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McCarthy, Leighton
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Jersey Number 13
Leighton McCarthy
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 205
- Class:
- Redshirt Freshman
- Hometown:
- Apopka, Fla.
- High School:
- Wekiva
- Major:
- General Studies
Bio
Photo Gallery
Redshirt Senior (2020)
- Was asked to make a position change from DE to OLB with the new coaching staff and flourished with a career high 10 tackles, his first double-digit tackles game, including a total of 4.0 TFLs of which 3.0 were sacks for a total loss of 17 yards. His work night's work against Charlotte included a key forced fumble
- Had two tackle assist and a quarterback hurry at No. 22/25 Marshall, and was called to help the defensive line in a hybrid position after moving to OLB during the preseason
- Recorded four tackles in the Owls' 24-3 win over UTSA...one TFL for a loss of seven yards and added two quarterback hurries
- Tallied three tackles, including 1.5 for a loss of eight yards, six of those yards via a sack assist, and added a quarterback hurry in the Owls' 10-6 victory over WKU
- Had another monster night for the Owls with five tackles, including 2.5 sacks for a loss of 18 yards and added two quarterback hurries in FAU's 38-19 Shula Bowl XIX win at FIU
- Had two solo tackles, including a sack for a loss of five yards and a quarterback hurry in the UMass game
- Added eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss, to his career totals, at Georgia Southern
- Credited with five tackles, including a sack for a loss of six yards at Southern Miss
- Named second team All-C-USA
Redshirt Junior (2019)
- Earned the Spring Defensive Line "Top Guy" Award along with Ray Ellis
- Recorded two tackles, including a sack for a loss of one yard, in the season opener at Ohio State
- Had an assisted tackle and a quarterback hurry in the UCF contest
- Ball State workday included three tackles, with 2.5 dishing out a loss of 13 yards of those yards lost 12 came via 1.5 sacks
- Pressured the Wagner quarterback all night and came up with five tackles, including one tackle for a loss of two yards
- Had two solo tackles, including one for a loss of four yards, and tallied two quarterback hurries versus Charlotte
- Record tackle assists, it was a half sack for a loss of two yards, in the win over Middle Tennessee
- Worked into the line rotations with two tackles versus Marshall
- Praised by head coach Lane Kiffin for having his best FAU performance in the Owls 41-3 win over ODU, a game that he recorded four tackles, including 2.5 TFL (17-yards) with two sacks for a los of 16-yards
- Drew the start and tallied two tackles in the Owls' win at WKU
- Recorded a tackle assist in the Owls' 37-7 victory over FIU
- Contributed two tackles in the Owls' 40-26 victory at UTSA
- Tallied four tackles, including a sack for a loss of 10 yards and a one-yard TFL, in the Owls' 34-17 win over USM to capture the C-USA East Division title
- Recorded a solo tackle in the Owls' 49-6 win over UAB in the C-USA Championship game
- Drew the start in the Owls' 52-28 win over SMU in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
Redshirt Sophomore (2018)
- Honored as a 2018 C-USA Preseason Fourth Team Athlon selection
- In the season opener versus Oklahoma he recorded two tackles assists, including a 0.5 loss of one yard
- Recorded four tackle assists and a quarterback hurry versus Air Force
- In limited action versus Bethune, he recorded two tackles (1-1) and a quarterback hurry
- Had three tackles at No. 16 UCF
- Recorded three solo tackles, including one for a loss of one yard, at Middle Tennessee
- Vs. ODU he recorded five tackles including a half tackle for a loss of two yards and a quarterback hurry
- Credited with four tackles (1-3=4) at Marshall
- Tallied three tackles, including a half sack for a loss of four yards, and two QBH versus LA Tech
- Added a tackle assist and a pass breakup in Shula Bowl XVII versus FIU
- Tallied six tackles, including four solo, versus WKU
- Had three tackles, including two solo, at North Texas
- Concluded his 2018 season with three tackles versus Charlotte
Redshirt Freshman (2017)
- Recorded two tackles versus Navy
- Had two tackles, including one solo at Wisconsin and more impressively he had his first career INT and a return of 15 yards
- Recorded three tackles, one solo and had a QBH and a TLF for a loss of one yard
- Had eight tackles, including five solo, at Buffalo as well as a TFL for two yards
- Versus MT has two tackles
- In the ODU victory, he recorded three tackles, including a sack for a loss of four yards
- One of five Owls to record five tackles versus North Texas but his night alos including FAU's only sack and he forced a fumble and added a quarterback hurry
- Had four tackles, including a sack for a loss of three yards
- Tallied six tackles versus Marshall, including one for a loss of two yards
- Added four tackles, including 1.5/2 TFL, versus La Tech
- Had five solo tackles in the 2017 Shula Bowl victory
- Added a tackle assist and a QBH at Charlotte
- 2017 C-USA Championship game work included four tackles, a sack and one pass Break up versus North Texas
- Recorded three tackles and half a sack in the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl win over Akron
- Named Honorable Mention C-USA and was a member of the All-Freshman team
- Saw action on the road against Kansas State
High School
- Played for Kenard Long at Wekiva High School
- Set the school record for 20 sacks in a single-season
- All-Central first team
- Two-sport athlete (football and basketball)
Personal
- General studies major
- Son of Leighton, Sr. and Sabrina Kimbell
- Born May 27, 1996 in Orlando
Alex Atcavage Pads Off
Thursday, September 11
Easton Messer Wired for Sound
Thursday, September 11
Inside the Owls' Burrow S10, EP5
Wednesday, September 10
Inside The Owls' Burrow S10 Ep5 Trailer
Monday, September 08
