| 3/14/2024 | Football BOCA RATON, Fla. – Spring Practice number two is in the books for Florida Atlantic’s football team. What was noticeable on Thursday was the number of former players on hand to watch an Owl team that is confident in what is being asked and players who are flying to the ball.Players and coaches are speaking the same language and are more familiar with each other than in years past, allowing for faster play and development.Seven-on-seven highlights included interceptions by Daedae Hill and newcomer Lawrence Johnson as well as a fingertip catch by Omari Hayes.COMPLETE ROSTER QUOTABLE Defensive Coordinator Roc Bellantoni On continuity in the staff “It is night and day. What a benefit to have everyone back. With everyone coming back, [the players] all know what to expect from me, I know what to expect from them, I know how they are going to respond to things, they know how I am going to respond to things. They know what we want to get done schematically. The language has already been set, we don’t have to spend six months trying to feel each other out. Charlie [Offensive coordinator Charlie Frye] and I on our sides of the ball, we know what to expect on the other side and how to work with them. The level of growth has been really fun to watch this offseason. We have 13 more practices and then the summer and fall camp, but I am cautiously optimistic that we are headed in the right direction and a big part of that is them hearing the same message for the first time in nine years. It is all review now instead of teaching from day one. It is a huge difference.”On the newcomers “The guys that have been here can help indoctrinate them into the culture of how we practice, what the expectation is on every play, finishing on every play, chinning the football. All of the little things that we had to instill in the first year, those older guys are now helping the guys that have come in the door learn those things before we even have to talk to them about it. This feeling with this group has been really special. I am very excited about it.”On the leadership of Jackson Ambush and Latrell Jean “Jackson is the heartbeat of our defense. He is the leader, the guy that sets the front, makes sure all of the blitzes are on the same page, coverages are right. You have to be strong up the middle, we have to have a strong presence in the middle to make sure everybody else is on the same page. This is Jackson’s fifth year doing it, he is an older guy, a grown up. I can’t say enough about it. Latrell is our spirit, he talks, has a personality. He’s trying to rally the troops together. Without Evan (Anderson) being here, he may feel like he can do more of that. He feels like it his group now. He has been a pleasure to be around for the last year plus. It has been really cool to see him grow into a leadership role.”On the secondary “We loved the guys that were here last year, but the guys we brought in this year are bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic. They look more like what I’m used to seeing at other places and even this place from the last time I was here. They work hard, they want to be coached, which is really refreshing. They are begging for more coaching, wanting to know what they are doing wrong, taking pride in their jobs. I think we have a chance to be pretty good in the backend. Good leadership from Brandon [Co-defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach Brandon Harris] Gibson [Safeties Coach Derick Gibson] and [Defensive Analyst] Jordan Helm.” Offensive Coordinator Charlie Frye On continuity in the staff “For the guys that are returning it is huge. You see the guys make the biggest leaps in the National Football League from year one to year two. A lot of that has to do with having the same playbook for the second year. In my first three years in the NFL, I had three different playbooks and I understand how hard that is as a player. Always having to start over, always having to go through spring ball constantly learning and never being able to take the next step. I think that’s a big deal, you will see a lot of growth from the guys that are coming back and a lot of that will be the continuity of what we are doing schematically.”On competition between the quarterbacks “Guys love to compete. I see what a quarterback room is supposed to look like, feel like. The guys have been spending time together all winter, working out together, running together, lifting weights. And then they are getting together on weekends having dinner together, breaking bread with each other and just getting to know each other. The quarterback room, the highway always goes through there with decisions. That has always been very special to me both as a player and a coach, guys pushing each other but also having their back because we understand this is the hardest thing to do in all of sports. We are in this thing together and going to help each other out and you can feel that from the guys in there.” Graduate Linebacker Jackson Ambush On working with the defense “The guys that are coming back, you look at our record: 4-8. We all have improvements from eye discipline, effort, flying to the ball. The new guys are all coachable, taking advice. Whatever the coach says, there is no talk-back, just put your head down and go to work. I really appreciate that from those guys.”On continuity in the defensive staff “It is second nature at this point. The call comes in and I already know what I am supposed to be doing. Having a new playbook, you are just learning a whole new language. It is really easy whenever you can just keep repeating that playbook over and over again. We all appreciate Coach Roc.”On different energy from the newcomers “They bring some good juice. It’s a different vibe, something new. The guys that came back are the ones the coaches wanted back. Coach Herman [Hagerty Family Football Head Coach Tom Herman] told us we are here for a reason. Just us leading by example and then the energy they bring, it is something special.”On Coach Herman “You can see it. He is excited too. I can’t wait to see what comes throughout spring and then the fall.” Redshirt Senior Defensive Lineman Latrell Jean On the differences between this spring and last “As a veteran who has been on this team for a long time, I am used to the practice reps. In my sixth year, I know what to do, what the coaches expect, what to expect, we are trying to make sure everyone is on the same page, make everyone knows what our culture is…Just being that older guy on the team and be able to help the people who just got here or who were here last year, show them the way, show them where we want to get to.”On what to expect from him “A big year. A big spring, big fall camp, big year.”On having continuity at coordinator “It is definitely better for us because we are familiar with the defense. We know what to do now, we know how to hit things differently, we know how our coaches want us to execute things. We know how to play within the scheme and not do our own things because we learned from the trial-and-error year from last year. Bringing the DC back for the second year in a row is a relief because you don’t have to learn a whole new playbook, don’t have to learn a whole new system, how we wants things. We are doing the same things since he got here.” PRO DAY Florida Atlantic’s Pro Day is scheduled for Tuesday, Mar. 19, 2024. Participants: Evan Anderson, Je’Quan Burton, Tre Jackson III, Kobe Lewis, Jarron Morris, Romain “Smoke” Mungin, Chaz Neal, Marquice Robinson, Xavier Peters, and Johnny Ford (2022). GRIDIRON CLASSIC GOLF Join NILinParadise at the Gridiron Classic Golf Tournament, sponsored by GA Telesis. All proceeds directly support FAU student-athletes. Join the Owls for a day of golf, prizes and comraderie scheduled for Friday, April 25, 2024, at the Boca West Country Club. To register your foursome, click HERE. LADIES NIGHT Join the Owls on Tuesday, April 3, 2024, at 5 p.m. for “Ladies Night.” The event is sponsored by Grimes Events and Tents and is presented by NILinParadise,taking place at the Schmidt Family Complex. The evening is scheduled to include educational sessions on offensive, defensive and special teams strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to mingle with players, coaches, and fellow Lady Owl enthusiasts, while going through light drills and competitions as well as refreshments. All proceeds, including the $100 registration fee, will benefit Florida Atlantic’s football team. To register or for more details click HERE. COMPLETE SCHEDULE Click HERE. SEASON TICKETS To purchase season tickets, click HERE. FOLLOW THE TEAM Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball. |
