BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University’s football team practiced on the Schmidt Practice Fields for the final time this Spring, on Thursday morning.
The squad moved through their spirited and competitive paces one last time prior to the Spring Game, which signifies the final day of Spring Practice.
This Saturday promises to be a day built for a sports fan’s liking. The day will begin with the beach volleyball team, ranked No 10 nationally, hosting the FAU Paradise Invitational. The first Saturday match for the Owls is scheduled for 11 a.m. Softball will play host to Marshall at 1 p.m. UAB is in town to face the Owls’ baseball team at 4 p.m., and football’s spring game will get underway at 6 p.m. All will be played on FAU’s Boca Raton campus.
QUOTABLE
Haggerty Family Head Football Coach Willie Taggart:
On getting ready for the spring game:
“We are just continuing to get better, one percent better, each day. I thought Tuesday’s practice was one of our better practices. The big part for us is fundamentally and technically. This whole week, we haven’t put in new plays. It’s just all working on playing the game the way you’re supposed to play it. We’ve been really emphasizing playing with the hands, playing with the physicality the way you’re supposed to, and you’re starting to see our guys do that and play with great effort.”
On spring game trash talk:
“It’s been going on all week. It’s good to see the excitement from the players and coaches about the game. Guys are taking it seriously, which they should. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to watching it.”
Graduate Student Offensive Lineman Brendan Bordner:
On being the first pick in the spring game draft:
“It was great. It definitely shows the work that I’ve been doing and that the teammates and coaches have seen it too and respect it. I’m looking forward to getting out there Saturday night and putting on a good show.”
On quickly earning respect from the team:
“I think that’s got to be from the work ethic that I came in with and have shown. I don’t think I have said too much or have been too outspoken I, just tried to work and let my play and work speak for it.”
On adjusting to Florida weather:
“It’s been hot, a little bit of humidity. It isn’t great, but overall hasn’t been too bad yet.”
Redshirt Offensive Lineman Nick Weber:
On playing on the same team as Evan Anderson during the spring game:
“We planned it out a little bit. I don’t have to block him, and he doesn’t have to go against me. It’s the best of both worlds, the two best guys from each side on the same team.”
On Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando drafting Brendan Bordner to play with them:
“I think it’s a huge advantage. We’re going to run the ball all day against them. I’m glad Coach [Todd] Orlando knows that offensive line is one of the most important positions.”
On how the offensive line has gelled in the spring:
“There’s a lot of moving pieces, guys up and down the depth chart. We have a lot of returning guys. It’s been really good.”
On enjoying the spring:
“It’s been great. Every year’s a new team, a new mission. It’s my last spring ever, so given that view, it’s the last time I’ll ever be able to do this.”
Sophomore Defensive Lineman Decarius Hawthorne:
On how spring practice has gone:
“It’s been good over spring. Now I’m looking towards a win on Saturday.”
On the new defensive scheme:
“I love the new scheme. I feel like the scheme fits me in a way because of the moving that we do. I feel like it helps me produce at my position.”
On playing teammates in the spring game:
“They have to be the enemy for a day. We got to win at team KP.”
Defensive Line Coach/Spring Game Head Coach Kevin Patrick:
On picking free agents and drafting for the spring game:
“That makes it fun, watching everybody get together on each respective team collaborate and really go through the depth chart. It was interesting. I think there were some things that were to be expected, but I think there were definitely some surprises that caught everybody off guard a little bit. But we had a strategy. We knew what we were doing. We knew who we wanted, and we knew which direction we were going.”
On what’s on the line in the spring game:
“First and foremost, it’s spring. We still have to get better. This is a game. We’ve have to practice our fundamentals and the techniques and the execution that we’ve been working on for the last 13 or 14 practices. I think that’s what we all want to see. These guys have been very competitive all spring long. I think splitting up the teams just takes it to another level. I think we’re going to see a lot of excitement on the field. I think we’re going to see a lot of explosive plays, and of course I want it to all be defense. I’d happy with a 0-0 game at the end, but I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. We’re going to see a lot of weapons out there that are going to be on display for everybody.”
On getting more pressure on the quarterback:
“Last year, we didn’t reach all the goals that we wanted as a team, as a defense, as a unit. It provided a lot of learning opportunities to where we definitely have to get better. I think our mentality here is to win everything up front. If we take care of everything up front, we make it easier on the guys in the back. Whether we’re rushing three, four, five, or rushing one, we have to get pressure back there. I think we’ve seen a good change in that this spring. We’ve added a couple of pieces, and that allowed us to put a little more speed on the field at times.”
On Decarius Hawthorne being a free agent for the spring game:
“You look at Teja Young and the Evan Anderson, those are some of our greatest players, and Jalen Joyner. But Hawthorne’s a very explosive player. He operates on this defense in probably the most important position, that three technique, especially when you’re in a four down [defensive line]. Having Hawk on our team, we got him as a free agent, was a big pick for us because I think he adds something different than a lot of those guys that are going to be out there Saturday.”
On who’s been having a breakout spring:
“Jalen Joyner’s not on Team Patrick, but he’s had a really great spring, and then you look on the other side of that with Chris Jones. I’m excited to watch those two guys. N’Kosi [Perry]’s had a great spring. That’s attributed to the guys he’s got around him, not only the offensive line, which Coach [Ed] Warinner’s done an unbelievable job, but the weapons, Lajohntay [Wester], Tony [Johnson] at our slot position, [Jymetre] Hester. We’ve got some weapons there. It’s going to be fun to watch those guys utilize not only the scheme, the fundamentals, the technique, but the tools and weapons they have around each other.”
2022 SPRING GAME
The Owls’ 2022 Spring game is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 and the event is free and open to the public. Defensive line coach Kevin Patrick will serve as the head coach for the Red Team and Defensive Coordinator Todd Orlando will shepherd the White Team.
WHAT’S NEXT
FAU will open the 2022 season on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, versus Charlotte at FAU Stadium.
FOR SEASON TICKETS
To purchase FAU tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE or HERE Stay informed by reading FAUSports.com, or through football’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUFootball.
