8/12/2025 | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic’s Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Zach Kittley, a self-proclaimed optimist, left no doubt about his disappointment following Monday’s practice.
Tuesday’s post practice talk was one of praise for the way the players responded. As the crisp and shortened practice ended, Coach Kittley offered a challenge/reward. He called the quarterbacks forward, pointed to the crossbar and said if just one of the quarterbacks threw a crossbar-hitting pass, the team would have the afternoon off and potentially go bowling.
Before the players could even discuss among each other who they picked to hit the crossbar, graduate quarterback Zach Gibson hit the musical ping, sending celebratory arms and cheers into the air.
REDSHIRT JUNIOR CJ DOGGETTE JR MIC’D UP
PRACTICE NOTABLES
- Tuesday’s practice saw senior TE Michael Kirch emerge with a monster practice, hauling in three scores including a one-handed red zone touchdown catch to end the day.
PLAY OF THE DAY
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Hagerty Family Football Head Coach Zach Kittley
On the how the team looked in Saturday’s scrimmage
“It was really good, first real football in the stadium, getting on the grass in there, an opportunity for us. It was good, a lot of really good situational football we put in, did a lot of two-minute scenarios, did some red zone stuff, neutral downs, open field. It was really good trying to find our guys who are going to be on that travel squad with us going to Maryland in a few weeks. That’s the positive of that, being able to see guys and what they can do. Then, coming back this week, we have five more practices to get better. Really good job by the guys. I thought it was good up and down on both sides. I thought defense got the better [of the offense] in the two-minute scenarios and then the offense won the red zone period. It was a good mixture of a little bit of everything.”
On the fine-tuning of details
“It’s something we have been harping on. Details are everything. You have to make sure everything’s detailed. You have to run the route at the right depth the way the quarterback is wanting you to do it. You have to have the right technique when you’re blocking on a gap scheme run. You have to make sure that you’re in the right gap when you’re on a ‘T-E’ stunt. I can talk forever on the details of your alignment, your assignment, all of those things. We feel pretty good with where we’re at as far as the roster goes, but we still have some room to go as far as details and assignments go.”
On the leadership of Jayden Sweeney and Zach Gibson
“Jayden Sweneey [is] a new transfer this summer for us. He has been awesome. He’s one of our leaders already in the backend, great mentality, great upbeat guy. He’s a physical safety.
He can really get involved down there in the box and make tackles. He’s one of those guys that has really flashed as far as making those one-on-one open field tackles. He has been able to get the ball down. I’m extremely proud of that, for a guy that’s only been here for a couple of months, for him to make the strides that he has made, I’m really proud of him. And then Zach Gibson, just a real seasoned vet kind of guy. He’s 25-years old so he has been around for quite some time. Same situation with him, he got here this summer, and this offense is not super complex, but there’s a lot on the quarterback’s plate. We were walking in together [today], him and I, and I told him that this was the best day he has had. We’re done installing at this point, so the game’s probably slowing down a little bit for him at this point and he’s starting to get more comfortable and familiar with how I operate and how I want the plays to go and how I call plays. He has been really good. He is a great guy. The quarterback room loves him. I’m a huge believer in the comradery in that room because at the quarterback position, most of the time if you stay healthy, one guy plays, so we have to have each other’s backs, love each other in that room and encourage each other. He has been great. He has come in and is really doing a good job.”
Graduate Quarterback Zach Gibson
On his progress in learning the playbook and playstyle during fall camp
“I’m always going to be confident because I’m an older guy and I have the experience. The first couple of months have been pretty challenging trying to learn a whole new style of system, coming from pro style where I have been the last three schools to now running an Air Raid system and I’m having to signal everything to everybody. Sometimes it’s hard to kind of get wound up…Today, I had a better day and I think that’s just a part of learning a new offense and growing and maturing, playing the quarterback position.”
On connecting with Coach Kittley
“Him being able to relate to us, obviously because he’s so young. With us being at a Florida fall camp…Coach Kittley has done a great job of just taking care of all of us and making sure that we’re all healthy enough to go out there and be our best the next day.”
On his comfort with the new system
“If I had to go out there and play a game, I’m definitely confident going out there and playing a game. Obviously, there’s a lot of little things that I’m still learning on a day-to-day basis, but we’re getting there, making a lot of progress up front and in the quarterback room. All of the guys are developing at a high level. Coach Kittley has a great relationship with us, and it has been a lot of fun going to work with those guys in the room and learning a whole new system. That has been really challenging, especially for me. All of the other guys have been helping me day-to-day, trying to help me get right, just in case something else does happen and I have to go in.”
Redshirt Junior Safety Jayden Sweeney
On making himself known at Florida Atlantic
“[I’m] really just being me. Coming in here with a head full of steam and ready to get to work, coming from the transfer portal…it just fueled my fire and trust in God that he has a plan for me. Every day I wake up knowing that I have to go chase my dream and try to make this team better.”
On how Coach Kittley’s up-tempo offense prepares the defense
“We were just talking about it with the defensive staff that our offense is not a regular tempo team. It may be one of the fastest teams in the country to get set and snap the ball. Going through that weekly in practice is just bettering us, getting us energized to play football, having us have a second wind to line up and get our cleats in the grass and ready to play.”
On the difficulties of adjusting to the playbook as a summer arrival
“I wouldn’t say difficult, but my coaches make sure that I’m on top of everything. I have teammates that have my back. It’s getting easier day-by-day, so taking it day-by-day to get right.”
PHOTO GALLERY
Gallery: (8-12-2025) Preseason Football Practice #11
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