| 8/5/2024 | Football BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic football returned to the Tom Oxley Center practice fields, following a day off, to begin their final week of preseason prep away from the Schmidt Center and this week’s Fan Fest. The team worked their way through special teams, individual and team drills before ending the morning session with players praising those who “brought IT” to practice. QUOTABLE Associate Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator Ed Warinner On replacing four of the five starters “The new challenge we have this year is that we lost four starters. Federico (Maranges) returns as the lone starter. We have to fill the four spots. We have some veteran guys that are returning that have been in the program for a while. They know the system and they are competing for starting jobs. We picked up some guys in the portal…While we don’t have the same experience level, we are very talented. What we have to do is make up for that lack of experience with quality practices, confidence, and competition during spring ball and fall camp and push these guys to mature fast. There is no substitute for experience, but experience doesn’t make you a really good player. It just means you have experience. Just like talent doesn’t make you a good player, it just means you have talent. The combination and execution make you a good player.” Redshirt Sophomore Daughtry Richardson Preference between the right side or left side of the line, knowing there will be a difference on who wins the quarterback battle? “It doesn’t matter. I can play left tackle and right tackle…I’m going to play wherever I need to play to help the team win.” On Coach Warinner “Coach Wariner is more of a technique guy…He has made me make sure I have tight hands so that I don’t get bulled. I actually did that today. I didn’t get bull rushed. (Coach) Warinner is a mastermind at the position. He gets us to understand the second level and the third level to be able to read it like that…I’m not just worried about the D-line, but now I’m looking at the second level and the safety, seeing the blitzes and the corner presses. He has improved the way I think and the way I look at the defenses. Redshirt Senior Scarlee Jean On the move up from being a NAIA National Champion to NCAA FBS “It has been really fun. Jumping up to the NCAA has really been eye-opening. There is a lot more competition. I would say the people have a different mindset…There are some ballers at the NAIA level. Some people think this (playing football) is the end of the road, while the people up here have big aspirations. It is nice seeing people have that heart and mindset for football still.” How have you been able to set yourself apart “I would say my football IQ. Coach Warinner does a really good job at teaching us more than the defensive line. I kind of knew that stuff coming in with the experience that I had at Keiser…I love the competition, and I love being able to fight for my spots. It has been fun.” Senior Andre Lamas On the linemen being high energy “We know that we can be funny, and we can laugh and have a good joke when we are not at practice or in the play, but once we are going and on the field, everybody is as serious as they can be. It is a whole switch. That is one group that I can say is literally a flip of the switch, and you will get two different people. It is amazing. The fact that we are able to have a good time at practice and make sure we are having fun, but once we are on the field, there is no more screwing around. You have to lock in. You have to do your stuff, and then we are going to come off and celebrate all the good stuff we just did.” VIDEO RECAP HIGHLIGHTS Tyriq Starks found Jayshon Platt 30 yards out for a diving catch Working in the red zone, Cam Fancher hit Omari Hayes to move the chains and nearly score Xavier Terrell recovered to complete a reception from the ground, and fellow running back Gemari Sands had a touchdown run on 2nd and 5 Marlyn Johnson beat his defender on 2nd and 5 for a reception while Wyatt Sullivan followed with a TD reception There was a nice connection between Dominique Henry and Cam Fancher during 11-on-11 FAN FEST Join the Florida Atlantic Owls at the 2024 Duffy’s Sports Grill Fan Fest, scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10 at FAU Stadium. The football team will hold an open-to-the-public practice. Fans are encouraged to enjoy the shade of the Delray Hyundai Deck while watching and participating in giveaways, games, contests, and much more, including the opportunity to meet FAU student-athletes from other teams. Following football’s practice session, the 2024 Florida Atlantic football poster will be available, as will the Owls for an autograph opportunity. COMPLETE SCHEDULE Click HERE. MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY Florida Atlantic’s football home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 7, at FAU Stadium versus Army West Point. The Owls will celebrate Military Appreciation Day as the Black Knights come to Boca Raton. For more information, click HERE. SEASON TICKETS 2024 season tickets are available for as low as $75. To purchase season tickets, click HERE. Recent alumni and Florida Atlantic faculty/staff can access discounted season tickets as low as $50. To learn more, submit your info HERE or visit HERE to make a purchase today.VIP group experiences with discounted tickets are available now, including pre- and post-game field access, halftime team tunnels, fundraising opportunities, and more. If you have a group of 15 or more who are interested, sign up HERE.FAU Alumni and Community Engagement will host two away events. The first is October 19th, when the Owls travel to San Antonio to face host UTSA. The second will be before the November 16th game versus Temple in Philadelphia. For more information, email alumni.affairs@fau.edu. TOUCHDOWN IN THE TROPICS Get ready for a night of tropical elegance at “Touchdown in the Tropics” to support the upcoming Florida Atlantic University football season and its student-athletes. Join us at the Boca Marriott on August 22, 2024, from 6-9 PM at 5150 Town Center Cir., Boca Raton, Florida 33486. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Indulge in amazing food, enjoy live music, and hear from Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Tom Herman. This tropical casual affair promises a fun and unforgettable evening as we kick off the season in paradise with your hometown team. All proceeds from this event directly benefit our FAU football student-athletes. For more information, click HERE. BROADCAST Television outlets are listed on the schedule page. Wire-to-wire radio coverage will air on Fox Sports South Florida 640 AM. Ken LaVicka and FAU alum Chris Newbold will have the call, while Mike Mreczko will host the pre and post-game with added on-field coverage by FAU and long-time South Florida television personality Frank Forte. To listen live click HERE. FOLLOW THE TEAM Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball. |
