BOCA RATON, Fla. – When the Owls take the field this Saturday, it will be the 260th time for Florida Atlantic University football (2-4, 1-1 C-USA). It also will be the 21st time FAU football has served as a homecoming host. FAU holds a 12-8 record on homecoming and will put that mark to the test when Rice University (3-2, 1-0 C-USA) comes to town this Saturday for a 6 p.m. matchup at FAU Stadium. The game will air on ESPN+ and on Fox Sports South Florida 640 AM.
The FAU Owls are 1-2 all-time versus the Rice Owls, capturing the 45-25 win during the last meeting between the two programs in Houston on Nov. 5, 2016, behind a 257-yard rushing effort by “Motor” Devin Singletary.
FAU will continue to look to the offensive line this week in an effort to get back on the winning track. The “o-line” is listed No. 5fifth nationally in sacks allowed (0.67 per game) and No. 7 in the nation in tackles for a loss allowed (3.33 per game).
QUOTABLE
Offensive Coordinator Brent Dearmon
On Rice’s defense
“They are playing well defensively right now. You look at them, they played UAB and held one of the better rushing attacks in our conference to under their season average. Those guys are flying around. They’re doing their assignments. They do a really good job of mixing things up in their looks and calls. For us, we just have to play sound football. We have to focus on us and playing with great detail.”
On how the O-line matches up against Rice’s defensive line
“Our experience is always going to help us out with the amount of stars that we have up front with guys that have played in big games. Guys that have played in front of multiple looks, multiple fronts, and multiple pressures. I don’t think it’s very tough to get those guys motivated. I think as coaches, we just have to do a really good job of mixing up the looks that we show our guys this week and prepare them in practice.”
On improving on solid offensive production
“If I told you we were averaging almost 460 yards [per game], you would think we would have more points than what we’re averaging right now. Right now, we had six times in the red zone where we should have gotten more points than we got. We had two red zone turnovers, two red zone turnovers on downs, and a blocked field goal, so those things can’t happen. We [have to] clean up those things, continue to get better on third down, and can’t get outscored like we’re doing in the third quarter. We’re killing ourselves in the third quarter by not coming out of halftime and being successful. I think we can clean all of those areas up.”
On the emphasis to the players
“Going back to a baseball reference, when you’re in a slump, sometimes coaches talk to you and tell you that you need to get a bunt down. You need to find a way to generate a hit. We’re coming off of three- straight losses, so you start pressing a little bit more. You start doing things a little bit out of character. You don’t trust in your technique. So, when you’re struggling and you’re pressing, you have to go back to the basics, and you have to find that W. That’s been our emphasis this week.”
On simplifying the offense
“We have to help our QB with his reads. Make it simple on him. We have to let our running backs make plays for us. We looked at our drops. We also looked at our third quarter and how we can get better as playcallers, how we can get better at what we’re asking our guys to do, because right now we’re getting outscored in the third quarter. Those four areas are what we really focused on.”
On the key to improving in the third quarter
“This year, we’ve been really good on third down outside of the third quarter. We just have to be better on third down (in the third), we are getting to third-and-one, third-and-twos, and we’re not moving the chains. We just have to continue on the same path on third down.”
On the wide receiver room
“If you look at our game against North Texas, we tried to get (Je’Quan) Burton rolling. We tried to get Jahmal (Edrine) rolling a little bit, Tony (Johnson) didn’t get as many opportunities. We need to get him on the field some more. They just have to take advantage of their moments. Jahmal had a drop in the game. Burton had two drops where it could change the momentum of the game in those situations. We’re not going to stop targeting those guys. We came back in this week and said, ‘we still believe in you guys.’ We just have to take advantage of our opportunities.”
Transfer QB N’Kosi Perry
On the bye week
“I think the break was good for everyone, try to clear your minds, get your headspace right, and come back with the right attitude.”
On the importance of the mental aspect of the game
“I think it was (last week’s bye) very important. This game is very much mental as much as it is physical.”
On simplifying the offense
“I feel like the offense has responded well. We’re able to practice the plays a lot more efficiently and work on things that we need to get better at. When it comes to simplifying the offense, it’s not about dumbing it down. It’s just working on a certain amount of plays and not trying to put too much in at once. We’re still scheming it up. It’s just specifically working on those plays and making sure we’re getting reps at the plays we want to work on.”
On Rice’s defense line
“(It’s) not only their defensive line. I feel they have great defensive backs as well. They’re a well-coached, very disciplined team. They run a lot of different coverages and you have to study it. It’s going to be a great competition for us.”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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 talk 2022 FAU Homecoming and the upcoming game versus Rice. Forte will learn from Teja Young, a 2022 FAU co-captain, about what makes a great leader. Viewers will get to know running back Kelvin Dean in this week’s “Pads Off” segment and the show will conclude with the top-10 plays from the season’s first half.
TICKETS
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