Florida Atlantic University Athletics
The Journey Begins
9/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 1, 2012
December 5, 2011 FAU began its road towards tonight. Carl Pelini was hired and his vision for FAU football was the reason. Eight months later, we had the opportunity to see the infant stages of his vision when FAU defeated Wagner 7-3.
The last eight months have been filled with blood, sweat and tears. Pelini first put together a staff that shared his vision. The staff was put into place to build each area of the team, including the strength and conditioning coach who would handle the entire off-season work schedule.
Then came recruiting the newest additions, many of whom Owls' fans saw tonight. The 2012 recruiting class was the most diverse, in 13 years of recruiting, based on position, class and geographic location. Spring drills focused on the basics and what was expected of the players.
Those expectations are what helped the team win tonight and the rest of the season. The off-season conditioning, without a doubt, was the most fundamentally rigorous the team has experienced. The FAU football players have stepped up to the expectations.
Preseason camp opened with 105 players prepared to take the first step towards the FAU football journey mapped out by Pelini.
Camp was the most grueling preseason workouts that I have seen since 2000 and 2001 when, like now everything was new to the players, the coaches and the staff. Everyone has responded primarily because you can see desire in the effort. There has been a response to the expectation.
The final two practices have been in the new on-campus stadium, something only imaginable a year ago. With the music playing and field painted, the expectation of the season was palpable. The players are ready to see and to measure their progress. When the Owls took the field tonight, it was not the conclusion of the team's transformation. It wasn't the end of meeting off-season expectations. It was the prelude to a book yet to be written.
Those in attendance tonight saw Chapter One of the Carl Pelini FAU Football Era.
