BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University football team returned for Tuesday’s practice heavily focused upon the season opener and Conference USA opener scheduled for 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 in FAU Stadium.
As preparation continues, the Owls are surrounded by a coaching staff and support staff geared towards helping FAU football achieve excellence, and all the tools are in place to help them accomplish that goal.
With the opening of the Schmidt Family Complex and the hiring of Haggerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart in 2020, a concerted effort was placed on building one of the finest strength and conditioning staffs that could be assembled. And, why not? The facility boasted the largest strength and conditioning square footage in the state of Florida.
Head strength and conditioning coach Joey Guarascio spearheaded that process. Guarascio has been publicly praised by Taggart, the offensive and defensive coordinators as well as the players for off-season improvements. The Owls are treated as individuals, with some gaining weight, some losing weight and everyone working towards a consistent team effort.
For Guarascio and staff, it is not all about throwing up the weights and calling it a day. Everything is monitored. The primary person monitoring is Chad Herring. Herring holds a doctorate degree and is the only “Sports Scientist” currently working for a Conference USA school and is one of roughly 25 throughout the United States encompassing all FBS programs.
Guarascio is also joined by assistant strength coaches Chula Loomis, Jordan Ellis and Corey Fatony as well as Bianca Lindberg, who recently returned to the staff after a brief stint at the University of Florida. Lindberg will handle the nutritional aspects for the Owls as the football team’s Director of Nutrition.
The athletics department recently announced the creation of a mental health and performance department HERE, that will be led by Tess Palmateer, PhD, CMPC.
The holistic approach doesn’t end with strength and conditioning. For seven years, the FAU student-athletes have excelled in the classroom posting a 3.0+ GPA or better and when the Owls return to classes this fall, that same robust unit will be on-hand headed up by Toya Ballard. The Owls medical needs continued to be overseen by Craig Wilder, who has built an outstanding unit comprised of doctors who can meet individual needs. The football athletic training staff will be led by Bill Sanders.
Adidas continues as the Owls’ apparel choice with Nathan Hinkley spearheading the team’s gear and managing the equipment needs. The team’s video needs are led by Nathan Nunamaker. The external team will once again be guided by Andy Seeley and orchestrated by cast of new and experienced as well as the game day radio crew featuring Ken LaVicka, Kris Bartels and Mike Mreczko. The weekly coaches show will once again by produced and hosted by Frank Forte.
The Owls began Tuesday’s muggy practice with a rainbow over the defensive field. Some say that is good luck, others say it is a promise. Either way it is a sign of good things to come, and it couldn’t be a better forecast for the season a head.
QUOTABLE
Offensive Coordinator Brent Dearmon
On today’s practice and preparing for the opening game
“We were planning to have a wet ball drill today, because we haven’t had a rain practice. That’s the only thing we really haven’t hit (during preseason) is wet ball situations and we’ll be able to get a little of that today with practice. We feel really good going in, I think our guys have been really locked into what we’re asking them to do.”
On preparing for Charlotte’s defense under new DC Greg Brown
“Through looking at his last three stops, you try to piece things together of what they’ve done similar, but also our defense has done a really good job of mixing things up for us too. You have to really go into what our kids are good at. There’s not as much scheming up specific plays, it’s just running sound things to beat multiple defenses. I think we’re prepared, but we’ll come out that first drive and figure out what they are going to do.”
On Redshirt Junior RB Johnny Ford
“Our job is to get Johnny Ford the ball in his hands in space. Our job is to figure out creative ways to use his special ability. He’s a tough guy to bring down. I grew up in the south and the Saints are my team. All of the different ways the Saints try to use Alvin Kamara as not just a running back but getting the ball in his hands, we have to do creative things to get #5 the football.”
On having an experienced offensive line
“It’s great to lean on, guys that have played a lot of football and seen lots of things. There’s really not a new front that Nick Weber hasn’t seen. Those guys communicate well, they gel well, so it’s really nice every day to take pressure off of you as an OC of knowing that no matter what comes at you, guys have seen it before.”
On the wide receiver room
“They stay after every day. They put extra work in, getting extra catches all summer long, catching tennis balls with the machine, working the jugs machine after practice, getting the QBs to stay with them. I think it’s the work that they put in post-practice that’s going to help them.”
On Charlotte’s defense
“They’ve got three defensive ends that are really good players: Markees Watts, Kofi (Wardlow), (Amir) Saddiq, but they’re solid everywhere else. They’re returning a couple of guys on the interior d-line. They’re going to be new at linebacker, so they’ll be either young or they brought in transfers, and then most of their secondary’s back. They’re an experienced group outside of linebackers.”
On the importance of starting fast
“Momentum’s such a huge thing in sports in general. With a big play, the momentum that carries into a drive, a momentum that gives to your defense, gives to your fanbase, so just trying to create momentum early, it can kind of be that rolling effect that carries into the season.”
Graduate QB N’Kosi Perry
On entering his final season
“I don’t think it has truly hit me yet. I think it’s really going to hit me on an actual game day, but I’m excited for it.”
On his hope for this season
“I want to win every single game. I want this team to win, I want this program to win. That’s my main hope is to win.”
On being named the starting QB early
“It’s a great feeling to know that I’m that guy since the offseason. I think that helps the team out in a lot of ways knowing who the guy is from the beginning, not having division from within.”
On being consistent
“I feel that chemistry with my guys: my wide receivers, my offensive line, my running backs, tight ends, the whole staff, everyone offensively. That way we can stay consistent. I feel like some of that inconsistency comes when you don’t have that chemistry when things break down. When you have that chemistry, you can all think alike.”
On depth in the wide receiver room
“I definitely (think) we’re deeper than we were last year. I have my two leading receivers from last year returning which is great. Jahmal (Edrine) and BJ (Alexander) were two guys who were here last year, but injuries held them back, but they’re both big body guys who are very talented, and we have transfers and a lot of younger guys. It’s very deep and competitive in that room.”
On watching film with receivers
“Watching film together helps the person understand what I’m thinking, and it also helps me understand what they’re thinking in moments. That way when that time comes, we’re on the same page and we have a thought together.”
On facing Charlotte
“Charlotte has a lot of talented players, some are returning. I feel like they are going to be well coached, well disciplined, and I’m looking forward to playing against them.”
On running back room
“The running back position is deep. They’re all different types of backs, so the versatility is going to be great for the offense. I feel like we can switch back to any play we want to, because they can all do something different.”
On how having experienced players to help face an unknown defense like Charlotte
“Experience is very important because if you’re experienced, then you’ve probably seen a lot of different defenses in college. Also, with our new defensive coordinator Coach Todd Orlando, he runs probably the most defenses I’ve seen a coach run within a camp. I feel like that only helps us prepare better against any team we play against.”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
FAU Coaches Radio Show
FAU Television Inside the Owls Burrow
SEASON OPENER
FAU will open the 2022 season on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, versus Charlotte at FAU Stadium. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on CBSSN and will air locally on Sports640 AM South Florida.
TICKETS
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