. The culture part is what we’re working on the most.”
On who has stood out at linebacker:
Ed [Williams] has, he’s been consistent, and he makes plays. There are some things we have to get better at, but he knows what they are, and he’ll just continue to improve and impress. He’s very quick. In terms of person, he is extremely bright. He’s one of the brightest guys that I’ve ever coached.”
On what he wants to see from the defense:
“Just in general, playing really hard, fanatical effort, straining to the football, and hitting people. That’s it. At the end of the day the scheme is the scheme, but those things, if you have those in your toolbelt, if you’re trained that way you always know how to fight. At the end of the day that’s what we’re looking for.”
Offensive Coordinator Brent Dearmon:
On adjusting to a quick tempo offense:
“I think guys are realizing the standard that we’re holding them to. That’s something new that’s come around over the last couple of years around here. It was more of a huddle up. It’s a little different. It took them a week to get used to it. It takes a week for your body to get used to running around in practice like that, but I think guys are buying in. They’re also figuring out what they’re supposed to do so they’re playing with confidence. We just have to stay consistent. I think that’s the word we talked about the last time [last Friday’s media session]. We can’t have a great day one day and then come out and what we call “lay an egg” in this business the next day. We just have to keep preaching consistency.”
On what he has seen from wide receivers:
“Those guys compete. The great thing about going tempo and going fast is you don’t have much time to think about the mistake you just made. You have to line up and play the next play. Those guys are doing a really good job of competing, pushing each other. They’re making some contested catches in traffic, I’ve been happy with those guys.”
On Lajohntay Wester:
“To be a slot receiver, you have to be a matchup nightmare. You have to be a guy that the defenses don’t want to put safeties on you, and it forces them to play corners on the inside so that helps us in the run game. He’s has to be quick and he has to have great twitch to him. He has to make the first guy miss when we throw screens to him and then he has to be able to stretch the middle of the field. Those are the three big emphases I put on him of making plays with that ball in his hands.”
On how his scheme will improve the receivers:
“I think our system is based off of getting the guy open. It’s a really good system for receivers to not just be blocking all day long. When we’re running a run play, they may be running a route, and that route is thrown when it’s open, not just calling a pass and hoping they’re open. You have a lot more open opportunities at receiver that you can go and make plays.”
On receivers who have stood out:
“One guy that has really jumped out to our staff is [Javion] Posey. He understands football because he played quarterback. He’s big, he’s physical, he looks like a running back playing receiver. When he gets his hands on you and blocking, he’s doing a really good job, but he’s making contested catches too. He’s making plays on the football.”
PRACTICE SUPERLATIVES
- Austin Evans hauled in a one-handed end zone catch
- Jahmal Edrine used his size to push his defender out of the way to gain a few extra yards
- Jayden Williams got his hands on a kick to block the would be field goal
- Glover Cook was credited with a pass break up
- Stewart came away with a contested reception
WHAT’S NEXT
FAU will open the 2022 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Athens, Ohio.
FOR SEASON TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
