BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University football (2-4, 1-1 C-USA) continues to focus upon simplification and fundamentals. The Owls also returned to “good-on-good or ones versus ones” which can rarely be done when preparing for an upcoming game.
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Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando
On practice during the bye week
“Yesterday was a really good practice. We worked just a couple of concepts and went back to just getting off of blocks, hand placement, footwork, all of the things that are necessary to play good defense.”
On simplifying things for the secondary
“I think you can help those guys schematically, and we have at times, and we have on some of the things we have done on third down, but some of those things are just being dialed into the call and then the fundamental and technical part of playing that coverage. Obviously, you can’t be one dimensional and do one thing all the time, but you just continually grow and get better.”
On getting back to fundamentals
“Yesterday’s practice was really a lot of good-on-good, a little bit of Rice, but it’s been good to go against our guys because it’s kind of been simple on both sides. I think we have taken the approach of getting back to the little things that are necessary: running to the football, getting off of blocks, tackling, all of the things that sometimes when you get into Week 6, you kind of take for granted. But now we’re back into it, we’ll do the same exact thing today. We will work a little bit of Rice, but just go back to the way we had things structured in fall camp.”
On Junior ILB Eddie Williams
“The biggest thing with him is he has a great understanding of football. Whoever taught him that when he was young, credit to them. He has really good vision. Where he can continually grow for us is from a leadership standpoint. I think he’s earned that right. He makes a lot of plays. I think our guys respect him from that standpoint, but I think they respect him in terms of some of the things that he does on the practice field. I think it’s time to see him take a little bit of more command along with Teja (Young) and the rest of the guys that are in there. I think anytime you’re doing some good things, I think your voice is really heard loud and that’s what I want to see him do next.”
On Teja Young’s Pick Six
“That’s all prep. He’ll be the first person to tell you he came in and understood exactly what the QB was doing. But more importantly, after he played inside of his man, he saw the QB drift his eyes out and then he just went for it. That’s the thing I like about Teja, he plays with confidence, but that goes back to how much work he puts into it. When you put in a whole bunch of work, you don’t even go out on the field and think about failure. It was a really good finish too, because that was a long way. He was running pretty well. I told him it was like an electricity bolt going through our whole sidelines, that really got us going. He is what he is because of how much he works at it.”
On improving on third down
“It’s just making sure that we stay in our lanes pass rush wise and making sure we don’t give escape valves to the QB, and then I think the consistency of what coverage we’re playing and guys really executing it, and that’s not just corners, that’s safeties and linebackers and everybody included.”
On the sense of urgency
“In Division I football, every week there’s urgency. Obviously from our standpoint, we have to fix the things that are hurting us. Getting the bye week at this time right now is a great opportunity for us to get everything aligned and fixed. But like I said beforehand, if you do this for a living, every second of every morning to whenever you get home at night, there’s urgency throughout it.”
Redshirt Junior DB Teja Young
On the bye week
“This bye week is exactly what we needed. What we did yesterday [in practice] was good, just building on what we were trying to do.”
On simplifying the defense
“We did a lot of good-on-good yesterday, so going against our own offense and having it be very simple was good for us to be able to fit up the run. That’s what we’re struggling at right now, just block destruction and the small things like that.”
On his pick six against North Texas
“It’s always a confidence boost whenever you can get the ball as a DB. It’s hard and they’re not throwing the ball to you. It’s just preparation and knowing the situation of the game.”
On what he has seen from the defense so far
“I think we just haven’t had all of our guys that we need in there at the same time. I think guys are stepping up and playing their role, but at the end of the day, we always know that game time experience is always a little different. We’ve had guys that have stepped up and played tremendous. I think our defense can be as good as we want it to be as long as we can do the small things like stop the run and stay in our gaps. I think we’re on the right path. We just have to finish games, finish drives, and finish halves.”
On playing different positions
“Anything that has to do with DB, no matter if it’s cornerback, no matter if it’s nickel, no matter if it’s safety, I always jot it down in my notes. Any position in the backend I know well, it’s just getting the physical reps to get it done. That doesn’t change anything about my preparation.”
On the sense of urgency
“No matter what, every week it should be a sense of urgency. Definitely [because] we’re on this losing streak, everybody is just more driven and focused. But I always say, no matter if we’re winning or losing, your preparation is a lifestyle, wanting to win is a lifestyle. It’s not going to be easy. If you’re on a three-game win streak, you’re still going to have to push and persevere over things.”
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FAU Coaches Radio Show
For free mobile listening of all game broadcasts and coaches shows, FAU fans can download the Varsity Network app for iPhone or Android. The app features instant access to free gameday audio streams and the ability for fans to receive push notifications to remind them of games starting or upcoming audio broadcasts. Local fans can tune in to Hubbard Radio (Fox Sports South Florida 640 AM) to follow the team.
FAU Television Inside the Owls Burrow
This week’s show will include a sit down with Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart. Show host and producer Frank Forte will review the Owls’ game at North Texas and get a rundown of what to expect of the bye week. “Pads Off” will spotlight safety Armani-Eli Adams. Defensive tackle Jake Holaday is featured in “Football in Paradise” with the story of his medical scare this past summer. Finally, Associate Head Coach/Outside Linebackers Coach Raymond Woodie wears the mic for practice.
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