BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University’s football team (4-5, 3-2 C-USA) ended its final day of work on Wednesday, concluding their second bye week of 2022. While the players are healing their bodies and taking a much-needed rest, the coaching staff will return to the recruiting trails on Thursday and Friday.
Defensively, the Owls have shuffled players in and out of the lineup based on health since game one. This process has allowed younger players to develop and allowed the coaches to hone in on individual skill sets. Last Saturday, the defense started its ninth different lineup and used a season-high 30 defenders to earn the 24-17 victory over UAB. That victory saw an Owl defense prevent the final three pass attempts, all from the FAU 23-yard line, to seal the game for FAU and send the offense back onto the field for the victory formation.
QUOTABLE
Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando
On using different personnel
“If you talk to any coordinator, offense or defense, it’s just finding roles for guys. We try to look at film and look at matchups, because at the end of the day that’s what it really comes down to athletically, whether or not a guy tall enough, fast enough, quick enough, strong enough to be able to matchup with the individual. The scheme itself is the scheme. But I think you’re seeing quite a few people play because of what they’re doing in practice. That’s really important that you go into any type of game, and you reward that.”
On players giving effort at practice
“You have to prove to everybody that you’re accountable, you have to prove that you’re going to give fanatical effort, and then you have to reward it. I think sometimes in our profession, you watch guys go really hard and you start thinking about overall talent level, but in college football especially, how hard you go for how long you go is probably a higher percentage of winning plays than anything else. But you can’t ask the person to bust their butt in practice and not give them playing time. We try to keep it as competitive as possible; we’re moving depth charts almost every other day if starters aren’t on point, then we make sure that they understand they could be on the bench too. It has been better for us.”
On the defensive performance against UAB
“For the most part, I thought the guys played hard. I think it goes back to what I talked about with UTEP when I was disappointed that we couldn’t finish the game in the second half. These kids are resilient, especially being at home. They did exactly what they did in Rice: we gave up a bad play against Rice and we gave up a bad play against UAB, but we found a way in the fourth quarter to make enough plays to win the ball game.”
On Freshman LB Jaylen Wester’s improvement
“More disciplined. Everybody knows Jay can play, it’s just whether or not, being a young guy, can you play within the scheme. There were some times in the games beforehand, he wasn’t doing that. I thought he played really disciplined during the game [against UAB]. Stuff that we talked about in practice, I thought he was really focused. He’s aggressive, he’s got great instincts, you don’t coach guys that part, but you just try to keep them fundamentally sound within the scheme. I thought he did a really good job of that and it rewarded him with a whole bunch of plays.”
On Sophomore DB Michael Antoine Jr. making the game winning play
“You can’t ask for anything else. We give a lot of credit to our corners down the stretch…Mike’s play was special. You get into a situation where I talk about players making plays and players winning for you, and that’s what he did. He found a way to get that ball on the ground. There’s nothing better than to end it on defense. A victory formation from the offense is the greatest things to see on the sideline.”
On entering the bye week with a win
“Our practice habits, there’s a certain standard that we do, and we just have to uphold the standard with it. As we continue to prepare for FIU, now we continue to refine our fundamentals and techniques and make sure that everybody is still competitive. We have to start playing our best football in November. That’s the way it has to be. But it all goes back to how we’re going to practice. This is a great opportunity for us to not be under the fire of getting prepared for a team, but three days of great fundamental work and it goes back to allowing some other people to get in some spots. I think you’re going to see some different people come next week because some of these younger guys are starting to figure it out. This is really good for us to have the ability to roll other people in to keep guys fresh. To be able to do the things that we want to do, we have to be able to play lights out in November.”
On the stakes of the upcoming Shula Bowl
“There’s a feeling you can’t let people down when you’re talking about alumni or former players, that’s a responsibility, so we’re going to take it that way.”
Sophomore DB Michael Antoine Jr.
On entering the bye week with a win
“Going into the bye week with a win gives the team a lot more confidence. We come out here a little more prepared, knowing that last week was a big W for us. I think going into the bye week is a big deal for us.”
On competing for the starting CB job
“Me and my uncle talk a lot, he just told me to keep going. This game is full of competitors. You have to fight for the position, you can’t complain, you can’t bicker, you just have to go out there and show that you’re the best corner. Our CB room is full of competition, full of good players. We just all go out there and compete every day at our position. It’s up to us to uphold it.”
On using the bye week to mentally decompress
“It’s really important. We don’t have much time to decompress. Every day, we have practice, school, have to worry about this game next weekend. I think decompressing is something that the team really needs right now. When we do get back, our bodies will be relaxed and healthy and just rebuilt.”
On maintaining his work ethic in practice
“I transferred from Iowa State. I learned that consistency plays a big role in keeping your job. I can honestly say that I struggled with being consistent, but I learned from it. When I came here, one of my biggest things that I wanted to get better at was being consistent. The more I played and the more I practiced, I learned how to be consistent. That’s one thing that got me much better when it comes to practice: just being consistent, knowing my keys, alignment, and assignment.”
On confidence after his game winning pass deflection
“I feel like my confidence is always top-tier. That break up gave me extreme confidence. As I said on the sideline and the cornerback room, nobody can mess with us. Yeah, we have our ups and downs, but at the end of the day I feel like the CB room is one of the best CB rooms in the conference, let alone our secondary, I feel like we’re one of the best secondaries in the conference. We started off the season a little rough, but as we’re coming along, not too many teams are scoring on us. It didn’t just bring my confidence up, but it brought the defense as a whole’s confidence up.”
On entering the last stretch of the season
“Coming off of the bye week, we’re going to go into this FIU game real healthy. We’re going to come into this game ready to go.”
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 win over UAB and will discuss FAU’s bye week. Also featured is inaugural team member Yrvens Guerrier in “Where Are They Now?” This week’s “Pads Off” is with linebacker Jamie Pettway, and the one-on-one is a conversation with wide receiver coach Billy Gonzales. Inside the Owls Burrow airs on Thursday and Saturday at 11:30am on Bally Sports Florida.
TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE or HERE. Call the FAU ticket office, today, to secure your tickets. Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
