BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University football worked in FAU Stadium for the first time under Hagerty Family Head Football Coach Tom Herman and it was the first scrimmage for the team as well. This scrimmage was won by the offense with a final score of 39-33.
The game was highlighted by the duo of Daniel Richardson, a transfer junior quarterback, and Tony Johnson, a redshirt sophomore receiver, as well as a running back corps that showcased their diverse skillset.
QUOTABLE
Hagerty Family Head Coach Tom Herman
On the first week in pads
“I thought our guys responded well to our expectations of practice. We are going to practice physically. I know this to be true. You cannot practice soft and then play hard. It doesn’t work that way. The practice habits become game reality. We are developing some good habits. We have to handle adversity better. We have a bunch of guys out there that want to blame, complain, defend when things don’t go right. Instead of reloading and going 1-0. We are getting there. There are less of those guys today than when we started. We will continue to learn how to do that. I was pleased with the offense, who won the scrimmage. They did some really nice things and put the ball in the end zone a couple of times, which was good to see. They had some explosive plays. The defense kind of stayed in it with some TFLs, a couple of sacks, and a turnover. But they were certainly on their heals for a lot of the scrimmage.”
You see guys that have done stuff like Larry McCammon and Tony Johnson. They showed out well today. Does that give you a good feeling about guys who should be making plays are making plays?
“Our skilled positions on offense, I’ve been very pleased with the talent level. We have a lot of work to do fundamentally. We have a lot of work to do from an assignment standpoint and just the small details but we are very athletic. I think we are certainly three-deep at tailback and all of those guys can give you something when they get in there. Larry [McCammon], a senior from Birmingham, Alabama, Kobe [Lewis], a transfer from Central Michigan, and Zuberi [Mobley], a redshirt sophomore from Maimi, Fla, and then I think our wideouts are talented and deep. We have to find ourselves a serviceable tight end and then we have to continue to improve at quarterback.”
Is inside linebacker a position where the young guys have an opportunity to show the coaches that they can trust them?
“This is their tryout and certainly that is a position that has been a bit worrisome, defensively, just because of the depth…we will evaluate that position very, very closely but it does afford those young guys, and they are talented, an opportunity at inside linebacker to show the coaching staff what they can do and I think they are enjoying that opportunity and really trying to make the most of it.”
As far as the quarterbacks are concerned at this point in spring practice are you just asking them to get the play lined up if you need to and execute rather than doing something spectacular?
“I told them that exact same thing. This is football 101 and at some point, being a quarterback, you have to be at a graduate level of football. We will get there, it is a process. Right now, make sure we are lined up, we are on the right snap count, our eyes are in the right spot when we are throwing the football, our feet are as well in the right spot, and we are taking the proper footwork. They really need to focus on themselves and their job right now, but we did have a conversation in that position room that in order to be a championship level quarterback, you have to graduate, if you will, to now I’ve got my job. I know my job like the back of my hand. Now, I can go run the offense, so to speak.”
PRO DAY
Pro Day is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28. It will follow the Owls practice and will take place on the track.
SPRING GAME
The “Spring Game” is scheduled for Saturday, April 15 at 12 p.m.
THE 2023 SCHEDULE
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Note: Broadcast outlets and kick-off times will be announced later this spring. All games can be heard on Fox Sports 640 AM South Florida.
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets for the 2023 season, the first in the American Conference, by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or by going online HERE. For more ticket information click HERE.
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