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Taggart’s Talk, Week No. 4
9/20/2021 3:43:00 PM | Football
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Fresh off the team's 10th consecutive win at FAU Stadium, Hagerty Family Head Coach Willie Taggart spoke with the media on Monday morning.
The 10 straight home wins places FAU ninth among current FBS streaks, as seen below:
Current Longest Home Winning Streaks in FBS
Additionally, a ticket promotion is scheduled for the Owls' next home game, Oct. 2, in the annual Shula Bowl vs. FIU. All Delray Hyundai deck tickets can be purchased for $10 off by clicking HERE.
"We've got to continue what we're doing. Trying to prepare for the game the way we've been preparing for other games and try to be at our best when it comes to executing our plays and assignments and things that we need to do. When it comes to the altitude and things of that nature, there's no way we can bring altitude here to Florida and practice. The only things we can do is control the things that we can, which is just the way our practice happens and doing the winning things that it takes to win ball games, so I don't think we can get caught up in the altitude and all of those things. I've coached out there (against) Wyoming and they had a big sign that says 'you're 27,000 feet above sea level' and it felt no different. I guess when you're out playing football I think some of that is just a distraction and we're not going to let it distract us. We're going to go out and play. That's all we can do."
On the emphasis for the team this week:
"I want to execute. I think you go back and watch that game (Fordham), we left a lot of yards, a lot of points out there on the field. We had guys wide open and we didn't connect on them and we had guys drop balls. We do those things and I think you'd say we played a flawless football game. Unfortunately, we didn't execute like we wanted to there. We're really focusing on that this week in practice and doing a better job, especially early in the game, being consistent when it comes to executing the plays that we run because they were there. We just didn't execute on them. It's pretty much what I talked about after the game and what we need to do and our guys have seen the film, they understand what it's going to take. But it was good to see our guys come back in the second half and play like they were supposed to."
On Kelvin Dean, Jr.:
"What Kelvin did in the game was good for our football team. It was good for him. I know he had a run earlier in the game where he missed the hole and he thought he wasn't going to get any more reps. We told him 'you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they come,' and he got an opportunity in the game again and he took advantage of it. It was things we've seen from Kelvin in practice. One thing that had held him back from playing time was taking care of the football and he's done a tremendous job this training camp and this fall of getting better with taking care of the football and it paid off in the game on Saturday. I think he's earned the right to see more (playing time) and we'll see more and more and more if he keeps playing the way he did the other night."
On Larry McCammon III:
"Larry's kind of like our junkyard dog. He does a little bit of everything for us and it's great when you have a player like that. He's a team player for us. He adds another dimension to our offense when he can play running back or play fullback or special teams or whatever it is we ask for him to do. Larry's all for it and it's just adding another element to our offense and another of getting some of our better players on the field."
On applying the team's success at home to a road game:
"It's different because we're not at home. We're not in our environment. That part is different. But that's the next step with our football team and the next challenge of what we have to do if we want to be the championship team that we aspire to be. To go out and be able to win on the road. Our guys know we haven't been very successful with that over the last few road games and we try to get back on track when it comes to being on the road and playing with the same enthusiasm and the same focus that we do at home. But that's part of building a championship football team and that's the process that we're in. We're three games in and we're building those characteristics of a winning football team. We're not there to be a championship team yet, but each week we have an opportunity to get better and put ourselves closer to being that kind of football team. This week at Air Force is another one of those steps to get us where we're trying to go."
On defending a triple option offense like Air Force:
"You have to be very disciplined in your assignment. When you're playing a triple option team, you're going to have somebody on the dive, somebody on the quarterback, and somebody on the pitch. We have to be disciplined in staying to our rules. If you're on the dive, take the dive. If you're on the quarterback, you need to hit the quarterback, and it can't be any other way. What happens is, guys lose focus or try to do more than what they're asked to do and that's when you get gashed by a fullback or the quarterback running the ball. So it's being very disciplined in your assignments when you're playing this team because they're going to be disciplined and patient in running the football and they'll do some misdirections to mess with your eyes defensively. Their quarterback has done a great job throwing the ball and that's another element that you have to worry about. It's enough as it is when it comes to the running game and he can drop back and throw it the way he did last week. It's another challenge for our guys so we have to be very disciplined. I think games like this, your defensive line has to step up for you. It's going to be a physical ball game. They're going to come out and run the ball and we have to do a good job of taking care of the trenches and running to the ball."
Wednesday, Sept. 22 – Defensive Coordinator/safeties Coach Mike Stoops and requested players at 8:45 a.m. (in the inside interview room)
Thursday, Sept. 23 – Willie Taggart's final talk prior to this week's game, 11:40 a.m. via WebEx
*Media members should RSVP to Jonathan Fraysure at jfraysur@fau.edu to receive the Thursday WebEx call invitation
The 10 straight home wins places FAU ninth among current FBS streaks, as seen below:
Current Longest Home Winning Streaks in FBS
| Team | Streak | Last Week's Home Result | This Weekend's Opponent |
| 1. Clemson | 30 | Win/Georgia Tech, 14-8 | NC State (away) |
| 2. Notre Dame | 26 | Win/Purdue, 27-13 | Wisconsin (away) |
| 3. Cincinnati | 23 | Played at Indiana | Bye Week |
| 4. Memphis | 17 | Win/Mississippi State, 31-29 | UTSA (home) |
| 5. Oregon | 14 | Win/Stony Brook, 48-7 | Arizona (home) |
| 6. Liberty | 13 | Win/Old Dominion, 45-1 | Syracuse (away) |
| 7. Army | 12 | Win/UConn, 52-21 | Miami (Ohio) (home) |
| BYU | Win/Arizona State, 27-17 | USF (home) | |
| 9. Florida Atlantic | 10 | Win/Fordham, 45-14 | Air Force (away) |
| 10. Coastal Carolina | 9 | Played at Buffalo | UMass (home) |
Additionally, a ticket promotion is scheduled for the Owls' next home game, Oct. 2, in the annual Shula Bowl vs. FIU. All Delray Hyundai deck tickets can be purchased for $10 off by clicking HERE.
Taggart's Take
On adjusting to the elevation in Colorado:"We've got to continue what we're doing. Trying to prepare for the game the way we've been preparing for other games and try to be at our best when it comes to executing our plays and assignments and things that we need to do. When it comes to the altitude and things of that nature, there's no way we can bring altitude here to Florida and practice. The only things we can do is control the things that we can, which is just the way our practice happens and doing the winning things that it takes to win ball games, so I don't think we can get caught up in the altitude and all of those things. I've coached out there (against) Wyoming and they had a big sign that says 'you're 27,000 feet above sea level' and it felt no different. I guess when you're out playing football I think some of that is just a distraction and we're not going to let it distract us. We're going to go out and play. That's all we can do."
On the emphasis for the team this week:
"I want to execute. I think you go back and watch that game (Fordham), we left a lot of yards, a lot of points out there on the field. We had guys wide open and we didn't connect on them and we had guys drop balls. We do those things and I think you'd say we played a flawless football game. Unfortunately, we didn't execute like we wanted to there. We're really focusing on that this week in practice and doing a better job, especially early in the game, being consistent when it comes to executing the plays that we run because they were there. We just didn't execute on them. It's pretty much what I talked about after the game and what we need to do and our guys have seen the film, they understand what it's going to take. But it was good to see our guys come back in the second half and play like they were supposed to."
On Kelvin Dean, Jr.:
"What Kelvin did in the game was good for our football team. It was good for him. I know he had a run earlier in the game where he missed the hole and he thought he wasn't going to get any more reps. We told him 'you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they come,' and he got an opportunity in the game again and he took advantage of it. It was things we've seen from Kelvin in practice. One thing that had held him back from playing time was taking care of the football and he's done a tremendous job this training camp and this fall of getting better with taking care of the football and it paid off in the game on Saturday. I think he's earned the right to see more (playing time) and we'll see more and more and more if he keeps playing the way he did the other night."
On Larry McCammon III:
"Larry's kind of like our junkyard dog. He does a little bit of everything for us and it's great when you have a player like that. He's a team player for us. He adds another dimension to our offense when he can play running back or play fullback or special teams or whatever it is we ask for him to do. Larry's all for it and it's just adding another element to our offense and another of getting some of our better players on the field."
On applying the team's success at home to a road game:
"It's different because we're not at home. We're not in our environment. That part is different. But that's the next step with our football team and the next challenge of what we have to do if we want to be the championship team that we aspire to be. To go out and be able to win on the road. Our guys know we haven't been very successful with that over the last few road games and we try to get back on track when it comes to being on the road and playing with the same enthusiasm and the same focus that we do at home. But that's part of building a championship football team and that's the process that we're in. We're three games in and we're building those characteristics of a winning football team. We're not there to be a championship team yet, but each week we have an opportunity to get better and put ourselves closer to being that kind of football team. This week at Air Force is another one of those steps to get us where we're trying to go."
On defending a triple option offense like Air Force:
"You have to be very disciplined in your assignment. When you're playing a triple option team, you're going to have somebody on the dive, somebody on the quarterback, and somebody on the pitch. We have to be disciplined in staying to our rules. If you're on the dive, take the dive. If you're on the quarterback, you need to hit the quarterback, and it can't be any other way. What happens is, guys lose focus or try to do more than what they're asked to do and that's when you get gashed by a fullback or the quarterback running the ball. So it's being very disciplined in your assignments when you're playing this team because they're going to be disciplined and patient in running the football and they'll do some misdirections to mess with your eyes defensively. Their quarterback has done a great job throwing the ball and that's another element that you have to worry about. It's enough as it is when it comes to the running game and he can drop back and throw it the way he did last week. It's another challenge for our guys so we have to be very disciplined. I think games like this, your defensive line has to step up for you. It's going to be a physical ball game. They're going to come out and run the ball and we have to do a good job of taking care of the trenches and running to the ball."
Media Availability
Tuesday, Sept. 21 – Offensive Coordinator/quarterbacks Coach Michael Johnson and requested players at 8:45 a.m. (in the inside interview room)Wednesday, Sept. 22 – Defensive Coordinator/safeties Coach Mike Stoops and requested players at 8:45 a.m. (in the inside interview room)
Thursday, Sept. 23 – Willie Taggart's final talk prior to this week's game, 11:40 a.m. via WebEx
*Media members should RSVP to Jonathan Fraysure at jfraysur@fau.edu to receive the Thursday WebEx call invitation
2021 Season
2021 single-game tickets are available now. To experience "Football in Paradise," Click HERE or call 1-866-FAU-OWLS.
Players Mentioned
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