BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University football team (5-5, 4-2 C-USA) will head to Middle Tennessee this weekend with an eye towards keeping their Conference USA championship and bowl opportunities alive.
The host, Blue Raiders, who hold a 5-5 record overall (2-4 C-USA), need just one more win to be bowl eligible and will be celebrating their seniors this Saturday. MT holds the 13-5 advantage over the Owls. For FAU, every conference championship has followed a win versus MT. FAU has played in five bowl games, since moving to the FBS level in 2007, and hold a 3-1 record in those five seasons versus MT.
The game, slated for 3:30 p.m. EST, will air on ESPN+ while Ken LaVicka and Kris Bartels will have the call for Fox Sports South Florida.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Football Head Coach Willie Taggart
On the secondary’s performance and defensive growth
“What I saw in [the Shula Bowl] was a secondary that was prepared. I thought the defensive coaches did a good job of not only teaching our guys what to do, but also making sure they understood what FIU was trying to do out of each of their formations. Our guys took that to heart and did a great job. I thought our scout team did a great job of emulating what FIU did and that helped out tremendously. Ever since Big Evan (Anderson) has been back, we have been more complete as a defense. You’re starting to see our guys really start to come together. I think early in the year it helped playing a lot of those younger guys because it helped with depth and helped rotate guys in and stay fresh. Playing those guys early is really paying off for us now late in the season.”
On establishing starters in the defensive backfield
“It’s great to have some consistency. It’s great to have guys out there you can count on, and you work well with together. For us, I think the other thing that has helped us is we keep it a rotating depth chart, so guys know they have to come ready to play. If they want to start, they have to practice well. That overall has helped our team where guys are not getting comfortable thinking that they have a job. When you’re playing and practicing that way, it makes everybody better. That philosophy and the way Coach (Todd) Orlando has held those guys accountable has helped turn the corner for those guys and they’re taking pride in it. What we’re seeing out of those guys, we’re seeing in practice. Those guys are practicing that way and it’s paying off in games.”
On Redshirt Junior DB Teja Young’s versatility
“Teja is such a smart player. He can play linebacker, we can move him down to defensive end, and he would be successful just because he’s such a smart player. He understands offenses and what they’re trying to do, and I think that helps him tremendously. Moving him to nickel is one of the biggest changes that we made because we’re getting one of our smartest and best football players around the ball. He’s closer to everyone so he can let a lot of guys know what’s going on and that has been great for our defense to hear him out there communicating.”
On preparing for Middle Tennessee
“We understand what this game means and where it can get us. It can get us to a bowl game, and it can get us closer to possibly playing in the conference championship as well. There are a lot of things that go into it, but for us and how it has been the whole year, it’s trying to focus on the process and not the end result, what it’s going to take to get there. I think our guys have really bought into it and it’s starting to pay off for us now. No matter if we’re at home or on the road, if we just win our keys to victory, we’ll win ball games. That’s always going to be the focus and those keys don’t ever change.
On the approach to facing Middle Tennessee
“It’s a game we know we need to win. There’s a lot of guys on this team that were a part of that loss last year and know what it felt like in the locker room last year. That has been a motivator for our football team to get right after that game in a lot of phases, not just football but from a cultural standpoint. We know how we felt, and we don’t want to feel that way again. We know we are playing against a competitive opponent that’s a tough football team. We understand what we’re going against, but we also know what we need to do and if we do the things we need to do, it’ll take care of itself.”
On evaluating Middle Tennessee
“They are a team who has been bitten by the injury bug. They had a lot of guys out last week and found a way to win the ball game. That’s always impressive when you have some guys out and you still find a way to win. Coach (Rick) Stockstill has been there for a while, you see the coach and kind of kids, they’re a blue-collar, competitive, hardworking and physical group. You have to come ready to play. You can’t make mistakes. Defensively, they’re leading the conference in takeaways. That’s one of the keys for us is to take care of the football, so that’s going to be a challenge for our guys. They play with tempo on offense. We have to come ready to play.”
On preparing to play in cold weather
“We’re just practicing, baby. We are going to go out and play football in the weather that [Middle Tennessee] is going to play in as well. Like I said before, our goal is to focus on those keys to victory, and the one thing about those keys to victory is it doesn’t say anything about weather. We’re going to worry about preparation and then execution on Saturday.”
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 review last week’s Shula Bowl XXI victory and will preview this week’s game at Middle Tennessee. Also featured are running backs coach and former teammate of Coach Taggart Donte’ Pimpleton in a one-on-one interview. Get to know linebacker Marlon Krakue in “Pads Off” and will conclude with a “Where Are They Now” highlighting former Owl linebacker Kris Harris.
TICKETS
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