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Football Begins Prep for Season Opener IV
9/22/2020 5:16:00 PM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – With the first three Florida Atlantic University football games either canceled or postponed due to COVID-19, the Owls turn their attention to their next scheduled opponent in USF.
The FAU and USF contest has all the makings of a great in-state matchup. USF was a program that FAU's inaugural head coach, Howard Schnellenberger, mimicked as he began the process of building a football program in Paradise. Schnellenberger traveled across the state 20 years ago to meet with then-Bulls' inaugural head coach Jim Leavitt, who is now FAU's defensive coordinator.
The Owls were successful in starting a football program in 2001 but were not successful in the first three meetings versus USF. The fourth time was a charm as the Owls traveled to USF in 2013 where they pulled off the victory against then-first year Bulls' head coach and current FAU head coach Willie Taggart.
To add familiarity to the two schools, the Owls captured two Conference USA titles in the last three years and were led in 2019 by coordinators Charlie Weis Jr. and Glenn Spencer, the latter serving as interim head coach for the 2019 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl championship-winning team. The duo now serve as the Bulls' offensive and defensive coordinators. Throw in Coach Taggart playing his high school football in the Tampa Bay area, as well as eight Owls hailing from that same region, and it may very well seem like a football game following Thanksgiving dinner.
Once the ball is kicked, the game will represent the players suiting up and for the Owls, it will be the first on-campus sporting contest in 200 days. The last game played was a 5-0 baseball win over Penn. The following day, March 11, Penn players were pulled off the field shortly after the Ivy League announced their season was over due to COVID-19. For the Owls' football team, it will be the first opportunity to face an opponent since Dec. 21, including not having an opportunity to play in a spring game.
FAU began their Tuesday practice with red zone work, the moved into Owl drill which is similar to "Oklahoma." FAU spent more time on individual, field goal, 7-on-7, team and wrapped up with special teams.
Coordinators' Corner
Defensive Coordinator Jim LeavittOn the last few days including postponement:
"It is different. I have been in this game for a while. I have not experienced all the different emotions. You just stay focused not on one day at a time, but one hour at a time and try not let distractions get to you. Everybody wants to play. We wanted to play against Minnesota. We lost three games. The guys want to play bad…I just think about this week and I'm excited to play."
What is mean to you to play against a program that you built?
"I know people will think I'm not telling you the truth, but I really am: I have not thought about anything but practice today. All I wanted was a good practice. Last night and today, I haven't thought about anything else. You can believe it or not, but it is the truth. After we get done (video call) and I love spending time with you guys, getting with the defensive staff and watching practice, looking at the things we did right or wrong and that is really all I'm thinking about."
In preparing for USF, what stands out to you?
"Speed. They can run. Their quarterback, their running backs, receivers they can run and they have good size No. 18 [Devontres Dukes] is a good player, but their other receivers, No. 19 [Bryce Miller] and No. 8 [Latrell Williams], they can run and they know what they are doing. They are well coached. Offensive line is big and strong, do a good job. Tight end is a good sized guy. They have three tight ends. They are going to do what they do and do it well. They ran into Notre Dame. Notre Dame is Notre Dame. Different deal. The Citadel is a good football team, they really are, and they put it on those guys."
Co-Offensive Coordinator Drew Mehringer
On his spirits:
"I just walked off the practice field. It wasn't too hot today. I thought we had a decent practice so I'm in good spirits thus far, how about you guys?"
How do you keep the guys locked in and prepared when you continuously get setback after setback?
"I think for a lot of the guys, when you relate things to real life for them, that you are not always going to know what is coming down the road, that you do have to be prepared mentally, that everyone in the world, in COVID, is going through changes in their lives. It is not unique to us. It is a part of human life across the entire world. There are so many people that are looking for food and jobs and things like that and I think that when you put it in perspective of life outside of football, I think the choices for football become a lot easier and I think that football becomes more of an escape for them, from the pressures of reality that exist outside of our world. They are really excited to play, really, really excited to play. It is not hard to motivate this team to want to go to compete. I think Coach Taggart and everybody on staff would tell you how thankful we are having a group of guys that love football."
Is this game a 'finally' for you? Finally getting to play someone else?
"I do love red, white and blue but it will be nice to see something on the other side of the line of scrimmage. I think so. For the players, I think when you are an 18-year-old kid, that finally the opportunity to go put on display all the hard work, 40-something practices that we have been involved in, the chance to go do that. The chance to go hit somebody else is the validation for all their hard work they have put in. I'm excited for them. I'm excited for my first game in paradise. That part is pretty cool. That part is really, really cool for me. I will be excited. Obviously it won't be a traditional game day. Nothing in 2020 has been normal. It will still be exciting nonetheless."
It would be game four, you would have a pretty good idea of who you are as an offense, what your identity is. That is still a big question for you?
"I think that who we are as an offense, that Coach Taggart, myself and the staff have an idea of what we can do. Obviously, when you are underneath the lights, things tend to change for some people, but it will be a good sign to see where we are from a maturation standpoint out there on the game field. It is different going against an opponent than the scout team…it will be exciting to see where we are from a maturation standpoint, especially when people have talked about all the production that has moved on in one capacity or another. Some of these guys have worked their absolute tails off to be in roles for our offense and be productive members of our offense. It will be good to see exactly where they are at. I feel great about the maturity of this football team. There are still some things every week that we have to keep cleaning up and keep working on, but it is really exciting to see where we are going to be after this game."
Video Highlights
Inside the Owls' Burrow
This week, host and producer Frank Forte will talk 1-on-1 with head coach Willie Taggart in preparation for the season opener versus USF, a team that both he and FAU defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt both once served as a head coach. Forte will also introduce offensive tackle Marquise Robinson and FAU co-offensive coordinator/WR coach Drew Mehringer. The show also will feature transfer wide receiver Yanez Rogers' return to South Florida and his reuniting with FAU men's basketball player and former Ely High School teammate Michael Forrest. The "20 for 20" celebration will be a look back at current Buffalo Bills' running back Devin Singletary, who had a breakout game in 2016 versus Rice. This week's show will air Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m., and will then re-air Friday, September 25 at 9:30 a.m. and again on Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m. on Fox Sports Florida.Tickets
Tickets for the 2020 season are on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-866-FAU-OWLS or online HERE.
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